elisa19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
nooka's review
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
naris's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
buff_dude's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Psychopath woman who can't tolerate having less than 2 people worship her at a time enters a toxic situationship with another woman. Fun read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
3.0
In the very helpful and funny introduction, Kristen Roupenian tries to summarise this book for us: it's a "universally understood tale of a four-way love affair involving not only lesbianism and infidelity and couple-swapping, but pregnancy-faking and secret drugging and group suicide and the writing of an elaborate contract signed in blood, in which you promise that you'll break up with your secret girlfriend is she ever attempts to divorce her impotent husband." We've all been there, eh?
If you've read a number of Tanizaki's novels, you'll be familiar with some of these themes. His work consistently pushes boundaries, and not just those of 1920s Japan, but also of this 2020s Dubliner. You think you're up for anything and then you read "The Key" or "Quicksand" and you realise that you're actually quite easily shocked. I've enjoyed every Tanizaki novel I've read, though I think they vary in quality: "The Makioka Sisters" is strange, beautiful and poignant; "Some Prefer Nettles" is moving and tender; "The Key" is deeply uncomfortable. They all look at themes of transgression, of infidelity, and Tanizaki writes about the body with a frankness and a keen interest in its realities, which seems remarkably open even today. Sometimes his interests come across as voyeuristic, and sometimes as simply an exploration of reality. "Quicksand" is difficult reading, and Tanizaki pushes a lot of readers' boundaries, but it's certainly entertaining, and remains in the mind.
If you've read a number of Tanizaki's novels, you'll be familiar with some of these themes. His work consistently pushes boundaries, and not just those of 1920s Japan, but also of this 2020s Dubliner. You think you're up for anything and then you read "The Key" or "Quicksand" and you realise that you're actually quite easily shocked. I've enjoyed every Tanizaki novel I've read, though I think they vary in quality: "The Makioka Sisters" is strange, beautiful and poignant; "Some Prefer Nettles" is moving and tender; "The Key" is deeply uncomfortable. They all look at themes of transgression, of infidelity, and Tanizaki writes about the body with a frankness and a keen interest in its realities, which seems remarkably open even today. Sometimes his interests come across as voyeuristic, and sometimes as simply an exploration of reality. "Quicksand" is difficult reading, and Tanizaki pushes a lot of readers' boundaries, but it's certainly entertaining, and remains in the mind.
brainemptyjust's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
pameana's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
xuxukun's review against another edition
Một tiểu thuyết vỏn vẹn 300 trang với câu chuyện tình ái cực kỳ quái: giữa 1 người phụ nữ đã có chồng với 1 phụ nữ trẻ đẹp quyến rũ khác, và mọi chuyện trở nên phức tạp hơn khi 2 người đàn ông - chồng người này cùng với vị hôn phu của người kia - cũng tham gia.
Người phụ nữ trung tâm của câu chuyện có nhan sắc thế nào mà khiến 3 người còn lại phải xoay vần theo mình? 4 người hợp lại thành chữ vạn 卍. Tựa tiếng anh dễ hiểu hơn: quicksand - nghĩa đen là cát lún, còn nghĩa bóng là tình thế tồi tệ khó thoát ra.
Sách viết hấp dẫn, đã đọc rồi ắt khó bỏ xuống. Câu chuyện twist liên tục cho đến những dòng cuối cùng.
Người phụ nữ trung tâm của câu chuyện có nhan sắc thế nào mà khiến 3 người còn lại phải xoay vần theo mình? 4 người hợp lại thành chữ vạn 卍. Tựa tiếng anh dễ hiểu hơn: quicksand - nghĩa đen là cát lún, còn nghĩa bóng là tình thế tồi tệ khó thoát ra.
Sách viết hấp dẫn, đã đọc rồi ắt khó bỏ xuống. Câu chuyện twist liên tục cho đến những dòng cuối cùng.
ellieanor's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0