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jselliot's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not quite what I was expecting, going into this book. It actually resembles The Outsiders in a different regional setting. The narrative definitely immerses you into Sugihara's head, directly speaking through a first person vehicle. And, whether the author intended it or not, exposes some of Sugihara's own biases despite his little rebellions towards his father's obvious sexism with his own leanings. Teenage boys. But the loss of - arguably - Sugihara's best friend and subsequent alienation by his own former friends when he refused to go for blood only put a fine point on his situation.
While not a perfect book, it was satisfying by the end. It just has some flaws that are directly related to the social culture of the late 90s, particularly with how same-sex relationships were viewed as deviant at the time. (Obvious content warnings with small-time gang violence and child abuse.)
While not a perfect book, it was satisfying by the end. It just has some flaws that are directly related to the social culture of the late 90s, particularly with how same-sex relationships were viewed as deviant at the time. (Obvious content warnings with small-time gang violence and child abuse.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Grief
katiemanring's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
pastelwriter's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Wow...
This novella is far beyond my ability to review it properly. I'm too much of an uncultured swine to talk about it in a comprehensive way. Let's just say I did not go into this novella which is labeled a "coming of age story" on the cover and by the narrator labeled "a love story" expecting it to be about so much more than that.
In this novella we follow a teenager who was born and raised in Japan but has North Korean citizenship. Thus, the narrative follows him as he is frustrated with the limitations and challenges this has brought him despite this not being something about himself that he truly change. I would say the story is in many ways about belonging and how the only place you have known your entire life can feel hostile yet you have no real attachments to the place you're told you "belong" in. It reminded me a lot about immigration in the U.S. and how, for example, children of immigrants can be told to "go back to their country" regardless of the fact that the U.S. is (sometimes) the only country they have ever known. So, I could definitely understand the frustrations of our protagonist.
In addition to that, or in some cases as an extension of that, there was a lot more violence in this book than I was anticipating. Our protagonist's father beats him. His mother one time beats him as well after he and his father get in a fight. And then there's all the fights he gets in at school because of his ethnicity. It was a lot. It made the story painful at times because it seemed like the protagonist couldn't catch a break.
My two major qualms with this book are the writing style and the romance. Now, I know this is a translation, so in this area I will shift responsibility more on the translator. The dialogue in this book for the most part was really fun and entertaining, but the main prose was pretty dry. It made it difficult to want to continue reading. Now, in terms of the romance...it was quite lackluster. There was not much there. And honestly, I did not need to read about a teenage girl talking about how the protagonist made her wet. The almost sex scene in this book also made me deeply uncomfortable. It was just not a good time.
Regardless, I would still call this a worthwhile read. I just wish I had been more prepared for the type of story it actually was.
P.S. I was surprised by how much western media was brought up in this novella! And how much male friendship was an important element of the story.
This novella is far beyond my ability to review it properly. I'm too much of an uncultured swine to talk about it in a comprehensive way. Let's just say I did not go into this novella which is labeled a "coming of age story" on the cover and by the narrator labeled "a love story" expecting it to be about so much more than that.
In this novella we follow a teenager who was born and raised in Japan but has North Korean citizenship. Thus, the narrative follows him as he is frustrated with the limitations and challenges this has brought him despite this not being something about himself that he truly change. I would say the story is in many ways about belonging and how the only place you have known your entire life can feel hostile yet you have no real attachments to the place you're told you "belong" in. It reminded me a lot about immigration in the U.S. and how, for example, children of immigrants can be told to "go back to their country" regardless of the fact that the U.S. is (sometimes) the only country they have ever known. So, I could definitely understand the frustrations of our protagonist.
In addition to that, or in some cases as an extension of that, there was a lot more violence in this book than I was anticipating. Our protagonist's father beats him. His mother one time beats him as well after he and his father get in a fight. And then there's all the fights he gets in at school because of his ethnicity. It was a lot. It made the story painful at times because it seemed like the protagonist couldn't catch a break.
My two major qualms with this book are the writing style and the romance. Now, I know this is a translation, so in this area I will shift responsibility more on the translator. The dialogue in this book for the most part was really fun and entertaining, but the main prose was pretty dry. It made it difficult to want to continue reading. Now, in terms of the romance...it was quite lackluster. There was not much there. And honestly, I did not need to read about a teenage girl talking about how the protagonist made her wet. The almost sex scene in this book also made me deeply uncomfortable. It was just not a good time.
Regardless, I would still call this a worthwhile read. I just wish I had been more prepared for the type of story it actually was.
P.S. I was surprised by how much western media was brought up in this novella! And how much male friendship was an important element of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia