talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Sometimes, you read something that feels as though it was exactly what you needed to read. At this time, as this person, just in general. Maybe it even feels as though it was outright written for you, it touches and appeals to you so deeply. Whatever the case, it strikes a deep part of you, perhaps one you didn’t even fully know existed, and you are endlessly grateful that you managed to stumble upon it, out of the millions and millions of works out there.
Prairie Ostrich ended up being one of those books for me. It’s not a sprawling epic in either length—I’d say it took under four hours total to read—or content, and in fact it’s rather unassuming. But it’s perhaps because of and not despite its humble, everyday story that it struck such a chord. Something about the mundane has always gripped me, and it’s rare that I see it handled with all the grace and reverence of broader, more fantastical tales.
Here, though—here, that is the definite impression. Perhaps it’s on behalf of the narrator, or the overall writing, which drew me in from the first few paragraphs. Portraying a child’s perspective is a difficult undertaking, but Kobayashi handles it incredibly well, keeping things reasonably authentic while also not simplifying things. Egg’s character shines through in each line; the frankness she expresses is both realistic and endearing, and feeling for her and her situation comes very naturally. The writing style certainly wouldn’t appeal to everyone—the syntax is punchy and there’s a lot of repetition, things that I generally don’t love but ended up really enjoying here—but I can’t recall a time when it bored or grated on me. It’s entertaining and beautiful, with each metaphor and, on the opposite end, blunt statement interesting yet grounding.
Egg and her family are the only characters out of the assortment of inhabitants of their rural community really explored in detail. This is a positive, in my opinion, as it highlights the isolation and alienation they experience as the only Japanese family in the area, as well as how Egg, for all the kindness and care she is shown to hold, is still eight years old, and prone to that self-centeredness. What character work is there is interesting and thoughtful, although I’d agree that devoting more time and effort to fleshing out Egg’s parents and siblings would have lent a lot to the novel.
However short it may be, Prairie Ostrich isn’t that light of a read—its themes and plots are heavy, and its protagonist’s youth and naivete makes them hit twice as hard. There’s definite care in most of their portrayal, but few punches are pulled. It stokes a certain feeling of discomfort in the reader (or at least this reader), but not in a negative way; I’m happy to let that discomfort sit and stew.
My most glaring critique would be that while the pacing is fairly decent throughout the novel, the conclusion comes across as rushed and abrupt, with several subplots left hanging and those that are resolved not quite cleanly so. This diminishes the impact of some themes, and ultimately prevents a feeling of complete satisfaction. There were definitely some things I’d like to have seen explored in greater detail, but the limited perspective and length kept this from coming to fruition. Had the novel’s timespan been stretched even a couple of months longer, I think there could have been a greater sense of closure, but as is, the ending is a tad disappointing.
A rather small-scope story that packs quite the emotional punch, Prairie Ostrich has a strong start and potential but ultimately falls somewhat flat. Still, to me, it was a magical book for one that lacked magic entirely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Grief, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Animal death, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, Blood, and Antisemitism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Ableism, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, and War
Domestic abuse is between minor characters, and only shown semi-graphically once. Antisemitism is in the context of World War II. A relationship is mentioned between a character who was 17-18 and one who is mentioned as possibly being around 20, though her exact age is never stated.angelkisses's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
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