dlberglund's review against another edition
I appreciate what was attempted, but I found it too graphic in its depiction of abuse and her sexual journey, which also included repeated violence. I think I would rather have read her print memoir than read the visual version, with the script written by a British man.
roxanamalinachirila's review against another edition
3.0
Just like the title says, this is a true story about a yakuza's daughter, starting from adolescence - and up until she changes her life around and becomes a writer.
I don't think anyone's surprised that growing up in a bad environment can have unfortunate consequences, and Shoko grows up as a child of the underworld, with a father who brings home both shady associates and hostesses from night bars, gets drunk and breaks things around the house.
She's nearly raped by one of her father's associates, starts going to night clubs at 12 years-old, and finds little understanding at school, where she's at first bullied by her peers, then once she changes her hair color and starts looking tough, gets pressured to dye her hair back to black.
She goes through a string of abusive and/or married boyfriends, gets blackmailed and pressured into many things she doesn't want. It's just one thing after the next.
But this also means it all blends together - including the men, about whom we know very little. What is the world of the yakuza actually like? What do these people do? Where was Shoko's brother in all of this? (At one point, I was starting to wonder whether I'd misremembered him existing at all.)
On the other hand, this is a harrowing story and you can feel that this is very hard to tell. But Shoko is determined and, despite the abuse, you can feel her strength. And the tattoo she gets when she's starting to pull herself together is both beautiful - and a sign of that strength.
I don't think anyone's surprised that growing up in a bad environment can have unfortunate consequences, and Shoko grows up as a child of the underworld, with a father who brings home both shady associates and hostesses from night bars, gets drunk and breaks things around the house.
She's nearly raped by one of her father's associates, starts going to night clubs at 12 years-old, and finds little understanding at school, where she's at first bullied by her peers, then once she changes her hair color and starts looking tough, gets pressured to dye her hair back to black.
She goes through a string of abusive and/or married boyfriends, gets blackmailed and pressured into many things she doesn't want. It's just one thing after the next.
But this also means it all blends together - including the men, about whom we know very little. What is the world of the yakuza actually like? What do these people do? Where was Shoko's brother in all of this? (At one point, I was starting to wonder whether I'd misremembered him existing at all.)
On the other hand, this is a harrowing story and you can feel that this is very hard to tell. But Shoko is determined and, despite the abuse, you can feel her strength. And the tattoo she gets when she's starting to pull herself together is both beautiful - and a sign of that strength.
anakuroma's review against another edition
5.0
TW: rape, pedophilia, blackmailing into sex work, infidelity, drugs and hard drug addiction, physical abuse, gambling, blood, miscarriage, abortion, death, cancer
The moment I found this at a book sale I was intrigued. At home I read it in one go. It is deep and harsh, yet hopeful and healing. A personal story of strength even when one is weak.
The moment I found this at a book sale I was intrigued. At home I read it in one go. It is deep and harsh, yet hopeful and healing. A personal story of strength even when one is weak.
made_in_dna's review against another edition
3.0
While this book gives an interesting insight into the lives of those who are born on 'the other side of the tracks' and tells a compelling story, it suffers from a lackluster narrative. (Which is not the fault of the localizer.) Description is minimal and sophmoric even at the best of times. Those with no experience living in Japan or with Japanese culture (especially Bubble Era culture of the 80s) will be lost. SPEED TRIBES is a much better book on the same subject. Though I praise Ms Tendoh for her efforts and certainly wish her well in life as it seems she got the short end of the stick, I can only recommend this book to expats who have lived in Japan for an extended period of time.
kickpleat's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read about a Yakuza's daughter who got caught up in a whirlwind of speed as a young teenager. I'm not I'm not sure I'd really give this 3 whole stars, but even though this wasn't well written (or maybe it was just poorly translated), I felt for the author and her story. Just don't read the outro by another Japanese author (ugh).
zepysgirl's review against another edition
3.0
I feel weird even giving this a rating. So much happened constantly, I never really found my footing.
harrislp's review against another edition
3.0
Was okay, didn't really love the narrator and didn't really feel like I could relate but was still interesting and made some interesting points about the lifestyle of being a gangsters daughter and how different it is to the normal lifestyle of a child. Probably not worth reading unless you are considering joining the Yakuza and want to see what kind of impact it will have on your family.
dpaola's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
ballinnnnnn's review against another edition
3.0
What a strong woman Shoko is. This read is so heartbreakingly depressing, yet uplifting at the same time. Another instance of when I get too involved in a story and start feeling the same things the author does, she went through years of pain and torture in many different abusive relationships barely skating by to life on the other end. It spoke more of her life as a rebel teenager and life in her group versus yakuza life. I was hoping to read more about her father's gangster life and what that was like, but since he went to jail when she was 6 and stepped down from the yakuza after that, she didn't experience yakuza life directly as much as I assumed from the book jacket. Translated from Japanese there are a few things that sound a little funny or formal at points, but if you didn't know it was originally Japanese you probably wouldn't notice. It's good to see that she has a daughter she cherishes and is doing well even after all she went through.