kxtaro's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
2.75
jadejoro's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Switching from Dazai's typical heavy tone into essentially a collection of fairy tales was a bit jarring, but overall helped me develop a fuller picture of the author as a person. Most of my qualms with the story are personal (fairy tales and fables typically aren't my preference), but generally speaking Japanese folk tales can be a little darker than what Americans might be expecting. The title short story was easily my favorite; it's fantasy element felt the most familiar and compelling out of the various plots.
theq's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.75
bookwomble's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
rica014's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
kokonatsu's review against another edition
5.0
What an interesting collection of short stories, all published between 1934 and 1945. Although the title only says 'Tales of Fantasy', I daresay you could almost include romance in that description. In the translator's introduction, he says that Osamu Dazai is a self confessed romantic, and while I don't think you could classify these stories as straight romance, they also don't fall too short of the genre. Romance with a twist. My favourite story was Blue Bamboo, a sweet story of a man whose story is similar to Cinderella in some aspects. My other two favourites were about the five brothers and sisters and their storytelling; these alone show the author's genuine writing ability and flexibility. The stories themselves had me hooked.
eve_kadou's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5