Reviews

At the End of the Matinee by Keiichiro Hirano

jjoannacanread's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

sophiaxlm's review against another edition

3.0

怎么说呢，串起整篇小说的音乐相关内容是虚构故事里我最不感兴趣的元素之一，所以伴随着的感情交流也就显得很没意思，更别提那个真的很老套的误会桥段——非要说的话，这个故事里的男女感情是最让我感到不耐烦的。至于其中对于战后伊拉克、 ptsd、金融危机等等的观察，都带着一股子“真善美”的理想主义味儿。

kurenzhi's review

3.75

A meticulously constructed novel with excellent character work and some decent passes at philosophy. It does get a bit hamfisted in its attempt to encompass all of the global political events from roughly 2004-2014 (I suspect this is another instance of the typical syndrome that contemporary Japanese realist authors often have a tendency to suffer from--the novel reeks of trying to make itself important through self-importance), but the comedy of errors and motivations of everyone involved is so precisely right that the book manages to save itself. 

Excellent translation, to boot. 

ruyanda's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

husnaibrahim_'s review against another edition

4.75

This book started off a bit slow for me but I ended up loving it so much. I definitely don’t regret picking up  the audiobook halfway because the narrator was brilliant. 

I just wished there was a second book or that we got a bit more closure at the ending because now I have so many questions! Like what would become of Yoko and Makino now? And what about Sanayi? And Jalilah too. Also did Yoko bring up the topic of her last conversation with her dad to her mum? And would she end up quitting her new job to move back to Tokyo with Makino now Or would it be the other way around?

There’s just so many questions I need answered yet I think the way the author ended it is what ties the whole book together. I loved the way the book was written and it was really interesting to learn about what happened to Yoko’s mum as a child just after watching Oppenheimer. 

Overall, I’m very satisfied with the book but at the same time, I just can’t help but feel like I need more!

modrockz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

3.5

nyctxnthus's review against another edition

just couldn't get into it

grace_edwards's review against another edition

3.0

Cut with conflict, infernal and external, it’s a slow burn of a read watching these highly intrinsic characters have more conversations with themselves than each other. I enjoyed the musical aspect and the idea that how we look at the past is ever-changing. I just wish we had more showing and less telling in regards to the characters stories, especially with such beautiful writing.

Thank you Amazon Crossing and NG for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

worldsokayeststepmom's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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? No

5.0

centophennni's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-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

3.0