readingshrew's review
3.75
Favourites:
The Island of Eternal Life (Tawada Yoko)
March Yarn (Kawakami Mieko)
Box Story (Arikawa Tetsuya)
I liked the inclusion of the original Kawakami Hiromi story God Bless You as well as the new version.
The Island of Eternal Life (Tawada Yoko)
March Yarn (Kawakami Mieko)
Box Story (Arikawa Tetsuya)
I liked the inclusion of the original Kawakami Hiromi story God Bless You as well as the new version.
jcol's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
An incredible collection, loved all the short stories contained in it. My top 3:
1) The Island of Eternal Life by Tawada Yōko. The reason why I acquired this volume in the first place! A brief but intense origin and counterpart to her full lenght novel The Emissary
2) Little Eucalyptus Leaves by Murakami Ryu
3) Box Story by Akikawa Tetsuya
Honorable mentions:
- After the disaster, Before the disaster by David Peace. Made me cry over Akutagawa once again.
- Grandma's Bible by Natsuki Ikezawa
1) The Island of Eternal Life by Tawada Yōko. The reason why I acquired this volume in the first place! A brief but intense origin and counterpart to her full lenght novel The Emissary
2) Little Eucalyptus Leaves by Murakami Ryu
3) Box Story by Akikawa Tetsuya
Honorable mentions:
- After the disaster, Before the disaster by David Peace. Made me cry over Akutagawa once again.
- Grandma's Bible by Natsuki Ikezawa
morebedsidebooks's review
hopeful
reflective
4.0
A gem of a largely translated anthology of pieces some written specifically, others first published elsewhere, after the Great Tôhoku Earthquake all expressing both the close and more outlying after effects of such a natural and man-made disaster.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Death
elsavaneden's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
patchworkbunny's review
4.0
Like all anthologies, there are going to be stories you love and some that you just don't care for. The collection is much more focused on the after rather than the actual events of March 2011. One thing I've always found Japanese writers do so well is making the mundane into something more. It just so happens that the earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear disaster taints this every day life now.
We get two versions of God Bless You 2011, a walk with a bear in the Japanese countryside. One was written in 1993 and the other reworked in 2011 to show the changes of the world after radiation had leaked into the environment from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. The story takes on a whole new dimension because of it.
Perhaps it's because I have a friend with a box obsession, but I loved Box Story. When there is a shortage of boxes, someone comes up with the idea of breeding them and citizens are given breeding boxes to care for. In The Charm a woman returns to her home town feeling helpless but with a desire to do something to help. Lulu introduces a dog made of air, created in the minds of children in an evacuation centre, something to make things easier. Ride on Time is told from the perspective of a surfer, anticipating the legendary wave.
It seems telling that the one writer who chooses to detail the actual horror of the day is not Japanese. David Peace's After the Disaster, Before the Disaster comes at the end of the collection and really drives home what happened. I don't think the book would have been as enjoyable if this had been the tones throughout but it's important to acknowledge. It's all too easy for the rest of the world to forget and this book is a thought-provoking reminder.
Whilst the book is primarily made up of short stories, there is also poetry, manga and a journalistic piece.
We get two versions of God Bless You 2011, a walk with a bear in the Japanese countryside. One was written in 1993 and the other reworked in 2011 to show the changes of the world after radiation had leaked into the environment from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. The story takes on a whole new dimension because of it.
Perhaps it's because I have a friend with a box obsession, but I loved Box Story. When there is a shortage of boxes, someone comes up with the idea of breeding them and citizens are given breeding boxes to care for. In The Charm a woman returns to her home town feeling helpless but with a desire to do something to help. Lulu introduces a dog made of air, created in the minds of children in an evacuation centre, something to make things easier. Ride on Time is told from the perspective of a surfer, anticipating the legendary wave.
It seems telling that the one writer who chooses to detail the actual horror of the day is not Japanese. David Peace's After the Disaster, Before the Disaster comes at the end of the collection and really drives home what happened. I don't think the book would have been as enjoyable if this had been the tones throughout but it's important to acknowledge. It's all too easy for the rest of the world to forget and this book is a thought-provoking reminder.
Whilst the book is primarily made up of short stories, there is also poetry, manga and a journalistic piece.
curiousreader's review
3.0
This is my first short-story collection ever read. While some stories are rather cultural-specific, most of it really was just interesting and different perspectives on life and on humanity in general. Many of them could be interpreted in different ways, of course, but most leaving something behind. I particularly liked "The Charm", "Lulu", and "God Bless You, 2011", all of which I was tearing up while reading. I also have to say the introduction was very well-written, and the finale thing to make me read this book. It's really quite beautiful, and I will be sure to return to my favorite stories.
More...