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_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Yall what a wild ass ride. The book is insane. Sardonic. Brutal. Gore porn. Chaotic brilliance. The satirical tone with the biting Japanese society social commentary/critique and sarcastic remarks throughout might be weird and seem inappropriate or out of place but that added to the dehumanization of the Program and the regime's “successful fascism”.
I was spooked, heartbroken, amused, disgusted and absolutely glued to this book once I got really into it. Yes, the pacing and the translation were a little clunky and repetitive (how many times can the phrase “That's right.” be written in a book? Read this book to find out lmao) but it also made the experience of reading this like a past citizen of the Republic of Greater East Asia was the one telling the story, you know. Also, even if the end result of the translation is a little wonky, I don't know how much I can fault the translator bc Japanese is a very intricate language and English can be so limiting to expressing the same tone or context. Especially a book heavy in satire and sarcasm as this one, the humor really would be hard to translate.
I think all the little backgrounds were effectively employed and gave the kids varied and dynamic personalities. And the junior high school crushes throughout the book were believable enough. I mean they're exploring their sexualities and hormones are going crazy. As for the inability of some of them to get over the fact they had to kill their classmates they'd known for years, like what do you expect? Even I as an adult would freak tf out if I were in the same situation and would take me a long time to reconcile with the fact I had to kill other people. I don't know I probably even wouldn't man, it's not worth it. So I don't think the kids's reactions were corny or unreasonable and I think the book really conveyed a realistic spirit of mistrust and fear in the mind of 15 years old, imo. Which in turn, reveals the extensiveness and effiency of that distrust in the general population. Contrary to other dystopias where the regimes are established through questionable ways and the existence of such seems unlikely and unachievable, the efficacy of the Program, the murders of the kids parents, and like Shogo says, the given propensity of their culture and society to respect hierarchies, be submissive, and not revolt, makes it chillingly real.
Characters wise, Kazuo Kiriyama is pretty iconic and terrifying af (in both versions). Shogo Kawada and Shinji "The Third Man" Mimura were amazing and sympathetic. I cried buckets reading Shogo's ending even though I knew it was coming and like I had seen the movie. It was definitely more emotional here, though. I think I would have wanted a more conclusive, hopeful ending for Shuya and Noriko (but then it wouldn't be a dystopia, huh). (I watched the movie so long ago I don't remember the ending exactly but I think it was a lot more optimistic??) But also the idea of them always on the run but together is captivating enough. Still the ending brought it down one star.
I was spooked, heartbroken, amused, disgusted and absolutely glued to this book once I got really into it. Yes, the pacing and the translation were a little clunky and repetitive (how many times can the phrase “That's right.” be written in a book? Read this book to find out lmao) but it also made the experience of reading this like a past citizen of the Republic of Greater East Asia was the one telling the story, you know. Also, even if the end result of the translation is a little wonky, I don't know how much I can fault the translator bc Japanese is a very intricate language and English can be so limiting to expressing the same tone or context. Especially a book heavy in satire and sarcasm as this one, the humor really would be hard to translate.
I think all the little backgrounds were effectively employed and gave the kids varied and dynamic personalities. And the junior high school crushes throughout the book were believable enough. I mean they're exploring their sexualities and hormones are going crazy. As for the inability of some of them to get over the fact they had to kill their classmates they'd known for years, like what do you expect? Even I as an adult would freak tf out if I were in the same situation and would take me a long time to reconcile with the fact I had to kill other people. I don't know I probably even wouldn't man, it's not worth it. So I don't think the kids's reactions were corny or unreasonable and I think the book really conveyed a realistic spirit of mistrust and fear in the mind of 15 years old, imo. Which in turn, reveals the extensiveness and effiency of that distrust in the general population. Contrary to other dystopias where the regimes are established through questionable ways and the existence of such seems unlikely and unachievable, the efficacy of the Program, the murders of the kids parents, and like Shogo says, the given propensity of their culture and society to respect hierarchies, be submissive, and not revolt, makes it chillingly real.
Characters wise, Kazuo Kiriyama is pretty iconic and terrifying af (in both versions). Shogo Kawada and Shinji "The Third Man" Mimura were amazing and sympathetic. I cried buckets reading Shogo's ending even though I knew it was coming and like I had seen the movie. It was definitely more emotional here, though. I think I would have wanted a more conclusive, hopeful ending for Shuya and Noriko (but then it wouldn't be a dystopia, huh). (I watched the movie so long ago I don't remember the ending exactly but I think it was a lot more optimistic??) But also the idea of them always on the run but together is captivating enough. Still the ending brought it down one star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, and Rape
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Child abuse