Reviews

Time Differences by Yōko Tawada

Only show reviews with written explanations

madding78's review

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I really liked the symmetry of this. It follows three young men, whose lives are connected by love or sex and place as each is living in the next one's country. If a story could be a geometric shape, then this is an equilateral triangle.

dylankakoulli's review

Go to review page

3.0

Simply put, Time Difference is a short (understatement as it’s literally only 40 pages) follows the lives of three different men; Mamoru, Michael and Manfred -each spread out across three different countries; Japan, Germany and America, whose lives somehow almost always interconnect -despite never physically aligning.

Exploring themes of dislocation -whether through place, time or human connection (or lack there of), Tawda has crafted an interestingly written (and structured) subject -I just wish it were longer!

2.5/3 stars