bethrey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
pixeltune's review against another edition
4.0
a quick little slasher read that had an unexpected existential vibe.
i’m not sure if it was the writing or the translation, but at the beginning of the book, the writing felt very basic. the second act was really good imo, and things really picked up after the fact.
i’m not sure if it was the writing or the translation, but at the beginning of the book, the writing felt very basic. the second act was really good imo, and things really picked up after the fact.
zoebird81's review against another edition
4.0
Probably the most terrifying thing I’ve read since IN THE CUT. Sharp brutality in every line—Frank vs. Kenji, post-war America vs. Japan, individualism vs. collectivism…you are lonely either way. This feels truly unforgettable.
megpaz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
carlysgrowingtbr's review against another edition
3.0
In The Miso Soup was a decently creepy story that left me feeling haunted if not a little wanting.
This book definitely set a mood of a dark and haunting underworld. I enjoyed the explanations and descriptions of the way the sex industry worked and Kenji solidly set himself up as an expert in the area.
I had a very hard time with the pacing of this book. Kenji rambled internally A LOT. I also feel the "evidence" that gave Kenji the idea that his American tourist was not what he claimed could have been stronger. I don't feel what was occurring warranted the strong feelings Kenji had. Then when things finally picked up, the scenes weren't as descriptive as they could have been and left me a little disappointed. While overall I ended up enjoying the second half of the book more as time went on, it hardly made up for the struggle of the first half.
Overall it's a decent book that I overall recommend as a fun read. But It doesn't quite stand out as a must read.
This book definitely set a mood of a dark and haunting underworld. I enjoyed the explanations and descriptions of the way the sex industry worked and Kenji solidly set himself up as an expert in the area.
I had a very hard time with the pacing of this book. Kenji rambled internally A LOT. I also feel the "evidence" that gave Kenji the idea that his American tourist was not what he claimed could have been stronger. I don't feel what was occurring warranted the strong feelings Kenji had. Then when things finally picked up, the scenes weren't as descriptive as they could have been and left me a little disappointed. While overall I ended up enjoying the second half of the book more as time went on, it hardly made up for the struggle of the first half.
Overall it's a decent book that I overall recommend as a fun read. But It doesn't quite stand out as a must read.
sweetchoas's review against another edition
4.0
Chilling, frightening, was losing my mind along with Kenji.
Have to admit it felt a bit boring at times. Took me longer than planned to finish.
But that may also be because I was too anxious about what was going on to keep on reading lol.
No but it was seriously so tense at times that’s crazy.
An interesting take on mental insanity embodied by Frank. I enjoyed the portrait of Japan’s night life & lonely souls as well.
The ending was a bit lacking though and some scenes were a tad too graphic but ig that’s what I signed for.
Have to admit it felt a bit boring at times. Took me longer than planned to finish.
But that may also be because I was too anxious about what was going on to keep on reading lol.
No but it was seriously so tense at times that’s crazy.
An interesting take on mental insanity embodied by Frank. I enjoyed the portrait of Japan’s night life & lonely souls as well.
The ending was a bit lacking though and some scenes were a tad too graphic but ig that’s what I signed for.
h_motionless's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In The Miso Soup is a complex novel to discuss, as I enjoyed a large portion of it, and I’m more ambivalent about the rest. The first half is fantastic, but it starts to trail off after that point - after the mystery part of the novel is revealed, and the chaotic climax takes place, there’s not much to drive the plot forward. Ryu Murakami is an incredible writer and I would love to read more of his work, as the writing drew me in immediately, but this didn’t entirely work for me. Regardless, there’s a lot to enjoy here, such as the more psychological discussions raised, and the commentary on the Japanese sex industry.