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mobyskine's review against another edition
4.0
A delicate yet unsettling premise of 12 fragments that revolves around the trials of life and solitude of a young woman who just separated from her husband and need to raise a two-year-old daughter alone in her new apartment. I love the sentimental and melancholic setting and how the storytelling could grasped the lonesome beauty of lights that always came streaming through her apartment’s windows— each moment and glow that the woman encountered subtly reflected her present emotions, of thoughts and lingering past that delved vividly through her days of surviving.
Neat prose with slow-moving progress, bit exhausting too to follow few of her rants and musings, and somehow her interactions with the daughter can be distressing much— those late night drinks, sleep till late and to ignore her daughter’s needs at times. An absorbing exploration that actually made me understand more on the reality of a single parent; of the imperfection and flaws, the anxieties and struggles to bear and deal on their own while still striving to provide the best for the child.
Love how the author managed to relate and explicate the issues on societal prejudice, patriarchal culture as well on marriage and relationship dynamics to present-day concerns despite this being first published in the late 1970s. I like the few last chapters of it; the relation of deaths to her luck and guilt, ways she dealt with her relationship conflict and discovering the new change. It was such a quiet, enlightening and heart-moving read to me. 4 stars to this!
Neat prose with slow-moving progress, bit exhausting too to follow few of her rants and musings, and somehow her interactions with the daughter can be distressing much— those late night drinks, sleep till late and to ignore her daughter’s needs at times. An absorbing exploration that actually made me understand more on the reality of a single parent; of the imperfection and flaws, the anxieties and struggles to bear and deal on their own while still striving to provide the best for the child.
Love how the author managed to relate and explicate the issues on societal prejudice, patriarchal culture as well on marriage and relationship dynamics to present-day concerns despite this being first published in the late 1970s. I like the few last chapters of it; the relation of deaths to her luck and guilt, ways she dealt with her relationship conflict and discovering the new change. It was such a quiet, enlightening and heart-moving read to me. 4 stars to this!
virgilsaeneid's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lausbiana's review against another edition
2.0
No tienes que sentirte obligado a quedarte. Que sean tus padres no quiere decir que te vayan a proteger. Te han estado haciendo daño desde que eras pequeño, y precisamente por esas heridas que te infligieron tienen que continuar haciéndote daño. Los padres son solo padres, no son nadie especial.
un poco irónico que lo diga literalmente la peor madre ficticia ...el blub diciendo que era una tierna historia sobre las alegrías de ser madre...conozco padres menos tocapelotas irl y trabajo con niños de 5 años
las dos estrellas se las regalo al libro porque está bastante bien escrito
thebobsphere's review
4.0
Territory of Light has an interesting genesis as it was serialised during the year’s 1977/78 and then brought together as a novel. Unlike other serialised novels, Territory does not feel too episodic and all chapters are linked deftly.
The plot concerns a woman moving into a sunlit apartment with her three year old daughter, as this event happens her husband leaves her. each chapter represents a month of the year and as the seasons pass, the main protagonist goes through trials of living as a single mother. Some chapters are funny, some quite tragic. As the year passes she realises that she has to move on.
I guess this is a novella about survival. As the book was written 45 years ago, this probably seemed quite daring as it’s about a single mother. I also saw it as a snapshot of Japanese culture on the topic of divorce as it is mentioned quite a few times both blatantly and surreptitiously. At the same time it’s a charming read with an odd feel good factor ( not all the time). Having done a bit of research I have found out that it’s now part of the Penguin Modern Classics range and I can see that – Territory of Light is a quiet momentous novella.
The plot concerns a woman moving into a sunlit apartment with her three year old daughter, as this event happens her husband leaves her. each chapter represents a month of the year and as the seasons pass, the main protagonist goes through trials of living as a single mother. Some chapters are funny, some quite tragic. As the year passes she realises that she has to move on.
I guess this is a novella about survival. As the book was written 45 years ago, this probably seemed quite daring as it’s about a single mother. I also saw it as a snapshot of Japanese culture on the topic of divorce as it is mentioned quite a few times both blatantly and surreptitiously. At the same time it’s a charming read with an odd feel good factor ( not all the time). Having done a bit of research I have found out that it’s now part of the Penguin Modern Classics range and I can see that – Territory of Light is a quiet momentous novella.
glitterpricked's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
a beautiful book about being a single mother, and what that means for work/life balance, companionship, and daily life. it is quiet and reflective, which i always love. i adored how every chapter felt like a chronological vignette or short story, occasionally drawing in references from the previous chapters. it was such an interesting structure, and it reminded me a little of osamu dazai's self-portraits, which i read only the day before. it felt fitting to read work by dazai and then by his daughter, as both of them bring autobiographical elements into their writing. these real-life influences, as well as the parallels between father and daughter's careers and literary themes, were heartbreaking. definitely recommend this book!
jeeannee's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
3.75
if 답답해 was a book. mundanely sorrowful.
ellagordon147's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
imkali's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mobyskine's review
4.0
A delicate yet unsettling premise of 12 fragments that revolves around the trials of life and solitude of a young woman who just separated from her husband and need to raise a two-year-old daughter alone in her new apartment. I love the sentimental and melancholic setting and how the storytelling could grasped the lonesome beauty of lights that always came streaming through her apartment’s windows— each moment and glow that the woman encountered subtly reflected her present emotions, of thoughts and lingering past that delved vividly through her days of surviving.
Neat prose with slow-moving progress, bit exhausting too to follow few of her rants and musings, and somehow her interactions with the daughter can be distressing much— those late night drinks, sleep till late and to ignore her daughter’s needs at times. An absorbing exploration that actually made me understand more on the reality of a single parent; of the imperfection and flaws, the anxieties and struggles to bear and deal on their own while still striving to provide the best for the child.
Love how the author managed to relate and explicate the issues on societal prejudice, patriarchal culture as well on marriage and relationship dynamics to present-day concerns despite this being first published in the late 1970s. I like the few last chapters of it; the relation of deaths to her luck and guilt, ways she dealt with her relationship conflict and discovering the new change. It was such a quiet, enlightening and heart-moving read to me. 4 stars to this!
Neat prose with slow-moving progress, bit exhausting too to follow few of her rants and musings, and somehow her interactions with the daughter can be distressing much— those late night drinks, sleep till late and to ignore her daughter’s needs at times. An absorbing exploration that actually made me understand more on the reality of a single parent; of the imperfection and flaws, the anxieties and struggles to bear and deal on their own while still striving to provide the best for the child.
Love how the author managed to relate and explicate the issues on societal prejudice, patriarchal culture as well on marriage and relationship dynamics to present-day concerns despite this being first published in the late 1970s. I like the few last chapters of it; the relation of deaths to her luck and guilt, ways she dealt with her relationship conflict and discovering the new change. It was such a quiet, enlightening and heart-moving read to me. 4 stars to this!