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biblio_creep's reviews
516 reviews
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
This book was originally a novella and a separate short novel, which were then combined and published as this longer novel. We follow the main character of, Natsuko, a woman who lives in Tokyo and who has had a middling writing career. In the first part, Natusko's sister and 12-year-old niece visit her from Osaka, as her sister has an appointment for a consult for breast enhancement surgery. Natsuko's neice has stopped talking to her family members for the past year, and as this section continues the three women start to face difficult memories from the past. The second part of the book occurs eight years later, and follows Natsuko's longing to have a baby as a single woman, looking into the possibility of artificial insemination, which seems to have been quite controversial in Japan. This section addresses the anxiety of growing older as a woman, and the looming threat of infertility, and whether a woman can be complete without a child.
Kawakami does such an amazing job expressing the pain and pressures of being an young girl and a woman. It explores how womanhood is defined, and how those definitions and expectations can be overwhelming and suffocating. Kawakami also expresses a young girl's disgust and horror at the realization of the bodily changes of puberty and how those changes induce other's to treat you differently. The second part of the book also addresses the longing to become a mother, but not wanting to be tied to a man, and how society looks askance at women making non-traditional choices.
Kawakami's writing style is direct and fresh, pulling no punches. While I enjoyed this book as whole, and the writing is amazing, I will say that book one worked better for me. It was tighter and more concise. Book two, while equally well written, didn't appeal to me personally as much, and had a few unusual takes that I wasn't sure about. However, Kawakami really impressed me with her writing and her boldness, and I really felt a connection and empathy with these characters. The author really examined some very complex and labyrinthine issues. If you enjoy emotional, feminist, literary novels, I would highly recommend this one.
4.0
Read if you're looking for:
- Feminist, literary fiction from Japan
- Expression of the pains & pressures of being a woman
- An exploration of women’s roles in society, how those expectations can suffocate you, & the difficulty of making nontraditional life choices
- A bold, direct, & fresh writing style
This book was originally a novella and a separate short novel, which were then combined and published as this longer novel. We follow the main character of, Natsuko, a woman who lives in Tokyo and who has had a middling writing career. In the first part, Natusko's sister and 12-year-old niece visit her from Osaka, as her sister has an appointment for a consult for breast enhancement surgery. Natsuko's neice has stopped talking to her family members for the past year, and as this section continues the three women start to face difficult memories from the past. The second part of the book occurs eight years later, and follows Natsuko's longing to have a baby as a single woman, looking into the possibility of artificial insemination, which seems to have been quite controversial in Japan. This section addresses the anxiety of growing older as a woman, and the looming threat of infertility, and whether a woman can be complete without a child.
Kawakami does such an amazing job expressing the pain and pressures of being an young girl and a woman. It explores how womanhood is defined, and how those definitions and expectations can be overwhelming and suffocating. Kawakami also expresses a young girl's disgust and horror at the realization of the bodily changes of puberty and how those changes induce other's to treat you differently. The second part of the book also addresses the longing to become a mother, but not wanting to be tied to a man, and how society looks askance at women making non-traditional choices.
Kawakami's writing style is direct and fresh, pulling no punches. While I enjoyed this book as whole, and the writing is amazing, I will say that book one worked better for me. It was tighter and more concise. Book two, while equally well written, didn't appeal to me personally as much, and had a few unusual takes that I wasn't sure about. However, Kawakami really impressed me with her writing and her boldness, and I really felt a connection and empathy with these characters. The author really examined some very complex and labyrinthine issues. If you enjoy emotional, feminist, literary novels, I would highly recommend this one.
CW: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Infertility, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Cancer, Transphobia
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
This is one of the best books I've read this year, and maybe ever, so I'm so glad that I found Willow's review on YouTube because I haven't heard anyone else talking about it so far. This is a literary sci-fi about our main character, Leigh, who had a troubled childhood in Rotterdam and grows up to become a microbiologist. As she grows, she finds a deep respect for nature and a longing for the sea. She develops a single-mindedness for exploration and discovery, even to the detriment of some of her relationships, because nothing else brings her such fulfillment and joy. Early in her career she joins a team going to investigate a deep sea vent that has recently been discovered, and is thought to be the deepest in the world. During that expedition she has a life changing experience during a dive, and discovers something that has never been seen before.
We find out that humanity has also somehow found a way to travel faster than ever before, suddenly opening up the possibility of interstellar flight. Because of the discoveries Leigh made at the vent, she is then employed by a new, NASA-type space agency, that is prepping for long distance space travel, and Leigh is to research ways of using algae, and a mysterious organism she discovered in the vent, as a long-term food source for humans in space. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Leigh becomes one of the astronauts for the mission to go deeper into space than humanity has ever gone.
My summary here is so poor at expressing what happens in this book, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. However, the joy and wonder at nature, and how life has formed, and the things that humanity can do, is effusive in this book. It is deeply emotional. Leigh is a deeply flawed character, but I identified with her and the other characters in the book. There is a lot of hard science fiction, but it's also a book about humanity, and about Leigh in particular. It touches on themes of loss, family relationships, what we decide to do with our lives, and how we sacrifice for a greater purpose.
This is a piece of science fiction that will make you feel the same way as reading Carl Sagan's words about "the pale blue dot." I am not a good enough writer to express how affecting this book is, but boy did it make me feel. It was sorrowful and yet uplifting, technical and scientific and yet moving. It makes you see the interconnectedness of all things. This is science fiction that is ultimately about humanity and life. The ending, in particular, was gorgeous. If you enjoy sci-fi that makes you emotional and uplifted, this is the book for you. In fact, if you only take one recommendation from me this year, read In Ascension.
5.0
Read if you're looking for:
- Emotional & affecting science fiction
- Deep awe & reverence for nature & exploration
- Makes you realize the interconnectedness of all things
- Hard sci-fi moments, particularly including the miracle of evolution & life in the oceans
- A gorgeous ending
This is one of the best books I've read this year, and maybe ever, so I'm so glad that I found Willow's review on YouTube because I haven't heard anyone else talking about it so far. This is a literary sci-fi about our main character, Leigh, who had a troubled childhood in Rotterdam and grows up to become a microbiologist. As she grows, she finds a deep respect for nature and a longing for the sea. She develops a single-mindedness for exploration and discovery, even to the detriment of some of her relationships, because nothing else brings her such fulfillment and joy. Early in her career she joins a team going to investigate a deep sea vent that has recently been discovered, and is thought to be the deepest in the world. During that expedition she has a life changing experience during a dive, and discovers something that has never been seen before.
We find out that humanity has also somehow found a way to travel faster than ever before, suddenly opening up the possibility of interstellar flight. Because of the discoveries Leigh made at the vent, she is then employed by a new, NASA-type space agency, that is prepping for long distance space travel, and Leigh is to research ways of using algae, and a mysterious organism she discovered in the vent, as a long-term food source for humans in space. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Leigh becomes one of the astronauts for the mission to go deeper into space than humanity has ever gone.
My summary here is so poor at expressing what happens in this book, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. However, the joy and wonder at nature, and how life has formed, and the things that humanity can do, is effusive in this book. It is deeply emotional. Leigh is a deeply flawed character, but I identified with her and the other characters in the book. There is a lot of hard science fiction, but it's also a book about humanity, and about Leigh in particular. It touches on themes of loss, family relationships, what we decide to do with our lives, and how we sacrifice for a greater purpose.
This is a piece of science fiction that will make you feel the same way as reading Carl Sagan's words about "the pale blue dot." I am not a good enough writer to express how affecting this book is, but boy did it make me feel. It was sorrowful and yet uplifting, technical and scientific and yet moving. It makes you see the interconnectedness of all things. This is science fiction that is ultimately about humanity and life. The ending, in particular, was gorgeous. If you enjoy sci-fi that makes you emotional and uplifted, this is the book for you. In fact, if you only take one recommendation from me this year, read In Ascension.
CW: Child abuse, Dementia, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse
Toward Eternity by Anton Hur
This is another science fiction book that has such depth and breadth of concept and feeling that it's hard to describe in a short review. I've seen several others relate this to the works of Emily St. John Mandel, and I would definitely agree with that comparison, with it's century-spanning plot and intricate connections between the characters, it is similar to Sea of Tanquility and Station Eleven.
In this futuristic world, an experimental cancer treatment has been developed wherein a person's cells are slowly replaced by nanites over time until their whole body is composed of this technology, rendering them immortal. One of the test patients is Yonghun, a researcher who is teaching an AI named Panit to read, understand, and interpret poetry. One day Yonghun blinks out of existence, only to mysteriously return a few days later. After this incident, he is troubled about the question of whether he is actually Yonghun, or something completely different now. Panit's consciousness is eventually transferred to a body and allowed to live a richer life. As these humans and non-humans begin to live together, and replicate, crises of existential proportions begin to arise. Who is really human? Who deserves autonomy and life? How are we all connected to one another?
This is Hur's first novel, although he has worked as a translator on many Korean-Language books, and that focus on and understanding of language is apparent in this novel. The book uses the device of a notebook that gets passed on from character to character over decades and centuries of time to tell the story from multiple POV's. Each character feels rich and relatable, and provides an important piece of the overall puzzle that comes together beautifully at the end. This is sci-fi that is about what it means to be a person, to love, to exist, and to create. It's extremely impressive, especially for a debut novel. I can't wait to read whatever Anton Hur writes next.
5.0
Read if you're looking for:
- Beautiful science fiction with a love story that spans across centuries
- A meditation on how language and art shape who we are & how they make us human
- Exploration of AI & the “ship of Theseus” of personhood
- A shorter book with huge scale and depth
- Wonderful, diverse representation
This is another science fiction book that has such depth and breadth of concept and feeling that it's hard to describe in a short review. I've seen several others relate this to the works of Emily St. John Mandel, and I would definitely agree with that comparison, with it's century-spanning plot and intricate connections between the characters, it is similar to Sea of Tanquility and Station Eleven.
In this futuristic world, an experimental cancer treatment has been developed wherein a person's cells are slowly replaced by nanites over time until their whole body is composed of this technology, rendering them immortal. One of the test patients is Yonghun, a researcher who is teaching an AI named Panit to read, understand, and interpret poetry. One day Yonghun blinks out of existence, only to mysteriously return a few days later. After this incident, he is troubled about the question of whether he is actually Yonghun, or something completely different now. Panit's consciousness is eventually transferred to a body and allowed to live a richer life. As these humans and non-humans begin to live together, and replicate, crises of existential proportions begin to arise. Who is really human? Who deserves autonomy and life? How are we all connected to one another?
This is Hur's first novel, although he has worked as a translator on many Korean-Language books, and that focus on and understanding of language is apparent in this novel. The book uses the device of a notebook that gets passed on from character to character over decades and centuries of time to tell the story from multiple POV's. Each character feels rich and relatable, and provides an important piece of the overall puzzle that comes together beautifully at the end. This is sci-fi that is about what it means to be a person, to love, to exist, and to create. It's extremely impressive, especially for a debut novel. I can't wait to read whatever Anton Hur writes next.
CW: Death, War, Genocide, Miscarriage, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Colonization, Transphobia
Counterweight by Djuna
I find it really interesting that the author originally envisioned this as a low-budget sci-fi movie, and that feel really comes through when you’re reading it. It also gives some gritty, noir Blade Runner vibes. I also was intrigued by the author, Djuna, who writes under a nom de plume and seemingly keeps their identity a secret because they are queer, wearing masks during the few interviews they have given.
3.0
Read if you’re looking for:
- A noir, sci-fi mystery with corporate espionage
- A fictional island nation grappling with colonization
- Tons of film and literature references
- Written by a mysterious, anonymous, queer author
- Author originally intended it to be a low-budget sci-fi movie
- Translated Korean fiction
In this story our main character, Mac, works in the espionage division of a Korean mega-corporation / conglomerate, LK. He was close with the former CEO, who has recently passed away, and now in the power vacuum there are various faction vying for the top position. Mac is part of the old guard, and his position is now tenuous. Meanwhile, LK is currently building the world’s first space elevator on the fictional island of Patusan, a country who had a failing economy before LK bought the land and started building. However, the Patusan Liberation Front isn’t happy with this corporate take over, and continues to fight for Patusan’s sovereignty. There are also brain-implants used by most people that record memories, and the memories of the old CEO are hidden somewhere in the construction of the space elevator, and could be critical to humanity’s future. Mac is running against the clock, and all of these other corporate factions, in order to find this crucial data first.
I find it really interesting that the author originally envisioned this as a low-budget sci-fi movie, and that feel really comes through when you’re reading it. It also gives some gritty, noir Blade Runner vibes. I also was intrigued by the author, Djuna, who writes under a nom de plume and seemingly keeps their identity a secret because they are queer, wearing masks during the few interviews they have given.
Unfortunately, all these facts surrounding the book were more interesting to me than the book itself. I was engaged enough with the book while I was reading it to finish it, so I wasn’t bored. But it’s one of those books that didn’t really stick with me after I finished it. I did enjoy the style of the writing; as I mentioned before, it evoked a gritty, sci-fi feel. However, I found the plot to be a little bit disjointed and difficult to follow at times because the characters’ motivations didn’t always seem to make sense to me. However, this could be due to some things that were lost in translation, and it’s possible that I wasn’t catching all of the references and allusions. This book is very unique and gives great vibes, also reminding me of old spy novels, so I would still recommend you give it a try if you enjoy hard-boiled detective stories in a sci-fi setting.
CW: Death, Blood, Violence, Murder, Colonization, Gore, Rape, Suicide, Chronic illness
The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada
This story evokes feelings of transformation, loss, and disconnection, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is one of those stories that you need to just go with the flow and not try to understand everything that is happening, which is something that I love. This is a book that I would love to re-read to see what other metaphors and allusions I can pick up. And, I just loved the authorial voice as well. I highly recommend this read to lovers of weird and surreal fiction, and books with lazy summer vibes.
4.5
Read if you’re looking for:
- A short, surreal novella from a Japanese author
- Dreamlike and unsettling imagery
- Feelings of the oppressive summer heat & malaise
- A strange creature who digs deep holes that seem to fit a person’s body perfectly
- Visual allusions to transformation, loss, and disconnection
In this short novella, we’re following Asa, who is moving out of the city to a small town in the countryside of Japan with her husband to live beside her in-laws, due to a change in her husband’s job. Asa is having difficulty adjusting to her new position as housewife, but also has no motivation to find a new job. It’s a blazing hot summer, and as Asa explores the countryside she starts to have some bizarre experiences. As she walks the path along the river, she sees a strange and unidentifiable creature. She follows the creature into the tall grass of the riverbank and falls into a deep hole, that seems to fit her exact dimensions. As the story continues, stranger encounters occur with the creature, and with her mysterious brother-in-law, whom her husband’s family has never mentioned to her and seems to completely ignore.
This story was very enjoyable to read, being both dreamlike and unsettling. I’ve seen it compared to David Lynch and Hayao Miazaki, and I would agree with that assertion. The author is very skilled at conveying the malaise of summer, beautifully describing the sensory overload of heat, humidity, and the screaming of cicadas. The imagery of the many holes dug by the creature, hidden and waiting, almost as traps for someone to fall into, was very interesting, almost indicative of graves. The men in the story are also seemingly disconnected from Asa, with her husband always preoccupied by his phone and usually at work, her father-in-law always gone, and the grandfather seemingly unable to hear or comprehend what Asa is saying. The only man she interacts with is the mysterious brother-in-law, but he is often speaking in riddles and it’s hard to tell what his intentions are.
This story evokes feelings of transformation, loss, and disconnection, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is one of those stories that you need to just go with the flow and not try to understand everything that is happening, which is something that I love. This is a book that I would love to re-read to see what other metaphors and allusions I can pick up. And, I just loved the authorial voice as well. I highly recommend this read to lovers of weird and surreal fiction, and books with lazy summer vibes.
CW: Death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Animal death, Confinement, Excrement, Grief
A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami
This is another of Murakami’s early novels, written in the 1980’s. As I work my way through all of his catalogue, I am finding myself not quite as enchanted by his earlier work, even though this one is a lot of people’s favorite Murakami. Although there was some of his signature magical realism in this one, I found it to drag a little bit, and a I didn’t care very much about the characters. I did enjoy the setting and atmosphere of Hokkaido that Murakami included. As with most of Murakami’s books, the representation of women is a little bit weird and objectifying. Again, while I enjoy his writing style and quirky sense of humor, I don’t think this one is a win for me, personally.
CW: Suicide, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, War
3.0
Book Review | A WILD SHEEP CHASE by HARUKI MURAKAMI
3/5 ⭐’s | PUB DATE: 13 October 1982
Read if you're looking for:
- Weird, literary fiction translated from Japanese
- Possession by an evil entity, possibly representing ambition or toxic masculinity
- An conflicted, unnamed main character
- Magical realism & an offbeat sense of humor
- More sheep info than you’ve ever heard in your life
This is another of Murakami’s early novels, written in the 1980’s. As I work my way through all of his catalogue, I am finding myself not quite as enchanted by his earlier work, even though this one is a lot of people’s favorite Murakami. Although there was some of his signature magical realism in this one, I found it to drag a little bit, and a I didn’t care very much about the characters. I did enjoy the setting and atmosphere of Hokkaido that Murakami included. As with most of Murakami’s books, the representation of women is a little bit weird and objectifying. Again, while I enjoy his writing style and quirky sense of humor, I don’t think this one is a win for me, personally.
CW: Suicide, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, War
Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada
This is the first book I’ve read from Tawada, and I am intrigued to read more. This is a story of found family set in the near future. Japan no longer exists, due to flooding from climate change, and the Japanese people are scattered all over the earth. Though this is told in multiple POV’s, there does seem to be a main character, a Japanese woman living in Scandinavia, who is on a journey to find at least one other speaker of her native language. The highlight of this book are the characters. Tawada weaves the multiple POV’s together expertly, and they were all engaging, with the characters feeling like real people. This is part one of a trilogy, so I’m excited to see where the rest of this hear-warming story goes.
CW: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Racism, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexual content
4.0
Book Review | SCATTERED ALL OVER THE EARTH by YŌKO TAWADA
4/5 ⭐’s | PUB DATE: 26 April 2018
Read if you're looking for:
- Quirky, literary sci-fi translated from Japanese
- A story about the power of language
- Multiple POV’s from diverse & likable characters
- All kinds of LGBTQIA+ representation
- Found family
- Mommy issues
This is the first book I’ve read from Tawada, and I am intrigued to read more. This is a story of found family set in the near future. Japan no longer exists, due to flooding from climate change, and the Japanese people are scattered all over the earth. Though this is told in multiple POV’s, there does seem to be a main character, a Japanese woman living in Scandinavia, who is on a journey to find at least one other speaker of her native language. The highlight of this book are the characters. Tawada weaves the multiple POV’s together expertly, and they were all engaging, with the characters feeling like real people. This is part one of a trilogy, so I’m excited to see where the rest of this hear-warming story goes.
CW: Transphobia, Deadnaming, Racism, Animal death, Misogyny, Sexual content
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
This was a campy romp of a horror novel, set in Hollywood. The horror in this book is fueled by capitalistic greed, which I think is pretty relevant at the moment. The book also pokes fun at the performative, and often empty actions, of corporations to appeal to the LGBTQIA+ community, with shallow representation and rainbow merch. It was gory and full of action, and there was never a dull moment. I also really appreciated the diverse representation, with an asexual/aromantic major character, which is sorely lacking in a lot of LGBTQIA+ stories. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys humorous or satirical horror.
CW: Homophobia, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Outing, Vomit, Acephobia/Arophobia, Drug use, Cursing
4.0
ARC Book Review | BURY YOUR GAYS by CHUCK TINGLE
4/5 ⭐’s | ARC Review | PUB DATE: 9 July 2024
I received this ebook for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read if you're looking for:
- Cheeky, satirical horror
- Critique of queer representation in Hollywood & corporations condescending to queer consumers
- The real horror is capitalism
- Creepy creatures of mysterious origin
- Written by a queer, autistic author
This was a campy romp of a horror novel, set in Hollywood. The horror in this book is fueled by capitalistic greed, which I think is pretty relevant at the moment. The book also pokes fun at the performative, and often empty actions, of corporations to appeal to the LGBTQIA+ community, with shallow representation and rainbow merch. It was gory and full of action, and there was never a dull moment. I also really appreciated the diverse representation, with an asexual/aromantic major character, which is sorely lacking in a lot of LGBTQIA+ stories. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys humorous or satirical horror.
CW: Homophobia, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Outing, Vomit, Acephobia/Arophobia, Drug use, Cursing
Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
5.0
Book Review | PARADISE ROT by JENNY HVAL
5/5 ⭐’s | PUB DATE: 2 October 2018
Read if you're looking for:
* Weird literary fiction translated from Norwegian
* Ethereal girl love
* Allusions to the original sin of being a woman
* Beautiful descriptions of decay & natural processes
* Writing that gives you that uncanny, underwater feeling
* Lots of pee talk
This turned out to be another “I don’t know what I read, but I loved it” situation, which seems to be what I have been loving lately. In this short novel, a young Norwegian woman moves to England for school, and sets out to find an apartment to rent. She moves into a strange, converted brewery with an intriguing woman, and nature begins to take over the building, and their bodies. I found the imagery in this book so beautiful, conveying the cycle of birth and rebirth. There were also strong allusions to the garden of eden, Eve with the serpent, and the danger and monstrosity of being a woman. I highly recommend this for lovers of weird literary fiction, gorgeous imagery, and uncanny vibes.
CW: Excrement, Body horror, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Cannibalism
5/5 ⭐’s | PUB DATE: 2 October 2018
Read if you're looking for:
* Weird literary fiction translated from Norwegian
* Ethereal girl love
* Allusions to the original sin of being a woman
* Beautiful descriptions of decay & natural processes
* Writing that gives you that uncanny, underwater feeling
* Lots of pee talk
This turned out to be another “I don’t know what I read, but I loved it” situation, which seems to be what I have been loving lately. In this short novel, a young Norwegian woman moves to England for school, and sets out to find an apartment to rent. She moves into a strange, converted brewery with an intriguing woman, and nature begins to take over the building, and their bodies. I found the imagery in this book so beautiful, conveying the cycle of birth and rebirth. There were also strong allusions to the garden of eden, Eve with the serpent, and the danger and monstrosity of being a woman. I highly recommend this for lovers of weird literary fiction, gorgeous imagery, and uncanny vibes.
CW: Excrement, Body horror, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Cannibalism
Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri
This story tells the tale of one man’s life, exploring his memories from his later years, and touching on his connections to others, especially his family. The writing style was beautiful, incorporating some stream-of-consciousness sections and snippets of overheard conversations. Many of the characters are unhoused, living in plywood huts around Tokyo Ueno train station, and this is the first time that I’ve seen that representation in a book from Japan. This book empathetically shows a look at old age, and how many older people are forgotten, as well as how income inequality disproportionately affects older people. This was an emotional and gorgeously written book, and I recommend it to those who like to get in their feels.
CW: Death, Child death, Grief, Suicide, Animal death, Death of parent, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts
3.5
Book Review | TOKYO UENO STATION by YŪ MIRI
3.5/5 ⭐’s | PUB DATE: 19 March 2014
Read if you're looking for:
- A man who haunts a train station as he reminisces about the past
- A commentary on class inequality, emotional ineptness, & aging
- A meditation on grief
- A slice of life featuring the people moving through the station
- Literary fiction translated from Japanese
This story tells the tale of one man’s life, exploring his memories from his later years, and touching on his connections to others, especially his family. The writing style was beautiful, incorporating some stream-of-consciousness sections and snippets of overheard conversations. Many of the characters are unhoused, living in plywood huts around Tokyo Ueno train station, and this is the first time that I’ve seen that representation in a book from Japan. This book empathetically shows a look at old age, and how many older people are forgotten, as well as how income inequality disproportionately affects older people. This was an emotional and gorgeously written book, and I recommend it to those who like to get in their feels.
CW: Death, Child death, Grief, Suicide, Animal death, Death of parent, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts