I haven’t been reading (and reviewing!) as much as I’d like this year, with work and all. Collating all my reads from Jan 2017 till now, including what I’m currently reading / will start on soon!
Pretty sad that i lacked the impetus to do full reviews right after reading. I can’t seem to pinpoint my exact sentiments for books over time. Still, i’ll try to do a brief on each.
New reads:
My first new read of 2017, bought at Eslite Bookstore in Taipei during my first solo trip!!! I did actually review this. TLDR: Mixed feelings, was good nonetheless, will associate it with my wonderful Taiwan days alone.
I don’t follow what’s up-and-coming in the literary scene, which apparently Ken Liu is. Picked this up by serendipity because 1. Short stories, 2. Asian author, yay! Turned out to be breathtakingly beautiful. None of the pretension, all of the simplicity.
To be frank, i feel like i’ve forgotten a lot of Colorless Tsukuru. I remember that it was decisively Murakami, that i savored it, that i was – at my points – very impatient to find out why the fuck they were avoiding Tsukuru.
Besides uncovering why the fuck they did, there wasn’t much of a plot twist. There were allusions to Tsukuru’s period of depression at being abandoned, but not much emotional intensity besides. It’s a novel about recovery, rediscovery, and reconciliation.
I’m so good at this one-liner summary bullshit.
If you’re into crime fiction by Japanese authors (i.e. Keigo Higashino, Natsuo Kirino), please note that this is no typical crime thriller! It’s a slow, sultry look into the intricacies of Japan’s police institutions. Riddled with guilt, apologies, hidden meanings. If you’re remotely interested in bureaucracy, Japanese manners, and also soap operas – this is for you.
Surprisingly, i enjoyed this despite the many warnings. It picks up towards the end, leaving you satisfied than horrified at having read 500 pages of Japanese bureaucratic power play. It just works. Somehow.
As a huge fan of the movie Confessions (based on Minato’s novel) i had to pick this up. Further confirmed with Emily St. Mandel (another favorite!) endorsed this. Did not disappoint – short, concise, loved that it was split into four narratives. Each perspective took a life of its own, giving a fresh, distinct take on what happened.
Penance is looking through a kaleidoscope, a single scatter of shards bursting and blooming into a myriad of different landscapes – but ultimately reflecting and mirroring each other.
GOOD. GOOD GOOD GOOD. It checked so many things off my literary fetish checklist. Precocious children, check. Absurdly intelligent criminal of the psychological warfare variety, check. Evil, manipulative, AND beautiful, check. At the end of the book, you’d figure out who the antagonist is and still have no idea if you’re in total awe of – or abhor them. Brilliant stuff.
I’ve read Devotion of Suspect X which is Higashino’s more famous work, but this far surpasses it.
Re-reads:
This is my go-to lazy chick lit, simply because it doesn’t conform to the whole YAY happy ending after you learn your lesson format. And also because it really deals with mortality and morality. The character growth is very authentic and well-crafted. Great for an easy afternoon read.
First read this last year? Or the year before, but re-read again because i actually missed that sticky, balmy, tropical heat you’re immersed in when reading this amazing anthropological novel. Full review here.
This makes me want to re-read Speaker of the Dead in the Ender’s Series.
Yes, i’ve noticed also that my preferred reads are weirdly dominated by Japanese authors with close-up shots of sad, scary women on the front cover.
Because i need to re-read my favorite author and also soulmate once every few months or so to keep me sane.
Currently reading:
To-read/re-read:
+ Speaker for the Dead!
I still have so, so much on my to-read list! Piss pants level of excitement.
Q 