Reviews

Nipponia Nippon is the Latin name for the for the Japanese Crested Ibis and trust me this is an important detail as it has a role to play in this wonderfully complex novella.

Haruo is a recluse due to the fact that he feels like he’s an outsider of sorts. While browsing the internet he comes across the Japanese Crested Ibis (or called heron in the book, so I will stick with that). This particular bird is endangered and has a Chinese equivalent and there were attempts to mate the species to Nipponia Nippon alive but this caused arguments about the bird’s heritage.

Not only does the heron represent Haruo but this is cemented further due to the fact that his kanji matches that of the heron. Further on in the book Haruo also discusses his heritage as he lives in a part of Japan which is not considered Japanese.

In order to ‘kill’ his spiritual animal/metaphor he decides to go to a bird park where there are herons and he has a grand plan for them. In the meantime the reader discovers more about Haruo’s life and some of his past decisions.

Nipponia Nippon is a novel which focuses on mental health in it’s many facets, from obsession, reclusive behaviour, depression and internet addiction and the heron manifests all of this. The book itself is clever and unpredictable in places.

I do know there are a lot of books about mental health but then the thrill is finding a novel which treats it in an interesting way and Nipponia Nippon pulls this off well: in 150 pages Kazushige Abe says a lot in a small space and surprise the reader continuously. Not many can do this so deftly.

sammyantha's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

This hooked me! Haruo was such an interesting character to read and truly unhinged & frightening. Good discussion on destiny whether that be good or bad. Is destiny even real? Who knows. However I am confused by the ending????