Reviews

The Hunting Gun by Yasushi Inoue

dessychn's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

melinda1962's review

5.0

4.5 but can’t lower it to 4 so 5 it is. I can’t believe such a small book can detail the lives of the characters over 13 years. So beautifully written that you really get to know the characters within, disliking most but understanding them. Will be picking up more of Yasushi Inoue’s novellas.

kittynalgas's review against another edition

4.0

Considering that there aren't many English translations of one of the most famous Japanese classical writers,
I found this introduction to Inoue very satisfying.
His prose is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this short little story? novel? Coming in at only 50+ pages, it is a quick ready but by no means a light one. I won't tell much about the plot other than summarized by the author but the prose alone makes this narrative so so delicate and 100% worth a read.

_ekin_'s review against another edition

reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

natasha29singh's review

3.0

It was good. A short read, but it kind of combines Akutagawa’s In the Grove technique of overlapping but contradictory accounts (not contradictory, exactly, but revealing a new layer with each letter) with [b:Kokoro|762476|Kokoro|Natsume Sōseki|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327991553l/762476._SY75_.jpg|1977713]’s merging of narrative and (post-suicide) epistolary prose. It was a decent read – definitely dramatic, sort of like [b:The Devil's Disciple|8032191|The Devil's Disciple|Shirō Hamao|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432554492l/8032191._SY75_.jpg|12639242], but with a fair bit of nuance. I also realize that maybe the repeated name-dropping makes it seem like I found the book derivative – but I didn’t! Just familiar.

benrogerswpg's review against another edition

2.0

I came to a conclusion while reading this book.

I found out that I'm not an Inoue fan.

This is, what, my third Inoue book, and I just didn't enjoy it.

I found it very dry and boring.

2.3/5

cryo_guy's review

3.0

Cool framing. A neat short story in three letters with a framing device. So much is left unsaid.

tearsinapril's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

aradhyatrivedi's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

rilkeduino's review against another edition

4.0

Ich sitze, nachdem ich dieses buch beendet habe, bei offenem fenster auf dem bett und lasse die nachtluft über mein gesicht streichen. Noch sinne ich den sätzen nach, den andeutungen, den symbolen, die yasushi inoue zu einer kunstvollen novelle verwoben hat, deren unerhörte begebenheit die affäre zwischen josuke und saiko ist.
In drei briefen, die, akten gleichend, eine tragödie der einsamkeit entfalten, schreiben drei frauen an josuke ihre jeweiligen abschiedsbriefe. Zum einen seine nichte shoko, die von der schrecklichen liebe zwischen ihrer mutte und ihm desillusioniert wurde und mit den unglücklichen und gnadenlosen schicksalen der erwachsenen nichts mehr zu tun haben will, dann seine frau midori, zuletzt, als vollendender und vollendeter abschluss, der brief der geliebten saiko.
Große sprache, eine sich zuspitzende geschichte, ein rausch.