Reviews

The Makioka Sisters by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

100reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective relaxing sad slow-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

4.0

History, traditions, modernity, wars, family. But did it have to end like that? Like seriously 😐 

alexandre_rl's review against another edition

5.0

Classique de la littérature japonaise, adapté au cinéma en 1983 par le grand cinéaste Kon Ichikawa, "Quatre soeurs" intimide d'abord par ses 900 pages dont la lecture n'est pourtant jamais pénible. L'écriture de Tanizaki est beaucoup moins imagée, moins métaphorique que plusieurs de ses contemporains. La traduction nous laisse découvrir un style épuré qui va droit au but, toujours au service du récit. Les thèmes de la déchéance des grandes familles et de l'émancipation des femmes sont développés de manière touchante et adroite, sans jamais verser dans le mélodrame ou l'exposé sociologique.

Tanizaki présente avant tout des femmes fortes qui tracent leur chemin dans un Japon en grande transformation à l'aube de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. On termine la lecture de ce chef-d'oeuvre avec l'impression de posséder une meilleure compréhension des moeurs et coutumes japonaises de l'époque. Les chapitres sur les mariages sont spécialement intéressants. Tout au long de ma lecture, j'avais en tête les films de Naruse, Ozu et Mizoguchi. Une belle découverte.

charlottesometimes's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

sunta's review against another edition

4.0

The best last line of any book I've ever read.

maialunovis's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

It’s an incredibly interesting novel, a study almost, on an upper-middle class merchants family in decline (though that is not the plot of the book). The plotline and the characters serve almost as a canvas for an intricate depiction of Japanese aesthetics, especially the concept of “花鳥風月”, which could roughly be translated as seasonality/appreciation of natural elements. Furthermore it delves deeply into the very specific social conventions of this class, mainly centering on the lives and roles of women and the marriage market, but also the relationships between these four sisters. 
It is a bit of a shame that much of it will be lost in translation (I think the one I read was especially questionable, because old), at least from what I could tell from listening to bits of a Japanese audiobook. Tanizaki had an incredible “ear” for language, dialogue and dialect, which can be difficult to bring into other languages. The translation I read was also quite dry, so a lot of the aesthetic passages don’t really shine as much as they could.

It’s very slow, and I would recommend reading it slowly, maybe even keeping pace with the seasons. 

suzanne07090's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

hakkun1's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

jacksonf11's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

emmadaamen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-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

elisa19's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I was very worried about a 560 page book that was no plot, just vibes, however the vibes were spectacular. The writing is so delicate and cozy. Each sister has such a unique and quirky personality and you find them equally infuriating yet endearing, as you might do with your own family members. It took me over a year to read this book not because I disliked it but I quite simply did not want it to end, there wasn't a single dull moment in the whole story. The gossip and the drama was so gripping and entertaining particularly as it was juxtaposed against the very dark backdrop of the impending second world War. It was very interesting to read about day to day life in Japan at this time. Very wholesome story I will miss the Makioka sisters very much.