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noonis's review
3.0
This is a very interesting book but I feel like I missed something. Maybe not, I guess that's my problem? I'd still read other books by this author.
adru's review
Kenzaburo mõtiskleb asjadest, millest ma liiga palju ei tea (Blake, muusika, Jaapani poliitika) ja räägib oma pojast, aga nii hea on lugeda.
chairmanbernanke's review against another edition
3.0
Reflections on relationships and William Blake.
storytimed's review against another edition
2.5
Ok so: the novel itself doesn't paint Kenzaburo Oe in a very flattering light. He depicts himself as blustering and out of touch, the kind of dude who quotes William Blake as his wife is giving birth
Most of it is about his relationship to his son Hikari, who has an intellectual disability, and trying to help him understand the world
And I thought that while he doesn't come off very well and I actually don't care for the poetry of Blake, I respected him for being honest about his failings and his relationship with his son (+ how he grapples with how the obsessiveness within himself is reflected in his son's traits)
AND THEN I READ THE EPILOGUE... so apparently the real Hikaru is nonverbal and unable to communicate. Every conversation that book!Kenzaburo had with book!Hikari was almost completely imagined
Which completely recontextualizes the whole book?? Is it a idealization of what Kenzaburo Oe wishes his relationship with his son could be like? Is he externalizing the childish/innocent part of himself onto a fictional representation of Hikari?
I'm not necessarily sure why I expected honesty from him, but since I valued the book not for its entertainment value (I slogged through this over the course of a month lmao) but for what I thought was its honesty like... I can't help but judge it and him more harshly
444ndromeda's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
storytimed's review against another edition
3.5
This book........... it took me so long to get through it. It is semi-autobiographical, but I thought it was more autobiographical than it was & the epilogue about the real Kenzaburo Oe and the real Hikaru makes me feel Some Kind of Way
Ok so: the novel itself doesn't paint Kenzaburo Oe in a very flattering light. He depicts himself as blustering and out of touch, the kind of dude who quotes William Blake as his wife is giving birth
Most of it is about his relationship to his son Hikari, who has an intellectual disability, and trying to help him understand the world
And I thought that while he doesn't come off very well and I actually don't care for the poetry of Blake, I respected him for being honest about his failings and his relationship with his son (+ how he grapples with how the obsessiveness within himself is reflected in his son's traits)
AND THEN I READ THE EPILOGUE... so apparently the real Hikaru is nonverbal and unable to communicate. Every conversation that book!Kenzaburo had with book!Hikari was almost completely imagined
Which completely recontextualizes the whole book?? Is it a idealization of what Kenzaburo Oe wishes his relationship with his son could be like? Is he externalizing the childish/innocent part of himself onto a fictional representation of Hikari?
I'm not necessarily sure why I expected honesty from him, but since I valued the book not for its entertainment value (I slogged through this over the course of a month lmao) but for what I thought was its honesty like... I can't help but judge it and him more harshly
jessetrex's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
carmenghia's review
3.0
Deeply personal and analytic - though a bit wordy, still reads quickly. Felt like you had to have a deep appreciation for William Blake's poetry to completely understand and relate to the author.
xmooniex's review against another edition
3.0
A fairly engaging read for the the most part, although I am largely unfamiliar with Blake and his oeuvre, so I feel a lot of that went over my head.