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joisaddler's review
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Cancer and Eating disorder
naomiha's review
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
whilereading's review
4.0
I enjoyed the way the story unfolds in lyrical or poetic form. A great story which is I would say can relate in what is happening right now. Looking after your family and parents has its challenges which I myself can attest to that.
Overall, I recommend this book. Great short read.
Thank you Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press.
4/5 Stars
Overall, I recommend this book. Great short read.
Thank you Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press.
4/5 Stars
sakisreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really wanted to like this, but I didn’t love it 🥲 I think I found all the references (even when referred to at the end of each chapter) quite hard to capture/obscure.
There were definitely some interesting contrasts between Ito’s Japanese side (culture, family etc.) and the American side. It was fun to note her disdain of her husband; he did not seem like a very pleasant man to be around 🫠
I’m giving this 3 out of 5 stars ✨
There were definitely some interesting contrasts between Ito’s Japanese side (culture, family etc.) and the American side. It was fun to note her disdain of her husband; he did not seem like a very pleasant man to be around 🫠
I’m giving this 3 out of 5 stars ✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder and Blood
midorigawa's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
diasparagmos's review
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
fabulous - an intimate portrayal of the fragile body and its conceits
bookswithcapri's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
shonatiger's review
5.0
In a wonderful series of essays (to try and put a genre to these pieces), Hiromi Ito writes about death, life, mothering, sex, parents, and ageing. She’s never afraid of confronting head-on the things we all fear, and presents us with her thoughtful, warm, often laugh-out-loud funny, and sometimes extremely cringeworthy thoughts. It’s the utter grimness of life, and the exquisitely tender moments; Ito shows us life can be both, sometimes at the same time.
This collection is a masterpiece of craft, and I loved it! It really is the most unusual and unexpected read; I never really knew where she was going to take us. Although these are very personal essays, they came across to me as powerfully feminist. I feel I may have lost out in not knowing the specific references to Japanese writers (Ito “borrows” voices, and there are notes at the end of each section, to explain); regardless, Ito’s authorial voice—through the translator—is strong, and distinctive.
Read if you’re interested in the themes mentioned above, and if you enjoy creative non-fiction. Somehow, with mentions of poop and penises, Ito manages to elevate the ordinary in this marvelous book.
Thank you to Stone Bridge Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.
This collection is a masterpiece of craft, and I loved it! It really is the most unusual and unexpected read; I never really knew where she was going to take us. Although these are very personal essays, they came across to me as powerfully feminist. I feel I may have lost out in not knowing the specific references to Japanese writers (Ito “borrows” voices, and there are notes at the end of each section, to explain); regardless, Ito’s authorial voice—through the translator—is strong, and distinctive.
Read if you’re interested in the themes mentioned above, and if you enjoy creative non-fiction. Somehow, with mentions of poop and penises, Ito manages to elevate the ordinary in this marvelous book.
Thank you to Stone Bridge Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.
snowwhitehatesapples's review
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
The Thorn Puller is an intimate and personal semi-autobiographical novel that centres around life, death, religion, motherhood, cultural differences and more. It is told from the perspective of a mother, wife, daughter and poet who travels constantly between California where her husband and children reside and Kumamoto to care for her ageing parents. Ito also seamlessly shifts between poetry to prose, and blends in multiple voices from various texts. This creates this atmosphere where her thoughts and opinions transcend the limitations of time and her own being, forming an intrinsic understanding of how others—no matter who, where and which era they live in—have felt and thought the same too.
Nevertheless, I feel distant from these episodic-like chapters—maybe because I’ve not experienced the same experiences/have not reached the stage of life where Ito is/was when she wrote this book. As a result, there’s a limit to how much I can empathise with, despite not having difficulty understanding or seeing where the narrator comes from.
Still, this book remains thought-provoking and meaningful. I really liked how prominent the narrator’s hope and belief in Jizo is throughout the book too. Every mention of him is a like a prayer for the deity to intervene and help pull out the thorns of suffering from the narrator and the people around her.
The Thorn Puller is an intimate and personal semi-autobiographical novel that centres around life, death, religion, motherhood, cultural differences and more. It is told from the perspective of a mother, wife, daughter and poet who travels constantly between California where her husband and children reside and Kumamoto to care for her ageing parents. Ito also seamlessly shifts between poetry to prose, and blends in multiple voices from various texts. This creates this atmosphere where her thoughts and opinions transcend the limitations of time and her own being, forming an intrinsic understanding of how others—no matter who, where and which era they live in—have felt and thought the same too.
Nevertheless, I feel distant from these episodic-like chapters—maybe because I’ve not experienced the same experiences/have not reached the stage of life where Ito is/was when she wrote this book. As a result, there’s a limit to how much I can empathise with, despite not having difficulty understanding or seeing where the narrator comes from.
Still, this book remains thought-provoking and meaningful. I really liked how prominent the narrator’s hope and belief in Jizo is throughout the book too. Every mention of him is a like a prayer for the deity to intervene and help pull out the thorns of suffering from the narrator and the people around her.
Thank you so much Stone Bridge Press for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! The Thorn Puller by Hiromi Ito is available at all good bookstores.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Blood, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Excrement, and Sexual content
aokoppes's review
2.0
This book is about a woman’s role as caretaker to seemingly everyone in her life.
I was so excited to read it, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. It reads as almost stream of consciousness and I can’t tell if that’s just the translation or a purposeful literary attempt at giving the reader the experience of what it’s like to be a caretaker who is on the brink because everyone needs you-and gig just can’t get a break, so your mind is running at top speed always.
Thank you to Stone Bridge Press and Netgalley for ARC and opportunity to review.
I was so excited to read it, but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. It reads as almost stream of consciousness and I can’t tell if that’s just the translation or a purposeful literary attempt at giving the reader the experience of what it’s like to be a caretaker who is on the brink because everyone needs you-and gig just can’t get a break, so your mind is running at top speed always.
Thank you to Stone Bridge Press and Netgalley for ARC and opportunity to review.