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A review by booitsnathalie
The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Exceptionally bleak capital realism. It makes a lot of sense reading about Kobo Abé's love of Kafka, as both are similarly preoccupied with the hopelessness of living under capitalism, how it alienates us from people who ought to be allies, and the seeming inexscapability of it's control. They also both utterly fail to perceive women as human beings, describing them as anywhere between silly, beautiful nothings to stupid animals.
I don't know enough about Japanese literature to fully lump this in with the dry, thematically interesting but socially upsetting western canon, but if you dislike that mode of writing this isn't going to change that. It might just be my translation, but this is written (somewhat appropriately) with the flare of an exhausted biologist recording the movement of moss.
I imagine I'd have a lot more fun discussing this in a class than actually reading it. If anyone wants to commiserate about it's highs and lows (lol, cause he's in a hole) let me know.
I don't know enough about Japanese literature to fully lump this in with the dry, thematically interesting but socially upsetting western canon, but if you dislike that mode of writing this isn't going to change that. It might just be my translation, but this is written (somewhat appropriately) with the flare of an exhausted biologist recording the movement of moss.
I imagine I'd have a lot more fun discussing this in a class than actually reading it. If anyone wants to commiserate about it's highs and lows (lol, cause he's in a hole) let me know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual content and Misogyny
Minor: Pregnancy and Child death
Attempted rape. The woman gets away before it happens but it's still very upsetting. If you want to avoid reading it, in Part III skip to the end of the chapter as soon as he starts talking about asking about being let up for a walk.