‘Because we’re always in pain, we know exactly what it means to hurt somebody else.’

This was heart wrenching and painful to read. Set in the early 90s in Japan, we follow our unnamed protagonist and his friend Kojima as they are brutally bullied day after day. I really loved the exploration of the powerful/predator prey upon their powerless victims as well as the exploration of what it takes to stop this horrific behavior. Kawakami does not answer this question, but presents the reader with the story and leaves it up to them to decide. She also has a character who justifies his bullying in a Nietzschean/nihilistic manner: "It’s just that some people can do things, and others can’t. There are things that they want to do and things that they don’t. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. It couldn’t be any simpler. People do what they can get away with."

The ending was poignant and will stick with me. This is a book that forces the reader to think about their actions and how they treat others who are different. It is unflinching, insightful, and emotional. This is not an easy read, but one that is well worth the discomfort of exploring morality and the nature of human relationships.