pineconek's Reviews (816)

Some good quintessential Murakami. In case you're wondering: yes, the sheep chase is literal. This book is about sheep. And ears. And the rat. And cold, cold mountains in Hokkaido. And loneliness.

I see the appeal of this book. I really do. I looked forward to it, loved the concept, and tried so hard to engage with the story. But I'm so glad to be free of it (I guess I've successfully escaped Blackheath). The writing style didn't resonate with me and in general the story dragged on...a lot.

Recommended if you're into irl murder mystery games where you need to remember random details about all suspects and enjoy action twist and turns. And I guess that's not really my thing.

This is such a quick read that it feels like cheating adding it to my yearly book count but

Disjointed thoughts:

- this was really sad
- the confusing timeline was so cleverly done
- in general, themes of this book are trauma, blame, and family secrets, which are themes I love
- it's such a journey to read a book where the ending is revealed well in advance
- I recommend it to anyone interested in painful family secrets, books that explore social structures of a culture, and don't need linear plots to enjoy a book

Really fun and adorable - I recommend it (especially as an audiobook) if you want to smile a lot.

Firstly: I really like the idea of this book and some of the passages were honestly great. That said, this is fundamentally an experimental novel/long essay. Having Kim Jiyoung and the people in her life as universal metaphors (stand-ins?) for average people in these positions also meant there was very little character development or insight into their "inner world", which are things I look for in novels.

This was also just a profoundly depressing book where every page doesn't stop blatantly reminding us that women are socially disadvantaged throughout their lives even in progressive societies. As interested as I was in the content (and fundamentally agree with the politics of the book), I struggled to finish this because of how explicitly stated things were. I'm not sure what the intended audience of this book is and I think I'd primarily recommend it to people who already are feminists and are into reading anthropological articles.

2021 reread: listened to a full cast reading of the authors preferred text.
I remember first reading this book sometime in 2009 or 2010 and being awed by so many things that still stick in my memory. I remember not understanding some of the plot developments (I was a sheltered child) and being extremely curious and wanting to know more. I remember thinking that I couldn't let anyone know I read and enjoyed a book like this.
Every re-read of this book has felt like coming home to an old friend who I don't need to hide from. This book is a literary feat, and I definitely consider it Gaiman's magnum opus. I recommend it to 15 year old me, 20 year old me, 27 year old me, and to you.

This book is essentially a series of aphorisms (1-3 pages ish) from the author. It definitely reads like a cool conversation, where an acquaintance tells you about a book they read or a story they heard and why it resonates with them. It's very unpretentious, gentle, and personal, and indeed comforting.

Why 4 stars? I recommend this book widely, especially since it's a great introduction to ideas of radical acceptance, self compassion, loving kindness, etc... These ideas weren't new to me and felt more like reminders. I caught myself thinking "oh, yeah" rather than being radically transformed so it doesn't quite hit the 5 stars for me. That said, I might change my mind in a few days/after I buy a copy. And I'm definitely buying a copy of this for myself, and possibly as presents for a few friends.

What an incredible and illuminating read.

I've taught active listening, especially in contexts of mental health, trauma, or suicide crisis intervention, off and on for years. I've read a lot about being a better listener, helping people feel heard, becoming comfortable with silence, etc... And I learned so much from this book. No matter where you are in your journey to be a better listener, this book will teach you and remind you of the importance of genuine human connection. I feel so inspired and can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy so that I can reference it as needed. Recommended to everyone who wants to be a better friend, partner, human, etc...

Two stars = I see its merits but it's not for me. Yes, I see how this is a literary achievement. No, I did not overall enjoy reading it.

Extremely mild spoilers below.

I listened to the second half of this, which I think is the sole reason I made it through this book. The writing was fine, but the stream of consciousness and monologues came through way way better on audiobook. The narrator added intonations j wouldn't have picked up on myself and gave the scenes a lot more life. As such, my main issues with this book are largely plot based.

This was my second Dostoyevsky, and I feel the same way about this as I did about humiliated and insulted: I liked the writing, some side characters, and a few plot points but the main content of the book irritated the living daylights out of me. But let me get to the point: Raskolnikov was down right insufferable, as were many of the characters that flocked to him. The parts I did enjoy were the cat and mouse game and trying to reconcile how Sonya can be *that* shy and awkward along with making the terrible choice of basically saying "sure Rodya killed two people including my friend but he gave my stepmom money and has been nice to me and stuff so I guess we're in love now and I'll wait for him for 7 years while he's in prison".

It's possible I just don't get it. It's also possible my polish roots make it harder for me to enjoy Russian literature. But all I really got out of this book was "Does committing a murder make someone a murderer?". The answer leans towards "ehhhh not really if the victims didn't matter as people and if he feels bad about it and reaches puppies from burning buildings". That said, I'm curious enough about the impact of this book to now go and read a bunch of reviews and analyses, so I guess that counts for something.


On a final note: had anyone written "cringe and punishment 2: the return of raskolnikov"? I want to see how Sonya's waiting unfolds.