Astonishing Writing
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This is my favourite book.
Fast paced plot line but always clear and sensitive, total sense of being there but never over-descriptive, short but with everything said, incredible sense of Japan's 'sex-scene'...
But what really amazes me about this book is the astonishing level of detail in psychological reaction from 1st person character - unbelievably realistic.
It's also funny, very moving, horrifically gory (in places), brilliant tension, wonderful characters.
It's such a satisfying read, and possibly due to the nature of Japanese and its translation, the writing style bounces off the page - it is so fresh, quick and accessible and yet conveys unbelievably detailed emotion and scenes.
Buy it and read it - it is simply brilliant.
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Noirish nightmares
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I picked this up after reading other Japanese fiction and found it one of the most rewarding reads so far.
It unfolds as a pulp novel and noirish thriller, you really get sucked into Tokyo's underbelly with Murakami's wonderful descriptions of the seedy side. Despite this easy to read thriller style there are sections (one in particular) which are difficult to swallow, but this shouldn't get in the way of a plot which grows deeply reflective and critical of Japan and how others see Japan. As you discover more and more there is an inevitable slowing of pace and thrill, but then I would say that this is a serious book disguised as a thriller.
I would recommend this book to anybody who has seen and enjoyed any of the Asia Extreme films or someone who fancies a change from Haruki Murakami. If you are easily offended or prudish I suggest you read Pride and prejudice etc etc.
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Psycho-thriller that reflects on loneliness
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In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami is on the surface a gritty hard boiled thriller set in the Kabuki-cho red-light district of Tokyo as the approaching New Year leaves near empty except for the human wreckage of the city. Jimji a young illegal sex tourist guide makes a good but shady living from taking westerners around the girlie bars, peep shows, hookers that allow foreigners.
He meets up with Frank who hires him for three days but from the start Jimji feels something is wrong and he starts to be sucked into an ever deepening nightmare that threatens his and his girl friend existence.
The story is told in the 1st person from Jimji perspective and is based on clear fluid writing equal if not better then Haruki Murakami, which evokes the place and time so that you have a movie in your head. Not necessarily a good thing given some of things that happen.
Beneath the surface is a very different story which leads to conclusions and beginnings that can be misunderstood if psycho thriller is the readers' sole expectation. We are instead being lead into mediation through the events affecting two desperate characters on what the Western and Japanese experience of loneliness is. The key passage for me is this one.
I remember the American making this particular confession, and the way his voice caught when he said "accept it". Americans don't talk about just grinning and bearing it, which is the Japanese approach to so many things. After listening to a lot of these stories, I began to think that American loneliness is a completely different creature from anything we experience in this country, and it made me glad I was born Japanese. The type of loneliness where you need to keep struggling to accept a situation is fundamentally different from the sort you know you will get through if you just hang in there. I don't think I could stand the sort of loneliness Americans feel.
Reflect on what is being said here and you will enjoy a taut psychological thriller whose outcome makes perfect sense. Highly recommended
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Interesting ... and unsettling
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This is an excellent read. It's very compelling, and although it might get a bit daft towards the end, 'In the Miso Soup' is a really interesting meditation on Japanese culture and its relation to the West.
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A smooth and intensely gripping read
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I was bought this book by a friend as a birthday present. I found it compelling, very atmospheric, evocative and chilling. The prose is very well written and reads smoothly, without any tedious chunks. In addition to being a brilliant (albeit at times gruesome) story, it also presents some insightful views on loneliness, consciousness and Japanese culture, whilst painting a gritty picture of the Tokyo underground - but not in a way that a Western J-enthusiast would expect. My only criticism is that I personally felt that the way in which the main characters meet at the beginning of the story wasn't consistent with what you go on to learn about one of them later in the story, in a way I can't explain without ruining the story.
If you like surprises, psychological thrillers and have any interest in Japanese popular culture, read this book. You won't find it very easy to put down.
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