I think I need to take a little break from this House Husband, because I had two issues with this volume: first, why did the rap battle chapter involvI think I need to take a little break from this House Husband, because I had two issues with this volume: first, why did the rap battle chapter involve these Japanese characters rapping in AAVE?? Second, Masa was so obnoxious in the New Year's chapter. I get it already, he's broke!
(Would love to get the story of how Miku and Tatsu met, but perhaps that's too much plot for this manga.)...more
It's becoming very clear to me that there is no ongoing, developing story in The Way of the House Husband, it's just separate vignettes for each chaptIt's becoming very clear to me that there is no ongoing, developing story in The Way of the House Husband, it's just separate vignettes for each chapter. That's OK, they're pretty funny! More with Miku in this volume, and I especially liked Chapter 30 when Tatsu and Miku visited a children's amusement park....more
3.5 stars, rounded up. There's not a lot of character development here (maybe I should not expect character development from a gag manga), but most of3.5 stars, rounded up. There's not a lot of character development here (maybe I should not expect character development from a gag manga), but most of the vignettes made me laugh--like Chapter 24, when Tatsu volunteers for a Crimecatch Policure show because Miku wants her picture taken with the cast....more
3.5 stars, rounded up. Not quite as funny as volume 1 (perhaps the novelty of the joke is the key?), but it still made me laugh. I especially liked Ch3.5 stars, rounded up. Not quite as funny as volume 1 (perhaps the novelty of the joke is the key?), but it still made me laugh. I especially liked Chapter 14, when Tatsu and Miku went car shopping and he wanted a car that will fit a body in the trunk, and Chapter 15, when Tatsu had a cookoff with another ex-yakuza....more
Yes, this is a gag manga, but that one joke works so well here. Tatsu looks like a scary guy, but he loves cooking and cleaning and shopping and his wYes, this is a gag manga, but that one joke works so well here. Tatsu looks like a scary guy, but he loves cooking and cleaning and shopping and his wife. Hysterical and heartwarming at the same time....more
Another book read for book club; which (oops) I only got halfway through before our book club session. I was expecting a heartwa3.5 stars, rounded up.
Another book read for book club; which (oops) I only got halfway through before our book club session. I was expecting a heartwarming tale of a town united by sports, which Beartown definitely is not! Parts of the book were really difficult for me to read, but those were balanced out by some insightful, heart-piercing scenes.
There were perhaps too many on-the-nose aphorisms (I'm not sure if I should blame Backman or the translation here), and the ending felt unnecessary. But on the whole, I found the story riveting, especially the second half, and I'm interested in seeking out the sequel....more
If you like cat stories, and specifically sentimental cat stories, then A Man and His Cat is for you. Poor little Fukumaru is unwanted and ridiculed fIf you like cat stories, and specifically sentimental cat stories, then A Man and His Cat is for you. Poor little Fukumaru is unwanted and ridiculed for his looks, but then one day he's adopted! By a very dapper older gentleman! There's your usual stuff of "new cat owner navigating pet ownership," but we also get a deep dive into both Fukumaru and Mr. Kanda's backstories. Super cute, on to volume 2....more
There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job felt less like a coherent novel, and more like five connected short stories. And as with any short story collectiThere's No Such Thing as an Easy Job felt less like a coherent novel, and more like five connected short stories. And as with any short story collection, I liked some of the chapters better than others, but our anonymous narrator is overall lowkey and gently withdrawn. (I'm not sure if this due to the translation, or if it's also an issue in Tsumura's original text.) The book is surreal in parts, but much kinder than Ottessa Moshfegh's or Sayaka Murata's works....more
I have mixed feelings on this one. I find Ferrante's writing (as translated by Ann Goldstein) imminently readable, and while I thought a lot of the idI have mixed feelings on this one. I find Ferrante's writing (as translated by Ann Goldstein) imminently readable, and while I thought a lot of the ideas behind the story were interesting, I'm not sure it completely came together for me. There's not much plot here, and the ending in particular is super abrupt.
Ferrante's books often contain a lot of grotesque qualities (looking at you The Days of Abandonment and Troubling Love), but the grotesquerie is usually balanced with the keen insights in her works. Here, the teenage melodrama of Gianni's life skews much closer to the ugly than the profound--but then again, we're alerted to that in the first line!
I'm interested at what the original Italian text looks like, though--a key point in the novel is that characters switch from speaking proper Italian to dialect, and Gianni in particular is described as speaking dialect incorrectly. It doesn't comes across in the English text, though, so we get dialogue descriptors to alert the reader to these changes. ...more
I'm not sure I agree with all the reviews calling this a fun, quirky book. Keiko lives by routine and apes the style and speech of those around her; hI'm not sure I agree with all the reviews calling this a fun, quirky book. Keiko lives by routine and apes the style and speech of those around her; her family and friends take great issue with this, because they're almost unbelievably conformist. Shiraha reminded me of a character from Dostoevsky (maybe I'm thinking of Notes from Underground?), and I could not wait for her to ditch him. More a novella than a novel, and ultimately a weird read....more
Undset's writing (courtesy of Nunnally's translation) is immersive and easy to follow. The setting depicted (14th century Norway) is clearly Catholic,Undset's writing (courtesy of Nunnally's translation) is immersive and easy to follow. The setting depicted (14th century Norway) is clearly Catholic, but pagan influences still remain. I liked so many of the minor characters, from Aashild Gautesdatter the wise woman to Kristin's father Lavrans Bj?rgulfsson.
But The Wreath is mainly Kristin's coming-of-age story. She's curious and stubborn and conflicted about so many things. Unfortunately, Erlend Nikulauss?n is an absolute dirtbag, and their relationship seems doomed to endless drama.
![¤ª¤¸¤µ¤Þ¤Èè 7 [Ojisama to Neko 7]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616340588l/57047667._SX50_.jpg)
![¤ª¤¸¤µ¤Þ¤Èè 6 [Ojisama to Neko 6]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606827001l/55370041._SX50_.jpg)
![¤ª¤¸¤µ¤Þ¤Èè 5 [Ojisama to Neko 5]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590997893l/52021663._SX50_.jpg)
![¤ª¤¸¤µ¤Þ¤Èè 3 [Ojisama to Neko 3]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564614153l/49987226._SX50_SY75_.jpg)
Loading...
