Motoyuki Shibata

Ted Goossen

Contemporary Japanese fiction in English translation, as well as other works both old and new by writers, artists, and translators from Japan, England, Canada, and the U.S.

Monkey New Writing from Japan: Volume 2: Travel

Anyaconda

** spoiler alert **
           I was fortunate to read an ARC of Monkey volume 2 and once I saw volume 3 was available I had to request it. This time I was a bit disappointed in the selection. I got really upset about Murakami's "Creta Kano". I understand it was written in 1989 but it's just so bad. UTTER TRASH. He can't write and shouldn't write from a woman's perspective. It's quite frankly offensive (and I've read his major works: Norwegian Wood, 1Q84 (Aomame is another botched female character), Killing Commendatore, which is the only one I really enjoyed).

*SPOILER ALERT*
Creta basically states that she always gets raped and she can't go out of the house. So she lives with her sister. She also thinks "it's partly her fault"!!!!!!!! because she looks like a victim. Wtf.
Then she gets raped and killed in the end. What on earth was the point of this story?! I feel like there should have been a warning or explanation attached to this piece. I honestly felt the editors should have left this story out. I know he's a big author and has his fanbase but this really brought down the quality of the collection.
*SPOILER END*

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Shona Tiger

Thank you to NetGalley and to Stone Bridge Press for this eARC.

What a lovely, refreshing read. A mix of poetry, non-fiction and short fiction in translation, this was beautifully laid out, with wonderful illustrations. So much eye and brain candy in one volume.

Some of my favourite reads:

Hell, by Kikuko Tsumura
The Overcoat, a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura
Whale Leg, by Laird Hunt
The Trail, by Eric McCormack (looking forward to reading the novel)
Itō Goes On A Journey, Making a Pilgrimage to Yuda Hot Springs, by Hiromi Itō.
I especially enjoyed the remarks from translators at the end of the volume, about the words and ideas they find hard to translate into English.

Well worth a read.

Rated: 7/10.

Monkey New Writing from Japan: Volume 2: Travel

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