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All of Us Strangers
When jaded 48-year-old scriptwriter Harada visits Tokyo's old entertainment district where he grew up, he encounters a likeable working man who is the spitting image of his dead father. Lonely, nostalgic, and willing to believe the unbelievable, Harada follows the mysterious man, embarking on a bittersweet journey into the womb of a city whose living inhabitants have perhaps changed too rapidly and lost their souls.While the visits to his parents seem invigorating to Harada, his beautiful and strangely vulnerable neighbor Kei insists that he stop seeing them for his own good. A battle for the soul - Harada's, a tired city's - ensues in this thinking man's ghost story.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Taichi Yamada
3 books187 followersTaichi Yamada was one of the most famous and highly respected writers in Japan. Winner of many awards for literary excellence from private organizations and from the Japanese government, he is best known for his scripts for TV dramas, but has also written many novels and plays. He was born in Tokyo in 1934, and graduated from Waseda University in 1958 after having studied Japanese Language and Literature in the Department of Education. That same year he entered the Shochiku Film Company and began to work at the Ofuna Studio Production Department. In 1965, he left Shochiku and established himself as an independent scenario writer.
Japanese profile : 山田 太一
Japanese profile : 山田 太一
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,230 reviews
September 25, 2025
In the anticipation of the upcoming film “All of us Strangers” adapted and directed by Andrew Haigh, who has directed one of my favorite films of all time, the immortal and intimate “Weekend” about a queer love affair set in working class England 2011.
I quickly bought this book to read how Haigh planned on adapting a heterosexual love story set in 1980s Japan, in transplanting it to the 1980s England of his youth. It also stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy and Jaime Bell, so I am truly excited to see the upcoming LGBTQ adaptation of this ghost story for the 2023 Oscar Season time.
Strangely enough, this book began tepidly. This is the story of lonely TV writer, Hideo who is approaching middle age. Set in Japan during the 1980s outside of Kyoto, Hideo lives a mundane life of where everything seems to be all laid out for him. Estranged from his son, Shigeki, at odds with his ex-wife Ayako for dating who’s now engaged to his occasional friend and co-worker, Mamiya, Hideo spends his time in solitude, concealing his feelings—whether it be anger, or confusion.
We learn his life’s been marked by constant tragedy: he loses his parents when he was 12 to an accident; he lives with his grandfather out in the country, eventually losing him too. Finally, it is an uncle of his who helps him with his college tuition as he comes of age without much of a family unit to complete him.
In reading these early scenes, it reminded me too much of films or books where it is usually about a lonely male protagonist who finds himself in a noirish situation where he falls for a mysterious woman who awakens what’s dead inside.
I was partially correct: Hideo is entranced by his waiflike neighbor Kei and the two begin an affair. Hideo loves touching Kei’s bottom parts complete with moles that show his desire to love physically.
I shuddered thinking this would become a book about the exposure of male glaze that I was fearing. So, this is the moment where Hideo falls for Kei, at least physically.
But the book shifts into a ghost story of sorts- of unbearable, and melancholy suspense. Hideo meets a man who eerily resembles his dead father at 39 and drives out to Asakusa to see where he lives. Hideo is also introduced to a woman who looks like his deceased mother. He immediately bonds with where the three of them make up for lost time.
Hideo is 47, his parents are 39 and 35. Spending evenings with them cooking meals, playing catch with his father, and his parents praising Hideo’s success drive the plot into the surreal. Surely this is Hideo trying to cope and process pent up feelings of grief and loss? Surely this is his head trying to make up for lost time and to desperately, yet ironically and organically create the family unit that he lost as a child.
As he spends time with them, as well as Kei- she notices Hideo’s turning into a skeletal figure. Losing weight, his hair greying rapidly, she begins to fear that perhaps sinister forces are sucking the life out of Hideo. Mamiya is also concerned, and he fears that it might be Kei who is contributing to Hideo’s physical deterioration.
As Mamiya does what he can to advise Hideo to break things off with Kei, Kei asks Hideo to stop seeing his parents. But the book is about what the heart wants in its most primal- the need to love, and to stop the constant grief that makes him not feel whole.
As the book turns from character study to an eerie ghost story, I realized that I found myself invested in Hideo’s relationship with his parents.
In one heartbreaking scene where Hideo and his parents decide to eat out for dinner at an expensive restaurant, Mr. Yamada creates a chapter of unbearable heartbreak and finality that makes this novel worth reading.
I did not expect this scene to come out so affectingly, but it is the best part of the novel.
I understood all at once that although goodbyes must be made—it’s never easy to write the least.
I made connections with my own life and experiences of the deaths of my loved ones as I read this. I certainly had empathy for Hideo- and wish that I could somehow turn back the clock to see and say goodbye to loved ones as well. Mr. Yamada makes this fantasy possible in his book, and this fantastical possibility is what makes this book one of the saddest I’ve recently read.
It’s intimate scenes between Hideo and his parents, as well as that of Hideo and Kei, and intimate friendship between Hideo and Mamiya all make sense as to why Andrew Haigh, a filmmaker drawn to melancholy and lost love, would want to change this universal story in the search of family into a queer story. I cannot wait to see how the film goes.
Postscript: I did see the film “All of us Strangers”, and it does this novel justice, and adds a gay sensibility that makes the film even more wrenching than the book.
Andrew Scott gives a breathtaking leading performance as Adam, Hideo’s character. His scenes of loneliness and inability to process will break your heart forever.
Paul Mescal is the Kei role, renamed Harry. Mysterious and a hopeless romantic, he’s the perfect foil to Adam’s introverted, haunted man. They both yearn for so much- Adam for his past, Harry for a hopeful future, complete with gorgeous, sad puppy eyes.
The film also removes the chilly, horror, supernatural aspects of the novel in order to give a film that captures a man reflecting on his rediscovered past, yet forgetting about a present in which leaves behind a man like Harry- who’s so in love with him, that Adam does not realize that Harry’s mental health is hanging in a precarious balance. This leads up to the movie’s devastating finale, where Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s most soulful ballad, The Power of Love” bookends the final curtain.
Finally, Claire Foy and Jaime Bell give career best performances as Adam’s parents that are so honest and true.
I do hope that somehow all four of these actors are nominated for Oscars because they clearly have done something so special and beautiful that it deserves to be recognized.
**Another postscript**
Extremely disappointed the Oscars did not nominate "All of Us Strangers" for any of its amazing actors, or its heartfelt screenplay.... sad.
I quickly bought this book to read how Haigh planned on adapting a heterosexual love story set in 1980s Japan, in transplanting it to the 1980s England of his youth. It also stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy and Jaime Bell, so I am truly excited to see the upcoming LGBTQ adaptation of this ghost story for the 2023 Oscar Season time.
Strangely enough, this book began tepidly. This is the story of lonely TV writer, Hideo who is approaching middle age. Set in Japan during the 1980s outside of Kyoto, Hideo lives a mundane life of where everything seems to be all laid out for him. Estranged from his son, Shigeki, at odds with his ex-wife Ayako for dating who’s now engaged to his occasional friend and co-worker, Mamiya, Hideo spends his time in solitude, concealing his feelings—whether it be anger, or confusion.
We learn his life’s been marked by constant tragedy: he loses his parents when he was 12 to an accident; he lives with his grandfather out in the country, eventually losing him too. Finally, it is an uncle of his who helps him with his college tuition as he comes of age without much of a family unit to complete him.
In reading these early scenes, it reminded me too much of films or books where it is usually about a lonely male protagonist who finds himself in a noirish situation where he falls for a mysterious woman who awakens what’s dead inside.
I was partially correct: Hideo is entranced by his waiflike neighbor Kei and the two begin an affair. Hideo loves touching Kei’s bottom parts complete with moles that show his desire to love physically.
I shuddered thinking this would become a book about the exposure of male glaze that I was fearing. So, this is the moment where Hideo falls for Kei, at least physically.
But the book shifts into a ghost story of sorts- of unbearable, and melancholy suspense. Hideo meets a man who eerily resembles his dead father at 39 and drives out to Asakusa to see where he lives. Hideo is also introduced to a woman who looks like his deceased mother. He immediately bonds with where the three of them make up for lost time.
Hideo is 47, his parents are 39 and 35. Spending evenings with them cooking meals, playing catch with his father, and his parents praising Hideo’s success drive the plot into the surreal. Surely this is Hideo trying to cope and process pent up feelings of grief and loss? Surely this is his head trying to make up for lost time and to desperately, yet ironically and organically create the family unit that he lost as a child.
As he spends time with them, as well as Kei- she notices Hideo’s turning into a skeletal figure. Losing weight, his hair greying rapidly, she begins to fear that perhaps sinister forces are sucking the life out of Hideo. Mamiya is also concerned, and he fears that it might be Kei who is contributing to Hideo’s physical deterioration.
As Mamiya does what he can to advise Hideo to break things off with Kei, Kei asks Hideo to stop seeing his parents. But the book is about what the heart wants in its most primal- the need to love, and to stop the constant grief that makes him not feel whole.
As the book turns from character study to an eerie ghost story, I realized that I found myself invested in Hideo’s relationship with his parents.
In one heartbreaking scene where Hideo and his parents decide to eat out for dinner at an expensive restaurant, Mr. Yamada creates a chapter of unbearable heartbreak and finality that makes this novel worth reading.
I did not expect this scene to come out so affectingly, but it is the best part of the novel.
I understood all at once that although goodbyes must be made—it’s never easy to write the least.
I made connections with my own life and experiences of the deaths of my loved ones as I read this. I certainly had empathy for Hideo- and wish that I could somehow turn back the clock to see and say goodbye to loved ones as well. Mr. Yamada makes this fantasy possible in his book, and this fantastical possibility is what makes this book one of the saddest I’ve recently read.
It’s intimate scenes between Hideo and his parents, as well as that of Hideo and Kei, and intimate friendship between Hideo and Mamiya all make sense as to why Andrew Haigh, a filmmaker drawn to melancholy and lost love, would want to change this universal story in the search of family into a queer story. I cannot wait to see how the film goes.
Postscript: I did see the film “All of us Strangers”, and it does this novel justice, and adds a gay sensibility that makes the film even more wrenching than the book.
Andrew Scott gives a breathtaking leading performance as Adam, Hideo’s character. His scenes of loneliness and inability to process will break your heart forever.
Paul Mescal is the Kei role, renamed Harry. Mysterious and a hopeless romantic, he’s the perfect foil to Adam’s introverted, haunted man. They both yearn for so much- Adam for his past, Harry for a hopeful future, complete with gorgeous, sad puppy eyes.
The film also removes the chilly, horror, supernatural aspects of the novel in order to give a film that captures a man reflecting on his rediscovered past, yet forgetting about a present in which leaves behind a man like Harry- who’s so in love with him, that Adam does not realize that Harry’s mental health is hanging in a precarious balance. This leads up to the movie’s devastating finale, where Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s most soulful ballad, The Power of Love” bookends the final curtain.
Finally, Claire Foy and Jaime Bell give career best performances as Adam’s parents that are so honest and true.
I do hope that somehow all four of these actors are nominated for Oscars because they clearly have done something so special and beautiful that it deserves to be recognized.
**Another postscript**
Extremely disappointed the Oscars did not nominate "All of Us Strangers" for any of its amazing actors, or its heartfelt screenplay.... sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2025
ALL OF US STRANGERS
Cast azzeccatissimo per il film inglese: Andrew Scott – il miglior Ripley di sempre – l’astro nascente Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell - intramontabile Billy Elliott - e la brava Claire Foy.
Si tratta di un interessante, divertente e altamente insolito racconto di fantasmi. Al quale sono approdato perché ha ispirato il film più bello che ho visto quest’anno.
La traduzione letterale del titolo dovrebbe essere “Estate con gli alieni”, che è più esplicativa di quella invece adottata (sia romanzo che film in versione italiana). Gli alieni sono molto chiaramente e molto semplicemente i fantasmi.
Che Taichi Yamada si perita di nascondere per poche decine di pagine: poi vengono esplicitamente nominati e tirati in ballo. E il mistero svanisce, da quel momento l’attesa si concentra sul cosa potrà succedere piuttosto che sul chi è chi.
Il film giapponese del 1988, “The Discarnates”.
C’è una pagina di Wikipedia Italia dedicata a questo romanzo, quindi difficile fare spoiler, è tutto scritto.
La grande invenzione di Yarada secondo me è quella di far incontrare a un uomo di mezz’età i suoi genitori che nella realtà sono morti in un incidente automobilistico quando lui aveva dodici anni: e, quindi, il figlio incontra i genitori che sono più giovani di lui, lui si avvicina ai cinquanta, loro sono rimasti fermi all’età della morte, trentacinque.
[image error]
Il film inglese: giochi di riflessi e lavoro di montaggio invece di effetti speciali.
Poi, nel libro, c’è l’aspetto invecchiamento precoce e improvviso del protagonista (e io-narrante) - un avviato sceneggiatore televisivo – i fantasmi dei genitori – o forse altri – che gli succhiano linfa e vita. Un meccanismo interessante da seguire, che però inchioda forse ancor di più questo romanzo al “genere fantasmi”.
Mentre…
Il film giapponese.
Il romanzo è stato pubblicato nel 1987. E già l’anno dopo era pronto il primo adattamento cinematografico: firmato dal regista Nobuhiko Obayashi, aveva un titolo che in inglese si traduceva con The Discarnates, con ciò intendendo persone prive di corpo fisico, disincarnate. Ergo, fantasmi, puro spirito.
A questo punto la pagina Wikipedia dice che nel 2023 Andrew Haigh ha realizzato una nuova riduzione cinematografica del libro, seppur meno fedele di quella di Obayashi, intitolata All of Us Strangers.
Il film di Haigh, infatti, rimuove gli elementi gotici del romanzo per diventare una riflessione sul tema della memoria; l'ambientazione inoltre si sposta da Tokyo e Londra e la relazione al centro del romanzo diventa omosessuale, quella tra lo sceneggiatore Adam e il vicino di casa Harry.
A me sembra che il film di Haig – regista che secondo me non sbaglia un colpo, io ho visto Weekend, 45 Years e Lean on Pete, tutti notevoli, e ora questo, che è pazzesco – sia una riflessione sulla solitudine, sull’abisso della solitudine – nasciamo e moriamo soli, siamo soli tutta la vita – ben più che sulla memoria. Il film di Haig è nettamente superiore al pur buon romanzo di Yamada, ne prende spunto per realizzare un’opera autonoma, estremamente personale, bellissima, devastante.
Il film inglese: Adam con mamma e papà.
Cast azzeccatissimo per il film inglese: Andrew Scott – il miglior Ripley di sempre – l’astro nascente Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell - intramontabile Billy Elliott - e la brava Claire Foy.
Si tratta di un interessante, divertente e altamente insolito racconto di fantasmi. Al quale sono approdato perché ha ispirato il film più bello che ho visto quest’anno.
La traduzione letterale del titolo dovrebbe essere “Estate con gli alieni”, che è più esplicativa di quella invece adottata (sia romanzo che film in versione italiana). Gli alieni sono molto chiaramente e molto semplicemente i fantasmi.
Che Taichi Yamada si perita di nascondere per poche decine di pagine: poi vengono esplicitamente nominati e tirati in ballo. E il mistero svanisce, da quel momento l’attesa si concentra sul cosa potrà succedere piuttosto che sul chi è chi.
Il film giapponese del 1988, “The Discarnates”.
C’è una pagina di Wikipedia Italia dedicata a questo romanzo, quindi difficile fare spoiler, è tutto scritto.
La grande invenzione di Yarada secondo me è quella di far incontrare a un uomo di mezz’età i suoi genitori che nella realtà sono morti in un incidente automobilistico quando lui aveva dodici anni: e, quindi, il figlio incontra i genitori che sono più giovani di lui, lui si avvicina ai cinquanta, loro sono rimasti fermi all’età della morte, trentacinque.
[image error]
Il film inglese: giochi di riflessi e lavoro di montaggio invece di effetti speciali.
Poi, nel libro, c’è l’aspetto invecchiamento precoce e improvviso del protagonista (e io-narrante) - un avviato sceneggiatore televisivo – i fantasmi dei genitori – o forse altri – che gli succhiano linfa e vita. Un meccanismo interessante da seguire, che però inchioda forse ancor di più questo romanzo al “genere fantasmi”.
Mentre…
Il film giapponese.
Il romanzo è stato pubblicato nel 1987. E già l’anno dopo era pronto il primo adattamento cinematografico: firmato dal regista Nobuhiko Obayashi, aveva un titolo che in inglese si traduceva con The Discarnates, con ciò intendendo persone prive di corpo fisico, disincarnate. Ergo, fantasmi, puro spirito.
A questo punto la pagina Wikipedia dice che nel 2023 Andrew Haigh ha realizzato una nuova riduzione cinematografica del libro, seppur meno fedele di quella di Obayashi, intitolata All of Us Strangers.
Il film di Haigh, infatti, rimuove gli elementi gotici del romanzo per diventare una riflessione sul tema della memoria; l'ambientazione inoltre si sposta da Tokyo e Londra e la relazione al centro del romanzo diventa omosessuale, quella tra lo sceneggiatore Adam e il vicino di casa Harry.
A me sembra che il film di Haig – regista che secondo me non sbaglia un colpo, io ho visto Weekend, 45 Years e Lean on Pete, tutti notevoli, e ora questo, che è pazzesco – sia una riflessione sulla solitudine, sull’abisso della solitudine – nasciamo e moriamo soli, siamo soli tutta la vita – ben più che sulla memoria. Il film di Haig è nettamente superiore al pur buon romanzo di Yamada, ne prende spunto per realizzare un’opera autonoma, estremamente personale, bellissima, devastante.
Il film inglese: Adam con mamma e papà.
February 17, 2024
One of those weird Japanese novels that you don't read for the minimalist prose. Instead, you read it for the magical essence that comes out of very imaginative situations. I think it would greatly benefit if you can go in blindly, but I don't know how possible it is nowadays, considering its recent rise in popularity comes from the movie adaptation 'All of us strangers'. I myself have read it because I didn't have the chance to see the movie yet, and it was easier to find the book, but I've seen the trailer. While the movie is regarded as one of the best gay movies in recent years, that element doesn't exist in the book. By the time I realized that the book isn't gay-themed, I was already interested in the story, so the disappointment didn't come from here. I was disappointed by the ending, and this is where my rating comes from.
I will still see the movie, but I think I should have waited for it, because this story has been spoiled. I really hope that they were able to fix the second-to-last chapter.
I will still see the movie, but I think I should have waited for it, because this story has been spoiled. I really hope that they were able to fix the second-to-last chapter.
January 10, 2025
Interesting is possibly the only word I have to describe this book. It took me some time afterward to understand what I’d read. This is a haunting (feels like a pun of the story) and sad book. The main character and his neighbor, I think, are consumed by their sadness and rejection, loneliness, and humiliation.
I lived in Tokyo 25 years ago. Back then, mental health was a taboo subject. Anyone who sought treatment was relegated to a five-minute catchup with the doctor who then prescribed an anti-anxiety pill or antidepressant. I’m hoping things have progressed since then, but knowing the culture and general Asian stigma regarding seeking out mental help, I’m going to guess not much has changed (would love it if someone would tell me differently). I bring this up because if mental health was regarded a critically integral part of overall health, then I think this story would’ve been very different and maybe even nonexistent.
Round up from 3.5 to 4.
I lived in Tokyo 25 years ago. Back then, mental health was a taboo subject. Anyone who sought treatment was relegated to a five-minute catchup with the doctor who then prescribed an anti-anxiety pill or antidepressant. I’m hoping things have progressed since then, but knowing the culture and general Asian stigma regarding seeking out mental help, I’m going to guess not much has changed (would love it if someone would tell me differently). I bring this up because if mental health was regarded a critically integral part of overall health, then I think this story would’ve been very different and maybe even nonexistent.
Round up from 3.5 to 4.
February 20, 2008
Very brief, this reads quickly & it is easy to read as well. If, like myself, you are a fan of Japanese ghost stories, you're going to see the end coming on this one right away so that kind of spoiled it for me, because this story is very much in line with the old traditional type of ghostly tale from Japan.
A brief summary:
Harada-san (Hideo) is in his mid 40s, is a scriptwriter for television who isn't working all that much any more and lives alone, having been recently divorced and never taking enough time to see his college-age son. He lives in Tokyo, in an apartment which is an office building by day but which during the night has maybe one or two lit windows that one can see from the outside. He is just a drab little man with a blah life. Many years ago, when he just a boy (I think he was 12), he was waiting for his parents to return home but they never did. His mom and dad were doubled on a bike when they were hit from behind in a hit-and-run accident. He was sent to live with his grandmother, but then she died, then sent to live with his uncle, who sent him to college and then died. Well, as it turns out, one day it was Hideo's birthday and he got a bee in his bonnet to go to his birthplace of Akasuka. When he arrived, he walked into a mediocre comedy club pretty much kept going by tour bus crowds, and there he saw a man that looked just like his father. It looked so much like his dad that he couldn't help but to keep looking at the guy. At the end of the performance, the strange man invited Harada-san to come home with him for a beer so Hideo goes. When he arrives, the strange man's wife is there and she is the spitting image of his mother. From there, the tale gets stranger and stranger and Hideo Harada finds himself in great danger from the other side.
I liked this book. Again, it was somewhat stilted and formalized in translation but that's easily overcome. The dialogue sometimes was kind of silly, with little annoying things like money being called "dough" etc which seems out of context in the story. Kind of simplistic in tone, although it does delve into the whole search of self by Harada-san and why he feels like he must continue to see his "parents." Harada is a very tragic figure to begin with, and by the end of the book I was really pulling for him. When a book does that for me, then it's a good read.
Overall recommended, but don't look for something along the lines of a Noel Hynd or James Herbert type of ghost...the Japanese really have a great way of ghost story telling and this book fits into the tradition. If you are interested in Japanese ghost stories, check out those written by Lafcadio Hearn. You will so not be sorry.
A brief summary:
Harada-san (Hideo) is in his mid 40s, is a scriptwriter for television who isn't working all that much any more and lives alone, having been recently divorced and never taking enough time to see his college-age son. He lives in Tokyo, in an apartment which is an office building by day but which during the night has maybe one or two lit windows that one can see from the outside. He is just a drab little man with a blah life. Many years ago, when he just a boy (I think he was 12), he was waiting for his parents to return home but they never did. His mom and dad were doubled on a bike when they were hit from behind in a hit-and-run accident. He was sent to live with his grandmother, but then she died, then sent to live with his uncle, who sent him to college and then died. Well, as it turns out, one day it was Hideo's birthday and he got a bee in his bonnet to go to his birthplace of Akasuka. When he arrived, he walked into a mediocre comedy club pretty much kept going by tour bus crowds, and there he saw a man that looked just like his father. It looked so much like his dad that he couldn't help but to keep looking at the guy. At the end of the performance, the strange man invited Harada-san to come home with him for a beer so Hideo goes. When he arrives, the strange man's wife is there and she is the spitting image of his mother. From there, the tale gets stranger and stranger and Hideo Harada finds himself in great danger from the other side.
I liked this book. Again, it was somewhat stilted and formalized in translation but that's easily overcome. The dialogue sometimes was kind of silly, with little annoying things like money being called "dough" etc which seems out of context in the story. Kind of simplistic in tone, although it does delve into the whole search of self by Harada-san and why he feels like he must continue to see his "parents." Harada is a very tragic figure to begin with, and by the end of the book I was really pulling for him. When a book does that for me, then it's a good read.
Overall recommended, but don't look for something along the lines of a Noel Hynd or James Herbert type of ghost...the Japanese really have a great way of ghost story telling and this book fits into the tradition. If you are interested in Japanese ghost stories, check out those written by Lafcadio Hearn. You will so not be sorry.
January 30, 2024
Taichi Yamada este unul dintre cei mai cunoscuti scriitori si scenaristi japonezi. A avut succes si a fost rasplatit cu premii pentru activitatea la studioul de film Shochiku, dar si ca scriitor. A scris romane ca "N-am mai visat de mult ca zbor", "In cautarea unei voci indepartate" ori "Straini".
"Ijintachi to no Natsu" a aparut in 1987 si il are ca protagonist si narator pe Hideo Horada ce traieste in Tokyo-ul anilor '80 fiind un scenarist de seriale de televiziune de succes. Ramas singur, divortat de sotie si cu finantele imputinate acesta incearca sa-si continue viata cum poate. Ajunge sa locuiasca in cladirea de birouri unde isi face si meseria. Acolo cunoaste o femeie stranie cu o cicatrice ciudata pe piept pe care incearca s-o evite dar care il si intriga.
Intr-o zi Hideo decide sa faca o mica plimbare in Asakusa, locul unde s-a nascut. Acolo intra intr-o sala de cinema in fata careia cu ani in urma si-au pierdut vietile parintii lui intr-un accident. Surprinzator pe unul dintre locuri il recunoaste pe tatal sau printre spectatori. Acesta il conduce acasa la el unde o vede si pe mama lui traind ca pe vremuri cand era inca vie. Ambii il tot invita sa mai treaca pe la ei si el se tot duce pana cand devine din ce in ce mai palid si secat de viata. Cei din jur isi fac griji pentru el si-l roaga sa nu se mai intoarca in Asakusa insa el tanjeste sa mearga in continuare la parintii lui chiar si cu pretul vietii.
Romanul mai are si un ultim twist care mi-a placut foarte mult si care are legatura cu femeia cu cicatrice pe piept. Merita citit pana la capat pentru acest detaliu horror-supranatural care o sa va surprinda.
Putem sa interpretam in mai multe feluri aceste elemente de supranatural: am putea crede ca eroul sufera de o tulburare psihica in care mintea sa cauta un refugiu confortabil in trecut, in copilarie, in parinti, atunci cand trece printr-o trauma cum ar fi un divort. Este firesc ca pacientul sa gestioneze necazul refugiindu-se intr-un loc unde s-a simtit bine. Dar atunci ar fi greu de explicat prezenta femeii cu cicatrice. Daca fortam un pic interpretarea putem spune ca ea reprezinta constiinta, vinovatia lui.
Pe de alta parte, daca acceptam supranaturalul, atunci putem afirma ca prin suferinta, prin divort, Hideo a devenit un fel de "felinar", un "magnet" pentru spiritele care mai aveau ceva de spus in lumea noastra. Acesta este un concept des intalnit si in filme, indeosebi cele japoneze, cand eroul devine un portal pentru spiritele de dincolo. Eu as tinde spre aceasta explicatie, mi se pare mai pe gustul meu. :)
In incheiere va recomand romanul este scurt, usor de citit, agreabil, bizar, avand un build-up al evenimentelor din ce in ce mai interesant. Cititorul nu poate anticipa finalul si odata ajuns acolo ramane placut impresionat. La inceput crezi ca urmeaza o poveste obisnuita si fara sa-ti dai seama, dintr-odata se transforma in ceva foarte incitant si neobisnuit.
"Ijintachi to no Natsu" a aparut in 1987 si il are ca protagonist si narator pe Hideo Horada ce traieste in Tokyo-ul anilor '80 fiind un scenarist de seriale de televiziune de succes. Ramas singur, divortat de sotie si cu finantele imputinate acesta incearca sa-si continue viata cum poate. Ajunge sa locuiasca in cladirea de birouri unde isi face si meseria. Acolo cunoaste o femeie stranie cu o cicatrice ciudata pe piept pe care incearca s-o evite dar care il si intriga.
Intr-o zi Hideo decide sa faca o mica plimbare in Asakusa, locul unde s-a nascut. Acolo intra intr-o sala de cinema in fata careia cu ani in urma si-au pierdut vietile parintii lui intr-un accident. Surprinzator pe unul dintre locuri il recunoaste pe tatal sau printre spectatori. Acesta il conduce acasa la el unde o vede si pe mama lui traind ca pe vremuri cand era inca vie. Ambii il tot invita sa mai treaca pe la ei si el se tot duce pana cand devine din ce in ce mai palid si secat de viata. Cei din jur isi fac griji pentru el si-l roaga sa nu se mai intoarca in Asakusa insa el tanjeste sa mearga in continuare la parintii lui chiar si cu pretul vietii.
Romanul mai are si un ultim twist care mi-a placut foarte mult si care are legatura cu femeia cu cicatrice pe piept. Merita citit pana la capat pentru acest detaliu horror-supranatural care o sa va surprinda.
Putem sa interpretam in mai multe feluri aceste elemente de supranatural: am putea crede ca eroul sufera de o tulburare psihica in care mintea sa cauta un refugiu confortabil in trecut, in copilarie, in parinti, atunci cand trece printr-o trauma cum ar fi un divort. Este firesc ca pacientul sa gestioneze necazul refugiindu-se intr-un loc unde s-a simtit bine. Dar atunci ar fi greu de explicat prezenta femeii cu cicatrice. Daca fortam un pic interpretarea putem spune ca ea reprezinta constiinta, vinovatia lui.
Pe de alta parte, daca acceptam supranaturalul, atunci putem afirma ca prin suferinta, prin divort, Hideo a devenit un fel de "felinar", un "magnet" pentru spiritele care mai aveau ceva de spus in lumea noastra. Acesta este un concept des intalnit si in filme, indeosebi cele japoneze, cand eroul devine un portal pentru spiritele de dincolo. Eu as tinde spre aceasta explicatie, mi se pare mai pe gustul meu. :)
In incheiere va recomand romanul este scurt, usor de citit, agreabil, bizar, avand un build-up al evenimentelor din ce in ce mai interesant. Cititorul nu poate anticipa finalul si odata ajuns acolo ramane placut impresionat. La inceput crezi ca urmeaza o poveste obisnuita si fara sa-ti dai seama, dintr-odata se transforma in ceva foarte incitant si neobisnuit.
March 24, 2024
I'd never have heard of this book if not for the recent film All of Us Strangers (which is terrific, by the way). Its screenplay is loosely based on this story, with some significant changes.
The narrator Hideo is a Japanese screenwriter in his 40s, recently divorced. He's not on the best of terms with his former wife and their son wants nothing to do with him. In fact he's utterly alone - his parents died in an accident when he was twelve. Even his apartment building seems empty, apart from a lady who knocks on his door one night in search of company. But he's too distracted to give her any attention and sends her away. On a whim the next day, he decides to take a visit to the neighborhood he grew up in. He's shocked to meet a fellow who looks just like his father. The man brings him home for a drink, where Hideo is further astonished to meet his mother. He doesn't know how this can be happening but he basks in the comfort of his long-lost family. There appears to be a price to pay, however - every time Hideo spends time with these people he gets sicker.
This is a ghost story with a difference. It's about grief and loneliness - the spirits of Hideo's parents provide him with the love he has been so desperately missing out on all of these years. But this situation can never be truly genuine, and that's what sucks the life out of him. He needs to stop living in the past and make meaningful connections for real. I must admit I preferred the film that is adapted from this work - it's helped by an amazing Andrew Scott performance which gives it the emotional heft that is sometimes missing in this book. And I did find the translation a little awkward at times, not something I usually notice. Nevertheless, this is a sad and thoughtful tale of longing for the ones we love most.
The narrator Hideo is a Japanese screenwriter in his 40s, recently divorced. He's not on the best of terms with his former wife and their son wants nothing to do with him. In fact he's utterly alone - his parents died in an accident when he was twelve. Even his apartment building seems empty, apart from a lady who knocks on his door one night in search of company. But he's too distracted to give her any attention and sends her away. On a whim the next day, he decides to take a visit to the neighborhood he grew up in. He's shocked to meet a fellow who looks just like his father. The man brings him home for a drink, where Hideo is further astonished to meet his mother. He doesn't know how this can be happening but he basks in the comfort of his long-lost family. There appears to be a price to pay, however - every time Hideo spends time with these people he gets sicker.
This is a ghost story with a difference. It's about grief and loneliness - the spirits of Hideo's parents provide him with the love he has been so desperately missing out on all of these years. But this situation can never be truly genuine, and that's what sucks the life out of him. He needs to stop living in the past and make meaningful connections for real. I must admit I preferred the film that is adapted from this work - it's helped by an amazing Andrew Scott performance which gives it the emotional heft that is sometimes missing in this book. And I did find the translation a little awkward at times, not something I usually notice. Nevertheless, this is a sad and thoughtful tale of longing for the ones we love most.
September 23, 2024
Somehow quite hopeful about the possibility of new beginnings, even though the horror level is higher than in the movie adaptation.
The return of the dead fundamentally undermines the order of the living
This 1987 book offers an interesting ghost story. Having read this after watching All of us strangers, I think the movie medium serves the story better, making less explicit some suspicions the main character has of those around him.
I never attained maturity, while I found myself growing ever more feeble with age is what the main character of Strangers thinks about himself, isolated in a flat in Tokyo.
He is recently divorced and life holds not much promise to him:
I doubted that a particularly bright future awaited me in the life to which I would be returning.
He also doesn't particularly dislikes being alone (Nor did I suffer from being alone) but his neighbours and some semblance of paranormal activity think differently.
In general I wouldn't call our main character particularly sympathetic, but he what happens is quite over the top near the end.
Taichi Yamada does not give us regular, run of the mill horror, it is almost therapeutic how childhood trauma is dealt with in the book, while recognizing life needs to be lived forward. I am sure variants of recalling the dead will be an AI thing we will find upon us in the near future, so this is a prescient, not just eerie and liminal novel by Taichi Yamada.
Quotes:
I realized how fragile our tranquil little world actually was.
I wanted to simply evaporate into nothingness.
Do us a favor and stop being so hard on yourself.
I am not sure I deserve to be loved by someone like you.
I want to know everything about you.
I wonder if that’s necessarily for the best. Don’t you think sometimes people might be happier together if they simply let some false impressions stand?
Let’s just forget about it, okay? Otherwise, I don’t know how I can go on living.
The return of the dead fundamentally undermines the order of the living
This 1987 book offers an interesting ghost story. Having read this after watching All of us strangers, I think the movie medium serves the story better, making less explicit some suspicions the main character has of those around him.
I never attained maturity, while I found myself growing ever more feeble with age is what the main character of Strangers thinks about himself, isolated in a flat in Tokyo.
He is recently divorced and life holds not much promise to him:
I doubted that a particularly bright future awaited me in the life to which I would be returning.
He also doesn't particularly dislikes being alone (Nor did I suffer from being alone) but his neighbours and some semblance of paranormal activity think differently.
In general I wouldn't call our main character particularly sympathetic, but he what happens is quite over the top near the end.
Taichi Yamada does not give us regular, run of the mill horror, it is almost therapeutic how childhood trauma is dealt with in the book, while recognizing life needs to be lived forward. I am sure variants of recalling the dead will be an AI thing we will find upon us in the near future, so this is a prescient, not just eerie and liminal novel by Taichi Yamada.
Quotes:
I realized how fragile our tranquil little world actually was.
I wanted to simply evaporate into nothingness.
Do us a favor and stop being so hard on yourself.
I am not sure I deserve to be loved by someone like you.
I want to know everything about you.
I wonder if that’s necessarily for the best. Don’t you think sometimes people might be happier together if they simply let some false impressions stand?
Let’s just forget about it, okay? Otherwise, I don’t know how I can go on living.
March 16, 2024
I read this in preparation for the movie All of Us Strangers and they could not be less related. This was quite good but not really my cup of tea. I think I am not the intended audience.
April 26, 2025
Update, 4/2025:
So I FINALLY was able to see the film version, over a year after reading the book, and as I suspected, I responded MUCH more positively to that than the book from which it stemmed. Partially this was because the gay element added so much more emotional resonance to the story/plot (for me at least), but also because it really came alive on film in a way it just didn't on the page. I am shocked the film did NOT get more awards attention - all four of the cast got nominated for at least one award, but all should have been in contention for the Oscar, as well as the director/screenwriter, cinematographer and the film itself.
Original review, 10/2023
The impetus for reading this was the upcoming film adaptation by Andrew Haigh, whose previous work I've really admired - and this new film is already gleaning ecstatic reviews and early awards buzz. It's obvs. a fairly loose adaptation, since the Japanese original has a hetero central relationship rather than a gay one and takes place in Tokyo with Japanese characters. I'm not quite sure how all that will translate to the screen, as the story is intriguing, but rather slight - and is steeped in Japanese ghost story traditions. As it was a fun, fast read, I'll grudgingly give it 3 stars, but I hope the film is much better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O97iS...
So I FINALLY was able to see the film version, over a year after reading the book, and as I suspected, I responded MUCH more positively to that than the book from which it stemmed. Partially this was because the gay element added so much more emotional resonance to the story/plot (for me at least), but also because it really came alive on film in a way it just didn't on the page. I am shocked the film did NOT get more awards attention - all four of the cast got nominated for at least one award, but all should have been in contention for the Oscar, as well as the director/screenwriter, cinematographer and the film itself.
Original review, 10/2023
The impetus for reading this was the upcoming film adaptation by Andrew Haigh, whose previous work I've really admired - and this new film is already gleaning ecstatic reviews and early awards buzz. It's obvs. a fairly loose adaptation, since the Japanese original has a hetero central relationship rather than a gay one and takes place in Tokyo with Japanese characters. I'm not quite sure how all that will translate to the screen, as the story is intriguing, but rather slight - and is steeped in Japanese ghost story traditions. As it was a fun, fast read, I'll grudgingly give it 3 stars, but I hope the film is much better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O97iS...
July 17, 2007
lovely atmospherics in this japanese ghost story that is more elegaic than shocking. well at least till the denouement. yamada was a scriptwriter. so he really knows how to grab your attention. and there's a great portrait of the mind of a salaryman too.
August 12, 2020
Strangers has a high-concept premise, one that certainly grabbed my attention when I picked it up (this was a charity bookshop find, part of the same batch as Cracks). The protagonist's parents died in an accident when he was just 12 years old. One day, he returns to the neighbourhood in which he grew up, and meets them there – unchanged. He is now 47; his parents – and there is no doubt they are his parents – are in their thirties.
It sounds like the starting point for a dark, terrifying descent into mania and doubt, or else a paranoiac thriller. However, Taichi Yamada takes a more subdued approach. The protagonist, Harada, has a quiet life: recently divorced, he rarely socialises and lives in a near-empty building. A secondary plot strand involves his burgeoning relationship with a neighbour, Kei, who shies away from the world because of the scars caused by a severe burn across her chest. Harada's encounters with his parents are disconcertingly ordinary. A note of horror creeps in when others notice Harada physically declining, though he is unable to see the change.
I was initially surprised that Strangers hadn't been made into a film. Upon digging deeper, I found that it has: the adaptation is called The Discarnates and was directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, who is best known for House. I'll have to seek it out at some point; I wonder why it isn't better known, as the concept and structure lend themselves so perfectly to visual interpretation that it's easy to picture a screen version. Which is hardly surprising given Taichi Yamada's background as a film and TV scriptwriter.
I really enjoyed the haunting mood of Strangers. It somehow maintains a calm tone at the same time as feeling quite fast-paced, and the climactic moments are especially great. A psychological ghost story that's both chilling and unexpectedly comforting.
TinyLetter | Linktree
It sounds like the starting point for a dark, terrifying descent into mania and doubt, or else a paranoiac thriller. However, Taichi Yamada takes a more subdued approach. The protagonist, Harada, has a quiet life: recently divorced, he rarely socialises and lives in a near-empty building. A secondary plot strand involves his burgeoning relationship with a neighbour, Kei, who shies away from the world because of the scars caused by a severe burn across her chest. Harada's encounters with his parents are disconcertingly ordinary. A note of horror creeps in when others notice Harada physically declining, though he is unable to see the change.
I was initially surprised that Strangers hadn't been made into a film. Upon digging deeper, I found that it has: the adaptation is called The Discarnates and was directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, who is best known for House. I'll have to seek it out at some point; I wonder why it isn't better known, as the concept and structure lend themselves so perfectly to visual interpretation that it's easy to picture a screen version. Which is hardly surprising given Taichi Yamada's background as a film and TV scriptwriter.
I really enjoyed the haunting mood of Strangers. It somehow maintains a calm tone at the same time as feeling quite fast-paced, and the climactic moments are especially great. A psychological ghost story that's both chilling and unexpectedly comforting.
TinyLetter | Linktree
March 20, 2008
As much as I wanted this book to work I have to admit that it doesn't deserve more than an average rating. Perhaps something was lost in the translation, but the narrator's musings were heavyhanded and denied the reader any sense of involvement in the book. You were told how things were and that was that. In the moments when the writer decided to let you read the story, and not the narrator's view on matters, there were some genuinely moving moments, but these were too few and far between, which was a great shame, as there were signs that the book could have been far better than it was.
February 9, 2024
Man wtf this was amazing!!! I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s so creepy and atmospheric and even though it’s a quick read it’s one that really haunts you the whole time you’re reading it. The story is told and structured so well that even though the plot itself is quite simple the experience of it is really chilling. Loved it!
November 16, 2023
that seems like something a rookie horror film director would draw inspiration from
December 29, 2019
This was first time reading Taichi Yamada. This book struck me as very similar to Tomoyuki Hoshino's ME. Both authors are riffing off Haruki Murakami's brand of magical realism, but lack the startling charm of the pop phenom enfante terrible.
Yamada's prose is readable, depicting the main character's thoughts transparently. The main character writes for television. Yamada himself wrote for television. The book reads like a television script in some ways. This led to the same dilemma Hoshino's book had, as well as Seicho Matsumoto's Pro Bono. They keep recapping at the beginning of each chapter, as if the reader can't be trusted to remember what happened twenty pages ago. In a sense it's just dumbed-down crime fiction. But is rather bland in terms plot, character motivations, twists, humor and suspense.
There was very little to absorb me in this book except for the laid-back air, the cozy mystery at the heart of the novel, which, if you read the product description, lays it out for you plainly. It's meant to be a quick read, demanding little thought. A disposable conceit, and is completely unconvincing in my opinion.
If you've finished all of Japanese crime fiction's best examples, you might give this a try. Comparing this to Shuichi Yoshida's two English translations, Yamada looks like a joke. If I am to believe the author bio, he's attained celebrity status in his home country. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, like Matsumoto. That's why I plan to at least try his other novels.
Yamada's prose is readable, depicting the main character's thoughts transparently. The main character writes for television. Yamada himself wrote for television. The book reads like a television script in some ways. This led to the same dilemma Hoshino's book had, as well as Seicho Matsumoto's Pro Bono. They keep recapping at the beginning of each chapter, as if the reader can't be trusted to remember what happened twenty pages ago. In a sense it's just dumbed-down crime fiction. But is rather bland in terms plot, character motivations, twists, humor and suspense.
There was very little to absorb me in this book except for the laid-back air, the cozy mystery at the heart of the novel, which, if you read the product description, lays it out for you plainly. It's meant to be a quick read, demanding little thought. A disposable conceit, and is completely unconvincing in my opinion.
If you've finished all of Japanese crime fiction's best examples, you might give this a try. Comparing this to Shuichi Yoshida's two English translations, Yamada looks like a joke. If I am to believe the author bio, he's attained celebrity status in his home country. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, like Matsumoto. That's why I plan to at least try his other novels.
January 31, 2024
Kitabı korku olarak okuduğumda çok klişe buldum. Ama dramatik yönünü düşünerek okuduğumda epey beğendim. Yalnızlık ve aileye özlemin, insanı irrasyonel davranışlara nasıl kolayca ittiğini anlatıyor kitap. Yolunda gitmeyen ve mantıkdışı şeyler olurken sırf özlem yüzünden devam etmesini istemek de bir o kadar insaniydi. Japon edebiyatına mesafeliyim. Kültür nedeniyle yarattıkları karakterleri anlamaktan çok uzak kaldığım için. Beklemediğim şekilde Yabancılarla Bir Yaz Mişima’dan sonra insani duygular uyandıran bir kitap oldu. Ama korku beklentisiyle okunursa klişelerle dolu vasat bir roman bulursunuz.
April 9, 2017
This is a strange little book. The protagonist, Harada, is a middle aged screenwriter, orphaned aged twelve when his parents are killed in a traffic accident. Recently divorced, he throws himself into his work. He is tired and lonely.
Then he meets a man who looks and sounds just like his father, and whose wife looks and sounds like his mother. They even call him son. But they are in their early thirties, the age his parents were when they died. This cannot be right.
He also starts a relationship with a woman from the same apartment block. She notices that Harada is ageing rapidly, as if the "parents" are sucking the life out of him. Friends and acquaintances also ask him if he is OK. However when he looks into the mirror he cannot see it.
How to get out of this? He loves spending time with his parents but what if they are killing him? But is it the parents? Cue unmasking of a succubus and rescue by friend cum ex wifes boyfriend
As I said strange book, mildly entertaining in a what the hell next kind of way.
Then he meets a man who looks and sounds just like his father, and whose wife looks and sounds like his mother. They even call him son. But they are in their early thirties, the age his parents were when they died. This cannot be right.
He also starts a relationship with a woman from the same apartment block. She notices that Harada is ageing rapidly, as if the "parents" are sucking the life out of him. Friends and acquaintances also ask him if he is OK. However when he looks into the mirror he cannot see it.
How to get out of this? He loves spending time with his parents but what if they are killing him? But is it the parents? Cue unmasking of a succubus and rescue by friend cum ex wifes boyfriend
As I said strange book, mildly entertaining in a what the hell next kind of way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2023
Strangers - Taichi Yamada
3,5/5
رواية غرباء لتاييشي يامادا، رواية رعب "خفيف"، غريب أنني أقرأ رعبًا، لأنني أتجنب قراءة روايات الرعب وأفلام الرعب أيضًا، لكن كنت أبحثُ عن رواية يابانية بين كتبي ووجدت هذه الرواية وكان ملخصها مثيرًا للاهتمام وبدأتها.
كانت رحلة قراءتها عجيبة وسريعة، ليست مرعبة بالضبط بل أقرب لرعب نفسي تصاعدي كما لو على نار هادئة، قصة بسيطة حيث يجد البطل وهو رجل مطلق ومنعزل، يجد نفسه في إحدى جوالاته وجهًا لوجه مع والده ووالدته ودون أن يتقدما في العمر، كانا في نفس العمر لحظة وفاتهما قبل أكثر من 25 عامًا. ويصادق في نفس الوقت جارة في البناية التي يقطن فيها، ومن هنا تبدأ سلسلة أحداث تغير الكثير في حياته.
ترشيح لمن يبحث عن رواية رعب خفيفة .
3,5/5
رواية غرباء لتاييشي يامادا، رواية رعب "خفيف"، غريب أنني أقرأ رعبًا، لأنني أتجنب قراءة روايات الرعب وأفلام الرعب أيضًا، لكن كنت أبحثُ عن رواية يابانية بين كتبي ووجدت هذه الرواية وكان ملخصها مثيرًا للاهتمام وبدأتها.
كانت رحلة قراءتها عجيبة وسريعة، ليست مرعبة بالضبط بل أقرب لرعب نفسي تصاعدي كما لو على نار هادئة، قصة بسيطة حيث يجد البطل وهو رجل مطلق ومنعزل، يجد نفسه في إحدى جوالاته وجهًا لوجه مع والده ووالدته ودون أن يتقدما في العمر، كانا في نفس العمر لحظة وفاتهما قبل أكثر من 25 عامًا. ويصادق في نفس الوقت جارة في البناية التي يقطن فيها، ومن هنا تبدأ سلسلة أحداث تغير الكثير في حياته.
ترشيح لمن يبحث عن رواية رعب خفيفة .
September 1, 2020
È stata una bella sorpresa, ho scelto questo libro "a caso" fidandomi solo della mia simpatia per i giapponesi, ed a conferma ho incontrato una storia Kafkchiana con la tipica venatura ironica giapponese (possono narrare qualsiasi argomento che io li percepisco come un po' frivoli, autoironici, che in fondo la prendono alla leggera, non danno molto peso alla cosa, non so spiegarlo bene questo atteggiamento, comunque mi piace).
La narrazione ha uno stile impeccabile, in sostanza ti incolla al libro sin dalle prime pagine.
La trama è molto coinvolgente ma bisogna accettare i lati surreali (un altro giapponese letto faceva vedere il mondo dal punto di vista del gatto di casa, quindi basta abituarsi). Devo riconoscere che ci sono alcune "sbavature" nel racconto che non collegano bene i due filoni principali, 'genitori e amica", questo mi ha lasciato un po' perplesso (ma non posso svelare il contenuto).
Ne consiglio la lettura anche perché ci sono dei momenti molto emozionanti, tocca delle cordicine dentro la mente del lettore che sono sempre molto ricettive, ad ogni età.
Un buon libro.
La narrazione ha uno stile impeccabile, in sostanza ti incolla al libro sin dalle prime pagine.
La trama è molto coinvolgente ma bisogna accettare i lati surreali (un altro giapponese letto faceva vedere il mondo dal punto di vista del gatto di casa, quindi basta abituarsi). Devo riconoscere che ci sono alcune "sbavature" nel racconto che non collegano bene i due filoni principali, 'genitori e amica", questo mi ha lasciato un po' perplesso (ma non posso svelare il contenuto).
Ne consiglio la lettura anche perché ci sono dei momenti molto emozionanti, tocca delle cordicine dentro la mente del lettore che sono sempre molto ricettive, ad ogni età.
Un buon libro.
June 27, 2024
Not particularly enamored with the prose and how the third act dips into pure genre fares. Yamada's exploration of modern-day malaise and grief amidst empty apartment buildings is not particularly nuanced, with an unmemorable main character that ultimately makes this lack the intended emotional gut punch that thankfully Andrew Haigh was able to achieve with his cinematic adaptation.
January 4, 2025
I’m not sure if it was the translation or the book itself, although it was a small book, it took me a bit to get through it, I had to put it down a few times and take a break 😅 but I did like the plot twist at the end, I wished it would’ve been a bit sadder ending tbh, but overall an okay book with an okay dark story 👌
April 13, 2024
In Taichi Yamada's Strangers, we meet Hideo, a man haunted by the ghosts of his parents. The melancholic tone of the novel perfectly captures Hideo's grief and yearning for connection, both with his deceased parents and in his own fractured family life.
A Different Lens: All of Us Strangers
All of Us Strangers, the film adaptation, takes a distinct path. Adam, the protagonist, grapples with similar themes but through the lens of sexuality and self-discovery. The introduction of a romantic subplot adds a layer of hope to the film, making it a more uplifting exploration of acceptance and moving forward.
Similarities and Divergences
Both the book and film center around a man reuniting with his parents in an unexpected way. However, All of Us Strangers deviates significantly from the source material, creating a unique cinematic experience.
Recommendation
If you're looking for a poignant meditation on grief and loss, Strangers is a powerful read. If you prefer a more hopeful approach with themes of self-acceptance, All of Us Strangers might be a better pick. Both I think both are a great companion to each other, in order to understand the subplot and meaning, specially the end.
June 25, 2025
¿Conoces esas fascinantes películas de terror japonesas, muy atmosféricas que Hollywood suele comprar solo para destrozarlas y diluirlas en nuevas versiones comerciales ? Strangers, de Taichi Yamada, tiene mucho en común con esas películas, solo que al ser una novela, obviamente es aún mejor
Strangers se ambienta en Tokio y cuenta la historia de un guionista de televisión mayor que acaba de divorciarse de su esposa. Como consecuencia, se ha mudado a su oficina, ya que es el único lugar que puede permitirse. La mayoría de la gente usa los apartamentos como oficinas, y la historia comienza con nuestro narrador sintiendo que el edificio está inusualmente tranquilo.
El día de su cumpleaños, decide, por capricho, volver a Asakusa, el lugar donde creció. No ha estado allí desde que sus padres murieron en un trágico accidente cuando era muy pequeño. Allí, ve a un hombre que es la viva imagen de su padre. ¿Será su padre? Y si lo es, ¿cómo llegó allí sin envejecer ni un día?
Strangers me atrapó de inmediato con su atmósfera extraña y la voz un tanto trágica de Harada. A lo largo de la historia, tuve mis propias sospechas sobre lo que estaba sucediendo, pero no podía dejar de pasar las páginas. Hice una breve pausa para hacer otras cosas pero tenia ganas de volver al libro. E incluso después de pasar la última página, seguía pensando en ello. Sí, a primera vista es una historia (japonesa) de fantasmas, pero en realidad creo que es mucho más que eso. Es una historia sobre la soledad y el aislamiento, sobre dejar atrás el pasado para que el futuro tenga una oportunidad. De hecho, es un retrato conmovedor de cómo el pasado nos drena hasta que lo dejamos ir.
No es una lectura que dé miedo, aunque tiene un toque inquietante, pero vale la pena.
Strangers se ambienta en Tokio y cuenta la historia de un guionista de televisión mayor que acaba de divorciarse de su esposa. Como consecuencia, se ha mudado a su oficina, ya que es el único lugar que puede permitirse. La mayoría de la gente usa los apartamentos como oficinas, y la historia comienza con nuestro narrador sintiendo que el edificio está inusualmente tranquilo.
El día de su cumpleaños, decide, por capricho, volver a Asakusa, el lugar donde creció. No ha estado allí desde que sus padres murieron en un trágico accidente cuando era muy pequeño. Allí, ve a un hombre que es la viva imagen de su padre. ¿Será su padre? Y si lo es, ¿cómo llegó allí sin envejecer ni un día?
Strangers me atrapó de inmediato con su atmósfera extraña y la voz un tanto trágica de Harada. A lo largo de la historia, tuve mis propias sospechas sobre lo que estaba sucediendo, pero no podía dejar de pasar las páginas. Hice una breve pausa para hacer otras cosas pero tenia ganas de volver al libro. E incluso después de pasar la última página, seguía pensando en ello. Sí, a primera vista es una historia (japonesa) de fantasmas, pero en realidad creo que es mucho más que eso. Es una historia sobre la soledad y el aislamiento, sobre dejar atrás el pasado para que el futuro tenga una oportunidad. De hecho, es un retrato conmovedor de cómo el pasado nos drena hasta que lo dejamos ir.
No es una lectura que dé miedo, aunque tiene un toque inquietante, pero vale la pena.
August 29, 2023
This book has a really interesting concept: a 48 year old man stumbles upon a young couple who turn out to be his parents who died when they were in their 30s. It’s a different take on a ghost story that I haven’t seen before. But while I did think it had a good hook, I struggled to actually care about the characters or what was going on in the book. I’m not sure if it was the original writing in Japanese or if something got lost in translation, but I just didn’t really feel anything emotionally towards the characters. I felt like I was being kept at arm’s length from the story.
June 14, 2024
This has SO many elements of traditional Japanese folklore and I loved it! The twist at the end was especially enjoyable. I will say that I read this expecting it to align with the recent movie release and that was a mistake. They are nothing alike much to my dismay. As per usual, the book was MUCH better than the movie.
February 19, 2024
much creepier than the movie, which i enjoyed, but missing a lot of the heart that andrew haigh put into the plot. in my dream adaptation, the movie would’ve had the same emphasis on the draining power of ghosts. 3.5
May 29, 2025
انا لست من الاشخاص المهووسين بالأدب الياباني ولكن هذه الرواية لها جاذبية خاصة وخلقت في داخلي الكثير من المشاعر المتناقضة والمؤثرة ..
هذه الرواية تحكي عن شخص انفصل منذ وقت قريب من زوجته ويعيش وحده في شقة صغيرة في وحدة لم يسبق له ان جربها، فكرة الانفصال والوحدة والمكان الضيق كل ذلك يخلق منه هلاوس وافكارا تؤدي به الى الضياع وتأخذنا معه في عالم خيالي وعاطفي ومرعب في بعض الجوانب، لكن الجانب الاكثر روعة هو الجانب العاطفي حقيقية، يتصدر الكاتب الياباني في وضع لمسات خارقة في موضوع الوحدة والعاطفة ويربك القارئ بمشاهد خارجية صغيرة تجعل منك كقارئ مشاركا في المشهد بل وتخلق لك ذكريات مشابهة ولكن من زاويتك انت ..
الرواية تنحني في اتجاه غريب في اللحظة التي تدق باب شقته في منتصف الليل امرأة غريبة ترغب في ان تشاركه شرب الخمر ، ولكن ذلك الرفض لم يكن عاديا بل فتح باب الرواية على عالم اخر واحداث تتكشف في اروقة الرواية وتؤدي بنا الى عوالم خطيرة ومبهمة بل ومأساوية جدا في نهاية المطاف ..
حديث الكاتب عن الوالدين وتاثيرهما على حياته، وطبعا لن احرق القصة، ولكن مشاهد اعادة خلق تلك الذكريات اعجز عن وصفه، ربما لا يفهم ذلك الا من فقد احد الوالدين او كلاهما ، فالامر هنا حتما من اغرب ما رأيت من وصف وتأثير لأنه شيء مجسد وتشعر انه حقيقي، الامر لا يتعلق بالذاكرة فقط بل بمعايشة يذوب لها القلب حرقة وألما .
أعتقد ان تجربة الانفصال صعبة لدرجة ان يذهب الانسان الى ذلك اللقاء البعيد بالوالدين، اشعر انه الانفصال هو اقسى طريقة لأعادة اي رجل لان يصبح طفلا صغيرا في كنف والديه ..
يامادا بطل الرواية يعيش في خمول وجودي وتعب واضح منذ بداية الرواية وعزلة يبدو انها قد بناها طوال سنوات كونه كاتبا تلفزيونيا، اصبحت الوحدة جزء اصيل منه وهذا ما ادى به في الافراط بالحنين والتوق الى الارتباط بالماضي ..
تشعر بضعفه وحساسيته ومقاومته لتغيير حياته بل اصراره على عيش الماضي ونبذ المستقبل بكل صوره، بل تراه لا يكيل الا اقل القليل من الاكتراث لمستقبله ككاتب ..
لديه ثنائية مفرطة بين الخوف من الموت والرغبة في الفناء والهروب ، تجده اما خائفا او هاربا الى الماضي متعمقا في وجود لم يعد له وجود ولقاء عبثي لا يزيده الا تعبا واغراقا في الفناء ..
شخصية هارادا ربما يشبه الكثير منا، شخصا اختار الظل لانه لم يجد النور الكافي في هذا العالم، اختار الوحدة على علاقات مزيفة كثيرة، اختار الماضي على حاضر يبدو هشاشة اكثر من اي وقت مضى ..
بصراحة نادرا ما اجد رواية تجمع بين الدراما العاطفية والخيال والرعب والرومانسية ، هناك ثغرات في الرواية ولكن انها رواية تجمع لك عواطف ربما منذ سنوات لم تتحرك فيه، تولد في داخلك الحنين والرغبة في الحب وايضا التعقل والوسيطة بين العاطفة والعقل، لأن العاطفة وحدها لا تولد الا فراغا عميقا لا يملئه شيء إلا الموت ..
هذه الرواية تحكي عن شخص انفصل منذ وقت قريب من زوجته ويعيش وحده في شقة صغيرة في وحدة لم يسبق له ان جربها، فكرة الانفصال والوحدة والمكان الضيق كل ذلك يخلق منه هلاوس وافكارا تؤدي به الى الضياع وتأخذنا معه في عالم خيالي وعاطفي ومرعب في بعض الجوانب، لكن الجانب الاكثر روعة هو الجانب العاطفي حقيقية، يتصدر الكاتب الياباني في وضع لمسات خارقة في موضوع الوحدة والعاطفة ويربك القارئ بمشاهد خارجية صغيرة تجعل منك كقارئ مشاركا في المشهد بل وتخلق لك ذكريات مشابهة ولكن من زاويتك انت ..
الرواية تنحني في اتجاه غريب في اللحظة التي تدق باب شقته في منتصف الليل امرأة غريبة ترغب في ان تشاركه شرب الخمر ، ولكن ذلك الرفض لم يكن عاديا بل فتح باب الرواية على عالم اخر واحداث تتكشف في اروقة الرواية وتؤدي بنا الى عوالم خطيرة ومبهمة بل ومأساوية جدا في نهاية المطاف ..
حديث الكاتب عن الوالدين وتاثيرهما على حياته، وطبعا لن احرق القصة، ولكن مشاهد اعادة خلق تلك الذكريات اعجز عن وصفه، ربما لا يفهم ذلك الا من فقد احد الوالدين او كلاهما ، فالامر هنا حتما من اغرب ما رأيت من وصف وتأثير لأنه شيء مجسد وتشعر انه حقيقي، الامر لا يتعلق بالذاكرة فقط بل بمعايشة يذوب لها القلب حرقة وألما .
أعتقد ان تجربة الانفصال صعبة لدرجة ان يذهب الانسان الى ذلك اللقاء البعيد بالوالدين، اشعر انه الانفصال هو اقسى طريقة لأعادة اي رجل لان يصبح طفلا صغيرا في كنف والديه ..
يامادا بطل الرواية يعيش في خمول وجودي وتعب واضح منذ بداية الرواية وعزلة يبدو انها قد بناها طوال سنوات كونه كاتبا تلفزيونيا، اصبحت الوحدة جزء اصيل منه وهذا ما ادى به في الافراط بالحنين والتوق الى الارتباط بالماضي ..
تشعر بضعفه وحساسيته ومقاومته لتغيير حياته بل اصراره على عيش الماضي ونبذ المستقبل بكل صوره، بل تراه لا يكيل الا اقل القليل من الاكتراث لمستقبله ككاتب ..
لديه ثنائية مفرطة بين الخوف من الموت والرغبة في الفناء والهروب ، تجده اما خائفا او هاربا الى الماضي متعمقا في وجود لم يعد له وجود ولقاء عبثي لا يزيده الا تعبا واغراقا في الفناء ..
شخصية هارادا ربما يشبه الكثير منا، شخصا اختار الظل لانه لم يجد النور الكافي في هذا العالم، اختار الوحدة على علاقات مزيفة كثيرة، اختار الماضي على حاضر يبدو هشاشة اكثر من اي وقت مضى ..
بصراحة نادرا ما اجد رواية تجمع بين الدراما العاطفية والخيال والرعب والرومانسية ، هناك ثغرات في الرواية ولكن انها رواية تجمع لك عواطف ربما منذ سنوات لم تتحرك فيه، تولد في داخلك الحنين والرغبة في الحب وايضا التعقل والوسيطة بين العاطفة والعقل، لأن العاطفة وحدها لا تولد الا فراغا عميقا لا يملئه شيء إلا الموت ..
March 31, 2013
The people in Harada's life are ghosts, and the ghosts in his life are people. It's actually pretty cute. The stuff with the parents was adorable, and I liked the reveal at the end.
I wasn't sure about the translation of the Dad's dialogue... it's all "Whadja expect?" and "Okey-dokey". Too "Dick Van Dyke in 'Mary Poppins'" for me.
I wasn't sure about the translation of the Dad's dialogue... it's all "Whadja expect?" and "Okey-dokey". Too "Dick Van Dyke in 'Mary Poppins'" for me.
April 1, 2024
men would rather talk to literal ghosts than go to therapy
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