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Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories[RASHOMON & 17 OTHER STORIES][Paperback]
Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories <> Paperback <> RyunosukeAkutagawa <> PenguinBooks
- GenresJapanese Literature
Paperback
Published March 31, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 18, 2025
The short stories themselves are a mixed bag, but the editing of this book is an inexcusable mess. There are two parts, with separate page numbering - roman numerals for the introduction, biographical context, etc., and arabic numerals for the sotries, making it pretty unintuitive if you want to flip to, say, page 5o, that's actuall 100 pages into the book.
That would not be all that bad, if not for notes - the book is rife with them, but in the first part each chapter is followed by notes pertaining to it, while the second part has all the notes thrown in the back, because consistency is for schmucks.
Also, the notes refer to each other - of course it's not a matter of "see earlier note", acting as reminders for things you've already read - no, more often they refer you forward, including from the first part to the second.
Oh, and Murakami wrote the introduction - almost 20 pages of empty platitudes, a boring waste of paper and ink.
That would not be all that bad, if not for notes - the book is rife with them, but in the first part each chapter is followed by notes pertaining to it, while the second part has all the notes thrown in the back, because consistency is for schmucks.
Also, the notes refer to each other - of course it's not a matter of "see earlier note", acting as reminders for things you've already read - no, more often they refer you forward, including from the first part to the second.
Oh, and Murakami wrote the introduction - almost 20 pages of empty platitudes, a boring waste of paper and ink.
December 20, 2024
shit absolutely slaps hardcore
June 18, 2024
Divided into 4 loose thematic categories (beginning with historical fiction and concluding with semi-autobiographical works), this collection is a great showcase of Akutagawa’s power and wit as a writer.
I particularly liked the historical fiction pieces (“Hell Screen” is viscerally terrifying, and the pair of tales dealing with Christian converts - each written from a different religious perspective - are very clever). I didn’t vibe as much with the “Modern Tragicomedy” section, but I think some of the jokes might have gone over my head. (However, “The Writer’s Craft,” slotted into the next category, I found very funny.)
His autobiographical works are harrowing; “Spinning Gears” is downright nightmarish, with a final paragraph that will stop your heart.
I particularly liked the historical fiction pieces (“Hell Screen” is viscerally terrifying, and the pair of tales dealing with Christian converts - each written from a different religious perspective - are very clever). I didn’t vibe as much with the “Modern Tragicomedy” section, but I think some of the jokes might have gone over my head. (However, “The Writer’s Craft,” slotted into the next category, I found very funny.)
His autobiographical works are harrowing; “Spinning Gears” is downright nightmarish, with a final paragraph that will stop your heart.
May 27, 2025
It was alright. It was super weird, and a bit of a hard read, however some of the stories I really loved. The others were just okay.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews