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Mysterious Setting
A madcap, darkly comic novel about the strange fate of a tone-deaf girl who just wants to sing, from a Japanese literary star.
Shiori knows at heart that she's a troubadour. She may be completely tone-deaf, but she won't let that stop her living a life dedicated to music. Even when her dominant older sister, Nozomi, forces Shiori to accept that her wild singing provokes only revulsion, she decides to forge a career as a lyricist instead.
At eighteen, she moves to Tokyo to pursue her dream. Isolated and struggling in this unfamiliar city, Shiori seeks connection online, where her trusting outlook leaves her vulnerable to exploitation - with potentially explosive results.
Shot through with dark irony and a playful sense of the absurd, Mysterious Setting is a propulsive and gloriously strange novel from one of Japan's most distinctive contemporary writers.
Shiori knows at heart that she's a troubadour. She may be completely tone-deaf, but she won't let that stop her living a life dedicated to music. Even when her dominant older sister, Nozomi, forces Shiori to accept that her wild singing provokes only revulsion, she decides to forge a career as a lyricist instead.
At eighteen, she moves to Tokyo to pursue her dream. Isolated and struggling in this unfamiliar city, Shiori seeks connection online, where her trusting outlook leaves her vulnerable to exploitation - with potentially explosive results.
Shot through with dark irony and a playful sense of the absurd, Mysterious Setting is a propulsive and gloriously strange novel from one of Japan's most distinctive contemporary writers.
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
21 people are currently reading
1733 people want to read
About the author
Kazushige Abe
25 books24 followers阿部 和重
Kazushige Abe is a film critic and award-winning writer.
Kazushige Abe is a film critic and award-winning writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
March 14, 2024
Jakby ktoś mnie zapytał o czym jest ta książka to wyciągnęłabym butelkę Soplicy wiśniowej i zapytała ile ma czasu
April 2, 2024
This is the perfect companion to All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami. Which is kinda perfect, because Kazushige Abe is Mieko Kawakami’s husband (and I’m here, supporting my girlie’s partner). Both books follow women who ‘go with the flow,’ either because they lack drive or because they assume things of their surroundings, but in both cases, we see how lacking a voice leads to social alienation. Whereas Kawakami’s felt like a hug… Mysterious Setting is a bizarre, perplexing slap in the face with a chair.
I do want to put an emphasis on the bizarre here. Part of me felt as if Helen Oyeyemi had co-authored it. There were bits that had me doing the Jim from The Office thing and looking at the camera like ‘is this happening?’
Mysterious Setting is narrated by a storyteller who talks about Shiori, a troubadour who is so tone-deaf that when she things, beings die (animals and humans). So this curse and the harsh words of her peculiar sister Nozomi force her to drop her existence as a troubadour to pursue her dream of becoming a lyricist. Her social alienation and social awkwardness make her a target for people trying to take advantage of her. The story turns pretty dark when Shiori is gifted a very interesting suitcase.
Now, I have so many thoughts. This book is perfect for a book club because what the fuck. Shiori is batshit crazy, I don’t even want to talk about her. But Nozomi?? I adored Nozomi (even though she does something disgusting at some point). She was HARSH to Shiori. HARSH. And it was at times hilarious, at times horrifying. But throughout the book, I must say, Nozomi was the only person who cared for Shiori, even if that care was… just strange. There is a point in the book where Shiori starts talking to an object (I repeat: batshit crazy). And the object continues calling her ‘Shiori darling,’ which is what Nozomi calls her. This shows how important Nozomi was to Shiori even after Shiori leaves and goes to Tokyo.
The story was weird. The characters were weird. But the ending was super emotional. And the last 25% of the book really had me hooked, I kept wondering anxiously “is it real or is it fake” (because of something that’s happening). So, do I recommend it? Yeah. I thought it was a trip. So bizarre. But so cool and creative. I also loved the translation by Michael Emmerich, it flowed beautifully.
I think the concept of Mysterious Setting was included in the book but it made little sense. Yet you, as the reader, if you take a step back - this story is made of many details put together that seem to float to create a story, in a way. So I think it’s a good title for what came of it, but I don’t think it was utilized smartly in the book. (Mysterious Setting or Serti Mysterieux is a type of jewellery-making style in which little gemstones are put together very closely and in a way that they appear to be floating, but there is a little metal in the back keeping them together).
Two bits I highlighted from Nozomi’s dialogue:
“Please never do that in my presence again- no more moaning like that, like an animal. Don't do it in front of anyone. Please. You'll make people sick. They'll get nauseous. Noise like that would make a baby vomit, I swear. Thank goodness there were no babies here! Honestly, my stomach was churning, and I'm not even a baby.”
——
“You never try to look beyond the outside in fact you don't even believe there is an inside-so the most transparent charlatan has no problem gaining your trust. Even if you get burned, you still don't face up to reality, you just go on listening to your heart. The truth is, you never actually communicate with anyone, you're just talking at them in your own fantasy world. You don't see others as being separate from you, you've decided everyone feels the same things you do, and with the same intensity.”
Thank you Pushkin Press for the ARC. I got the copy for free, this didn't impact my review.
I do want to put an emphasis on the bizarre here. Part of me felt as if Helen Oyeyemi had co-authored it. There were bits that had me doing the Jim from The Office thing and looking at the camera like ‘is this happening?’
Mysterious Setting is narrated by a storyteller who talks about Shiori, a troubadour who is so tone-deaf that when she things, beings die (animals and humans). So this curse and the harsh words of her peculiar sister Nozomi force her to drop her existence as a troubadour to pursue her dream of becoming a lyricist. Her social alienation and social awkwardness make her a target for people trying to take advantage of her. The story turns pretty dark when Shiori is gifted a very interesting suitcase.
Now, I have so many thoughts. This book is perfect for a book club because what the fuck. Shiori is batshit crazy, I don’t even want to talk about her. But Nozomi?? I adored Nozomi (even though she does something disgusting at some point). She was HARSH to Shiori. HARSH. And it was at times hilarious, at times horrifying. But throughout the book, I must say, Nozomi was the only person who cared for Shiori, even if that care was… just strange. There is a point in the book where Shiori starts talking to an object (I repeat: batshit crazy). And the object continues calling her ‘Shiori darling,’ which is what Nozomi calls her. This shows how important Nozomi was to Shiori even after Shiori leaves and goes to Tokyo.
The story was weird. The characters were weird. But the ending was super emotional. And the last 25% of the book really had me hooked, I kept wondering anxiously “is it real or is it fake” (because of something that’s happening). So, do I recommend it? Yeah. I thought it was a trip. So bizarre. But so cool and creative. I also loved the translation by Michael Emmerich, it flowed beautifully.
I think the concept of Mysterious Setting was included in the book but it made little sense. Yet you, as the reader, if you take a step back - this story is made of many details put together that seem to float to create a story, in a way. So I think it’s a good title for what came of it, but I don’t think it was utilized smartly in the book. (Mysterious Setting or Serti Mysterieux is a type of jewellery-making style in which little gemstones are put together very closely and in a way that they appear to be floating, but there is a little metal in the back keeping them together).
Two bits I highlighted from Nozomi’s dialogue:
“Please never do that in my presence again- no more moaning like that, like an animal. Don't do it in front of anyone. Please. You'll make people sick. They'll get nauseous. Noise like that would make a baby vomit, I swear. Thank goodness there were no babies here! Honestly, my stomach was churning, and I'm not even a baby.”
——
“You never try to look beyond the outside in fact you don't even believe there is an inside-so the most transparent charlatan has no problem gaining your trust. Even if you get burned, you still don't face up to reality, you just go on listening to your heart. The truth is, you never actually communicate with anyone, you're just talking at them in your own fantasy world. You don't see others as being separate from you, you've decided everyone feels the same things you do, and with the same intensity.”
Thank you Pushkin Press for the ARC. I got the copy for free, this didn't impact my review.
May 8, 2024
A crazy book which I don't think I really got but I enjoyed it a lot. Mysterious Setting follows a young school girl who is completely tone-deaf but loves to sing. When she has her heart broken by her first boyfriend who breaks the news to her that she is an awful singer, she moves away to college and becomes tied up with a really strange group of people that are in a band and she ends up in the most crazy and desperate situation ever that I was just not expecting.
This author has some really wild ideas but I am glad I liked this one a lot more than their other book I read. They are really good and building tension and taking a story to the places you would least expect it to go. I really enjoy the dark themes that this little book explored and how it was just a complete mystery what was going to happen or come next. I don't think this book will be for everyone with how strange it feels, but I do think that's a trademark for the author and it sometimes really works and sometimes doesn't. It worked really well here, though. Really kept me entertained and the writing was quite fresh and addictive.
This author has some really wild ideas but I am glad I liked this one a lot more than their other book I read. They are really good and building tension and taking a story to the places you would least expect it to go. I really enjoy the dark themes that this little book explored and how it was just a complete mystery what was going to happen or come next. I don't think this book will be for everyone with how strange it feels, but I do think that's a trademark for the author and it sometimes really works and sometimes doesn't. It worked really well here, though. Really kept me entertained and the writing was quite fresh and addictive.
June 23, 2024
Dang, this is actually sadder than I thought 😭🥲🥲🥲
Mysterious setting was great. A story that blew my mind by the simplicity of the narrative but in its own twisted ways, it explored the sort of wondrous images on how life can be exaggerated in some people's life. And that is true for our main character, Shiori. The story opened on a narrator, a boy whom frequently went to this abandoned open playground just to play with his friends and to listen to these stories told by an older man. This man recites to them a story of a girl named Shiori. Then, we are reading this story on Shiori which spanned the entire novel which is what I love the most. Its quirky, funny in the dark humor ways Abe pulled off, and how by the end, it actually made me really sad for Shiori.
In a world of harshness, Shiori is a gleam of light, the kind of person that people will say too naive for her own good but really, we need more people like her. A person that is so nice, she deserved better. As absurd and over exaggerated this story can be, I like how the author focused on Shiori as our protagonist, with a touch of humor on her life but when delve deeper, it can also be seen as critique to the society who trampled on the weaks and taking advantage of kindness. Shiori is pitiful to be honest, her ways of thinking and dreaming is over the top but she dreamt hopefully. To be a singer but was born as tone deaf, so she changed her passion to become troubadour, a poet musician since she loves singing so much. Singing is a form of happiness for her, a commmunication but her tone deafness gets her bullied & distanced, cursed profusely by her sister whom is little devil herself.
Her sister is pretty horrible, i will say. She is an absolute manic who terrorized Shiori and some questionable behaviours and action done to Shiori that is borderline abuse but there are moments that shown she did care for her but albeit in the most dramatic bullying way. The whole story caught me off guard by the second half with the mystery aspects that is so twisted, heart pounding and incredibly engaging.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pushkin press for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mysterious setting was great. A story that blew my mind by the simplicity of the narrative but in its own twisted ways, it explored the sort of wondrous images on how life can be exaggerated in some people's life. And that is true for our main character, Shiori. The story opened on a narrator, a boy whom frequently went to this abandoned open playground just to play with his friends and to listen to these stories told by an older man. This man recites to them a story of a girl named Shiori. Then, we are reading this story on Shiori which spanned the entire novel which is what I love the most. Its quirky, funny in the dark humor ways Abe pulled off, and how by the end, it actually made me really sad for Shiori.
In a world of harshness, Shiori is a gleam of light, the kind of person that people will say too naive for her own good but really, we need more people like her. A person that is so nice, she deserved better. As absurd and over exaggerated this story can be, I like how the author focused on Shiori as our protagonist, with a touch of humor on her life but when delve deeper, it can also be seen as critique to the society who trampled on the weaks and taking advantage of kindness. Shiori is pitiful to be honest, her ways of thinking and dreaming is over the top but she dreamt hopefully. To be a singer but was born as tone deaf, so she changed her passion to become troubadour, a poet musician since she loves singing so much. Singing is a form of happiness for her, a commmunication but her tone deafness gets her bullied & distanced, cursed profusely by her sister whom is little devil herself.
Her sister is pretty horrible, i will say. She is an absolute manic who terrorized Shiori and some questionable behaviours and action done to Shiori that is borderline abuse but there are moments that shown she did care for her but albeit in the most dramatic bullying way. The whole story caught me off guard by the second half with the mystery aspects that is so twisted, heart pounding and incredibly engaging.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pushkin press for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2024
I'm afraid I truly struggled with this book. I simply didn't understand what it was trying to say. The story starts with some kids going to a park and listening to an old storyteller. The storyteller tells the tale of Shiori, who is extremely gullible. She is bullied by almost everyone she comes into contact with including her younger sister, her first boyfriend and fellow students. Her life is one long joyless struggle and the one thing she loves to do - sing - is the thing that she truly fails at because she is tone deaf.
Shiori believes herself to be a bad person who causes all kinds if catastrophes and that she needs to spend her life atoning for these imagined "sins" so when an opportunity comes to redeem herself she takes it.
It sounds simple enough but the plot is so incredibly bizarre that I'm still not clear on what I read. All the characters in it are extremely unlikeable and Shiori is difficult to like simply because she's so easy to fool over and over again - she never seems to learn despite being warned by her bullying sister.
I'm afraid I found it hard to like anything about this book and I do normally enjoy the strange qualities that seem unique to Japanese literary fiction.
Just not for me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the advance review copy.
Shiori believes herself to be a bad person who causes all kinds if catastrophes and that she needs to spend her life atoning for these imagined "sins" so when an opportunity comes to redeem herself she takes it.
It sounds simple enough but the plot is so incredibly bizarre that I'm still not clear on what I read. All the characters in it are extremely unlikeable and Shiori is difficult to like simply because she's so easy to fool over and over again - she never seems to learn despite being warned by her bullying sister.
I'm afraid I found it hard to like anything about this book and I do normally enjoy the strange qualities that seem unique to Japanese literary fiction.
Just not for me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the advance review copy.
May 10, 2024
3.5
'Mysterious Setting', by Kazushige Abe, is a bizarre, shocking and entertaining novel.
It's about completely tone-deaf Shiori who dreams of becoming a musician and a lyricist.
She's a bit of an outcast, and she struggles fitting in with her family and peers. She has a disturbing relationship with her sister, Nozomi, who is very abusive and cruel to Shiori.
At the age of 18 she moves to Tokyo to pursue a degree in songwriting but falls in with a bad crowd.
Shiori is a frustrating character to read about. She has no self awareness, she's extremely gullible and easily taken advantage of.
The story is captivating, unsettling and suspensful.
The second-hand embarassment you'll feel while reading about Shiori's life will make you so uncomfortable.
It's easily one of the weirdest novels I've read this way, but in a good way.
I think 'Mysterious Setting' is a great introduction to Kazushige Abe's work.
Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
'Mysterious Setting', by Kazushige Abe, is a bizarre, shocking and entertaining novel.
It's about completely tone-deaf Shiori who dreams of becoming a musician and a lyricist.
She's a bit of an outcast, and she struggles fitting in with her family and peers. She has a disturbing relationship with her sister, Nozomi, who is very abusive and cruel to Shiori.
At the age of 18 she moves to Tokyo to pursue a degree in songwriting but falls in with a bad crowd.
Shiori is a frustrating character to read about. She has no self awareness, she's extremely gullible and easily taken advantage of.
The story is captivating, unsettling and suspensful.
The second-hand embarassment you'll feel while reading about Shiori's life will make you so uncomfortable.
It's easily one of the weirdest novels I've read this way, but in a good way.
I think 'Mysterious Setting' is a great introduction to Kazushige Abe's work.
Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2025
✨ "Even now, she couldn't quite confront reality."
Finished this in a day! I definitely didn't expect to be hooked so deeply or to end up enjoying it so much. It's odd and quirky, but also strangely on point and filled with astute observations.
Shiori has no direct dialogue but yet her voice and personality outshine everyone else's. Some of her experiences are painfully relatable and I wanted to rage on her behalf.
✨ "Her own deep desire to be loved by him only strengthened this conviction, leaving her vision as clouded as ever, distancing her further from the reality of her situation."
I got so into Shiori's story that I forgot all about the two introductions and what the book was about. I also really liked Nozomi and her bluntness + brutal honesty despite her wicked tongue.
Neither did I see the end coming but!!! Excellent read.
Thank you to Pushkin Press for the Netgalley ARC.
Finished this in a day! I definitely didn't expect to be hooked so deeply or to end up enjoying it so much. It's odd and quirky, but also strangely on point and filled with astute observations.
Shiori has no direct dialogue but yet her voice and personality outshine everyone else's. Some of her experiences are painfully relatable and I wanted to rage on her behalf.
✨ "Her own deep desire to be loved by him only strengthened this conviction, leaving her vision as clouded as ever, distancing her further from the reality of her situation."
I got so into Shiori's story that I forgot all about the two introductions and what the book was about. I also really liked Nozomi and her bluntness + brutal honesty despite her wicked tongue.
Neither did I see the end coming but!!! Excellent read.
Thank you to Pushkin Press for the Netgalley ARC.
March 17, 2024
Mysterious Setting was a fascinating read that I devoured in a single sitting. The initial premise of the story was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know Shiori as a character, but the tale then went off in a direction that took me completely by surprise, which was refreshing. Although it seems far-fetched looking back at it critically, in the moment of reading I was fully on board with everything that was happening in the story and 100% engaged. The text flowed beautifully, suggesting an excellent translation, and the prose was easy reading, which was why I could fly through the entire book in two hours. I would definitely read more by this author in the future, and I am giving this book 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2024
A story within a story. A book that is wild and crazy but unexpectedly sad. I'm going into this book blindly without minding much about the plot, and now that I've finished it, it feels like a fever dream.
Mysterious Settings is a tale told by the old man in the park toward our unnamed main character. It's an imaginative, engaging story about a girl who dreams of being a troubadour and loves to sing, but she's deaf tone. Her life is tragic and filled with struggles, mostly because of the people around her. Her parents want her to act more like an older sister; her younger sister is obsessed with making her cry and keeps bullying Shiori. It's not an easy read at all. Bullying happens, and there's also bad discrimination just because Shiori's unable to socialize with her classmates. Taking advantage of the weak and being naive will make her an easy target for manipulators. Shiori is lonely, naïve, and easily taken advantage of, which happens several times throughout the book. It is sad to see how she clearly struggles with social isolation and gets her hopes up when she thinks she has made new friends only to be betrayed again.
I love Abe's writing style; it contains a dark humor in capturing Shiori's situation, and I love how he gives a unique voice to his main character. While it's frustrating to see Shiori's naivety in some parts of the book, I feel like it's far more amazing how she still manages to tolerate others's behavior and think good of them.
I completely invested in the Shiori story for at least 50% of the book, but the second to final part contains a mystery element, and the bomb was quite detached from the 'original story'. Well, surely, it's interesting how fast the plot escalated, but I'm not sure I can say I like it. The ending is super emotional and heartbreaking.
Overall, its an entertaining and bizarre read! Thank you Netgalley for ebook ARC. Giving it 3.7⭐️
Mysterious Settings is a tale told by the old man in the park toward our unnamed main character. It's an imaginative, engaging story about a girl who dreams of being a troubadour and loves to sing, but she's deaf tone. Her life is tragic and filled with struggles, mostly because of the people around her. Her parents want her to act more like an older sister; her younger sister is obsessed with making her cry and keeps bullying Shiori. It's not an easy read at all. Bullying happens, and there's also bad discrimination just because Shiori's unable to socialize with her classmates. Taking advantage of the weak and being naive will make her an easy target for manipulators. Shiori is lonely, naïve, and easily taken advantage of, which happens several times throughout the book. It is sad to see how she clearly struggles with social isolation and gets her hopes up when she thinks she has made new friends only to be betrayed again.
I love Abe's writing style; it contains a dark humor in capturing Shiori's situation, and I love how he gives a unique voice to his main character. While it's frustrating to see Shiori's naivety in some parts of the book, I feel like it's far more amazing how she still manages to tolerate others's behavior and think good of them.
I completely invested in the Shiori story for at least 50% of the book, but the second to final part contains a mystery element, and the bomb was quite detached from the 'original story'. Well, surely, it's interesting how fast the plot escalated, but I'm not sure I can say I like it. The ending is super emotional and heartbreaking.
Overall, its an entertaining and bizarre read! Thank you Netgalley for ebook ARC. Giving it 3.7⭐️
June 13, 2024
"If society were really that twisted, how could two people ever communicate? She simply couldn't accept that everyone she ever met was constantly putting on an act - every word, every action. If that were the case, she wouldn't know what to make of anything anyone said; she would have no idea what was what. Her own words, too, would be set loose to bob through space until, like soap bubbles, they burst in the air. If words could never reach their target, then maybe there had actually never been a target."
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April 3, 2024... that escalated quickly.
August 9, 2024
Chekhov’s gun but twisted and on fucking steroids.
Depressing and upsetting from start to finish, but it’s original.
Depressing and upsetting from start to finish, but it’s original.
April 14, 2024
A strange Japanese translated fiction by award winning author Kazushige Abe (who is apparently the husband of Mieko Kawakami). Starts off like literary fiction and turns suddenly into suspense.
It’s difficult to describe this story, as it started out quite slow about the life of a bullied and abused girl who struggled to fit in socially. The first half was difficult for me to get through, but when the mysterious suitcase showed up in her life halfway through the book I read the rest of the book straight through. It was a strange plot, but I would recommend it as a quick and weird story for people who like authors like Sayaka Murata.
It’s difficult to describe this story, as it started out quite slow about the life of a bullied and abused girl who struggled to fit in socially. The first half was difficult for me to get through, but when the mysterious suitcase showed up in her life halfway through the book I read the rest of the book straight through. It was a strange plot, but I would recommend it as a quick and weird story for people who like authors like Sayaka Murata.
April 8, 2024
Everything I wanted and expected from this book and more was contained inside. Shiori had, overall, a miserable life. But it was never because of her lack of trying for better, or for hoping for the best at all times. Even in the face of everything bad happening to her she remained optimistic, or found the best out of a situation. It was the outside world that couldn't handle her and made her life a misery. Other people taking advantage of her goodness, her naivety. I found this to be so tender, heartbreaking, sometimes funny but overall deeply deeply sad. I loved it.
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May 3, 2024DNF at page 130.
I really wasn’t in love with this, as it was confusing and jumpy. I don’t think this is for me.
I really wasn’t in love with this, as it was confusing and jumpy. I don’t think this is for me.
April 20, 2024
Interesting plot twists and schizo Japanese story in general...
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January 3, 2025My second Abe and my second wth did I just read? moment. Loved it
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April 19, 2024Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and everyone that contributed to the existence of this book for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
DNF @ 37%
This was a bit disappointing, I was hyped for the novel but lost interest due to the chaotic pacing and the somewhat uninteresting narration and style. It just did not click, I tried to keep going but felt like this will put me in a slump so I had to DNF a bit before the first half.
😍 The good:
The book might have some depth and more catchy events, but unfortunately it got lost in the chaotic chain of small events.
😅 The not-so-good:
Nothing much seemed to happen for more than half of the book (I checked it through in order to get a clear perspective), which is too slow and confusing for me.
DNF @ 37%
This was a bit disappointing, I was hyped for the novel but lost interest due to the chaotic pacing and the somewhat uninteresting narration and style. It just did not click, I tried to keep going but felt like this will put me in a slump so I had to DNF a bit before the first half.
😍 The good:
The book might have some depth and more catchy events, but unfortunately it got lost in the chaotic chain of small events.
😅 The not-so-good:
Nothing much seemed to happen for more than half of the book (I checked it through in order to get a clear perspective), which is too slow and confusing for me.
April 1, 2024
Weird but fun. Hovering between 3 and 4*. It's not The Brothers Karamazow, but it makes a good, fun read.
July 2, 2024
Abe continues in his fixation on birds and this time, too, he starts a book as if he were Sayaka Murata-with all the disturbing images possible and chilling-and finishes it as if he were Haruki Murakami, complete with atomic bombs and subway dungeons. A perfect mix of what, it would seem, dominates the contemporary Japanese imagination. I can't say I liked it, but I still had to finish reading it.
Abe continua nella sua fissazione sugli uccelli e anche stavolta inizia un libro come se fosse Sayaka Murata - con tutte le immagini disturbanti possibili e agghiaccianti - e lo finisce come se fosse Haruki Murakami, con tanto di bombe atomiche e sotterranei della metropolitana. Un mix perfetto di quanto, sembrerebbe, domina nell'immaginario giapponese contemporaneo. Non posso dire che mi sia piaciuto, ma ho dovuto comunque finire di leggerlo.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Abe continua nella sua fissazione sugli uccelli e anche stavolta inizia un libro come se fosse Sayaka Murata - con tutte le immagini disturbanti possibili e agghiaccianti - e lo finisce come se fosse Haruki Murakami, con tanto di bombe atomiche e sotterranei della metropolitana. Un mix perfetto di quanto, sembrerebbe, domina nell'immaginario giapponese contemporaneo. Non posso dire che mi sia piaciuto, ma ho dovuto comunque finire di leggerlo.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
May 19, 2024
In spite of initial misgivings, I ended up gripped by this absurdist and fantastical tale of a young woman who remains optimistic in spite of her miserable life. It is a tale of naivety, manipulation and bullying, of perseverance and sacrifice. Shiori, our heroine, is let down by her family and the people she puts her trust in. Her dreams are constantly dashed. If she sings she believes people and birds die. Every relationship is doomed.
Somehow her dreams never come true, partly because they are unrealistic. She fails to make friends wherever she goes. As her abusive sister Nozomi points out repeatedly, she is incapable of reading other people and is constantly being manipulated by others. This continues when she moves to Tokyo to study songwriting. She finally makes two friends online, then meets one of them in real life, where she finds herself once again being taken advantage of by his band members. After a final act of absurd and shocking betrayal two thirds through the book, both the story and Shiori grow wings. Forced to take her life into her own hands in the most extreme circumstances, she is supported once again by her other online friend Z. And as we return to the old man in the park, who we met in the first chapter, we finish as if we have listened to a Japanese fairytale.
But what did I think of it? I loved it, hated it, then it gripped me and I loved it again. It started almost as a fairytale, but turned into a nightmare. Shiori frustrated me, her tale of misery dragged on too long. I wanted her to find redemption, to make friends, to find a way to make herself fit in with others or to find her tribe. The author had something entirely different in mind and then I was scared it would turn into horror. It didn’t, thank goodness. What a rollercoaster ride of a book!
It would not surprise me in the least to find this on next year’s International Booker Prize longlist.
Disclaimer: This is my unbiased opinion after reading the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for a chance to read a free digital ARC.
Somehow her dreams never come true, partly because they are unrealistic. She fails to make friends wherever she goes. As her abusive sister Nozomi points out repeatedly, she is incapable of reading other people and is constantly being manipulated by others. This continues when she moves to Tokyo to study songwriting. She finally makes two friends online, then meets one of them in real life, where she finds herself once again being taken advantage of by his band members. After a final act of absurd and shocking betrayal two thirds through the book, both the story and Shiori grow wings. Forced to take her life into her own hands in the most extreme circumstances, she is supported once again by her other online friend Z. And as we return to the old man in the park, who we met in the first chapter, we finish as if we have listened to a Japanese fairytale.
But what did I think of it? I loved it, hated it, then it gripped me and I loved it again. It started almost as a fairytale, but turned into a nightmare. Shiori frustrated me, her tale of misery dragged on too long. I wanted her to find redemption, to make friends, to find a way to make herself fit in with others or to find her tribe. The author had something entirely different in mind and then I was scared it would turn into horror. It didn’t, thank goodness. What a rollercoaster ride of a book!
It would not surprise me in the least to find this on next year’s International Booker Prize longlist.
Disclaimer: This is my unbiased opinion after reading the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for a chance to read a free digital ARC.
June 19, 2025
was not expecting a portuguese character named manuel in this story
May 15, 2024
Review for 'Mysterious Setting', by Kazushige Abe (translated by Michael Emmerich)
3 out of 5 stars
Summary: Shiori's dream was to be a troubadour, despite the fact that her complete tone-deafness meant she couldn't sing. There was no shortage of criticism, the bulk of which came from Nozomi, who relentlessly bullied and abused Shiori. At eighteen, Shiori moved to Tokyo to pursue her dream, where the cycle of bullying and exploitation continued, until one day, she holds the fate of millions of lives in her hands...
This was a strange read, to put it mildly. You have a protagonist who was awfully determined pursue her dreams despite strong evidence that she was not suited for that career (is being a troubadour even a valid career choice in this day and age?). At the same time, she was constantly being taken advantage of by her friends and sister, and I don't know if she was written to be neurodivergent, but at some point I wondered, why didn't she fight back? Why didn't she see that Nozomi's actions were too much? Or that maybe you shouldn't keep lending people money?
Anyway, I did not really enjoy this book. My issue was that it was too repetitive, at least for the first 30% of the book. Like, yes, I understood that Shiori wanted really badly to be a troubadour. Yes, I know she was terrible at singing. Also, yes, I can see that Nozomi was horrible, annoying, and sadistic. Having to read the verbal abuse Nozomi heaped on Shiori was not pleasant to begin with, and it got tiring when it went on and on and on. The dialoges (monologues? Shiori rarely had any rebuttals or replies) were also irksome, often coming in long paragraphs from Nozomi. I was like, shut up, woman!
As I've mentioned the issue was also that Shiori rarely fought back. At most you'll get a soft protest from her. Then you'll see this cycle of abuse and exploitation continue in Tokyo, and I was just really bored by then.
It's not explicitly stated that Shiori is neurodivergent, but that's not even the point; it was just uninteresting to see her being used again and again and again. Shiori herself demonstrated no growth or any significant change. This went on for 50% the book and I just wanted the story to move on, like, is there more to this story than just watching Shiori get bullied?
Thankfully the second half of the book picked up. There was a bit about espionage and top secret government projects, and it got me wondering who was telling the truth. Can Manuel, her online friend who showed her kindness, be trusted? Or should we take the word of the bully Tsugumi?
It was interesting how all of a sudden, Shiori found herself responsible for the lives of millions of people. I personally enjoyed the way she went about deciding what to do, what her priorities were, and how she could save everyone and everything (including animals and plants!). This is where her kind and considerate personality shone, and it got me rooting for her.
There was also a funny, rather Kafka-esque sequence when Shiori tried to go to the police. I find that segment quite amusing, and it was also ostensibly the only part in the book that made me smile. The ending left me rather sad, though, although it linked up rather nicely to the beginning.
Overall, this book was an 'okay' read even though I struggled with the first half of it. If you decide to pick this up, may you have more patience than I did.
Thank you @netgalley for the review copy.
#bookreview #japaneseliterature #netgalley #bookstagram #bookaholic #booklover #bookaddict #reading
3 out of 5 stars
Summary: Shiori's dream was to be a troubadour, despite the fact that her complete tone-deafness meant she couldn't sing. There was no shortage of criticism, the bulk of which came from Nozomi, who relentlessly bullied and abused Shiori. At eighteen, Shiori moved to Tokyo to pursue her dream, where the cycle of bullying and exploitation continued, until one day, she holds the fate of millions of lives in her hands...
This was a strange read, to put it mildly. You have a protagonist who was awfully determined pursue her dreams despite strong evidence that she was not suited for that career (is being a troubadour even a valid career choice in this day and age?). At the same time, she was constantly being taken advantage of by her friends and sister, and I don't know if she was written to be neurodivergent, but at some point I wondered, why didn't she fight back? Why didn't she see that Nozomi's actions were too much? Or that maybe you shouldn't keep lending people money?
Anyway, I did not really enjoy this book. My issue was that it was too repetitive, at least for the first 30% of the book. Like, yes, I understood that Shiori wanted really badly to be a troubadour. Yes, I know she was terrible at singing. Also, yes, I can see that Nozomi was horrible, annoying, and sadistic. Having to read the verbal abuse Nozomi heaped on Shiori was not pleasant to begin with, and it got tiring when it went on and on and on. The dialoges (monologues? Shiori rarely had any rebuttals or replies) were also irksome, often coming in long paragraphs from Nozomi. I was like, shut up, woman!
As I've mentioned the issue was also that Shiori rarely fought back. At most you'll get a soft protest from her. Then you'll see this cycle of abuse and exploitation continue in Tokyo, and I was just really bored by then.
It's not explicitly stated that Shiori is neurodivergent, but that's not even the point; it was just uninteresting to see her being used again and again and again. Shiori herself demonstrated no growth or any significant change. This went on for 50% the book and I just wanted the story to move on, like, is there more to this story than just watching Shiori get bullied?
Thankfully the second half of the book picked up. There was a bit about espionage and top secret government projects, and it got me wondering who was telling the truth. Can Manuel, her online friend who showed her kindness, be trusted? Or should we take the word of the bully Tsugumi?
It was interesting how all of a sudden, Shiori found herself responsible for the lives of millions of people. I personally enjoyed the way she went about deciding what to do, what her priorities were, and how she could save everyone and everything (including animals and plants!). This is where her kind and considerate personality shone, and it got me rooting for her.
There was also a funny, rather Kafka-esque sequence when Shiori tried to go to the police. I find that segment quite amusing, and it was also ostensibly the only part in the book that made me smile. The ending left me rather sad, though, although it linked up rather nicely to the beginning.
Overall, this book was an 'okay' read even though I struggled with the first half of it. If you decide to pick this up, may you have more patience than I did.
Thank you @netgalley for the review copy.
#bookreview #japaneseliterature #netgalley #bookstagram #bookaholic #booklover #bookaddict #reading
May 5, 2024
1.5 rounded up.
I LOVE Weird fiction and second-hand embarrassment but couldn’t get past how this story is told. It made the most intriguing moments a snore fest.
Energy: Amusing. Ludicrous. Impressionable.
Scene: 🇯🇵 Begins in a run-down park in Tokyo, Japan
Perspective: We follow our main character through middle school, high school, and a college music program. Our MC is tone-deaf, can’t read the room, and their family and peers avoid them. They aspire to be a singer and seek connection and friendship.
🐺 Growls: Talking at us instead of letting us infer, experience, and observe. How boring this is.
🐕 Howls: How long this felt. Dragging what could have been a curious short story into something too long.
🤔 Random Thoughts:
I wanted to interrupt the narrator with Why Are You Telling Us This and Where Is This Going so many times. There were moments I loved, like dialogue or interactions that highlighted unlikeable cringe and awkwardness in such a visceral way, but they were sporadic and overshadowed by the narrator explaining why it’s cringe to us.
I couldn’t help but read most of this in a flat, monotone way. I think because shocking, bizarre, or horrific scenes were explained after the fact, and it ruined the vibe. Or right in the middle of an interesting/random/shocking scene, we’d be yanked out into a tangent of how Shiori really wants [insert thing here].
The ending and twist were indeed Weird, but still couldn’t keep my attention. If it was supposed to be symbolic, it was lost on me.
----
🎬 Tale-Telling: Wordy, dense stream of consciousness. Overly drawn-out philosophical dialogue between characters. Spoon-feeding bizarro tropes.
🤓 Reader Role: Sitting next to a stranger on a park bench as they tell us Shiori’s life story (literally).
🗺️ World-Building: Foreboding but barren. It could take place in just about any large city.
🔥 Fuel: Driven by character evolution and moral quandaries. It read like a third-person draft of Shiori’s memoir.
📖 Cred: Speculative ‘what if’
🚙 Journey: Excited for an event. Car dies in the middle of nowhere. Miss out on the event. Hear about it second-hand for months.
Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Rusty playground equipment. Child wailing. Parakeets chirping. Mall music. Electric guitars tuning up. Suitcase latches.
-Bizarro story-within-a-story soft sci-fi
-Socially isolated coming-of-age and new adult plots
Content Heads-Up: Physical and sexual assault, incestuous (sibling). Torture. Suicidal ideation. Rape (mention, rumours). Loneliness. Rejection (family, peers). Animal death (birds, disease). Nuclear weapons.
Rep: Japanese. Cisgender. Heterosexual.
📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Pushkin Press and NetGalley.
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
I LOVE Weird fiction and second-hand embarrassment but couldn’t get past how this story is told. It made the most intriguing moments a snore fest.
Energy: Amusing. Ludicrous. Impressionable.
Scene: 🇯🇵 Begins in a run-down park in Tokyo, Japan
Perspective: We follow our main character through middle school, high school, and a college music program. Our MC is tone-deaf, can’t read the room, and their family and peers avoid them. They aspire to be a singer and seek connection and friendship.
🐺 Growls: Talking at us instead of letting us infer, experience, and observe. How boring this is.
🐕 Howls: How long this felt. Dragging what could have been a curious short story into something too long.
🤔 Random Thoughts:
I wanted to interrupt the narrator with Why Are You Telling Us This and Where Is This Going so many times. There were moments I loved, like dialogue or interactions that highlighted unlikeable cringe and awkwardness in such a visceral way, but they were sporadic and overshadowed by the narrator explaining why it’s cringe to us.
I couldn’t help but read most of this in a flat, monotone way. I think because shocking, bizarre, or horrific scenes were explained after the fact, and it ruined the vibe. Or right in the middle of an interesting/random/shocking scene, we’d be yanked out into a tangent of how Shiori really wants [insert thing here].
The ending and twist were indeed Weird, but still couldn’t keep my attention. If it was supposed to be symbolic, it was lost on me.
----
🎬 Tale-Telling: Wordy, dense stream of consciousness. Overly drawn-out philosophical dialogue between characters. Spoon-feeding bizarro tropes.
🤓 Reader Role: Sitting next to a stranger on a park bench as they tell us Shiori’s life story (literally).
🗺️ World-Building: Foreboding but barren. It could take place in just about any large city.
🔥 Fuel: Driven by character evolution and moral quandaries. It read like a third-person draft of Shiori’s memoir.
📖 Cred: Speculative ‘what if’
🚙 Journey: Excited for an event. Car dies in the middle of nowhere. Miss out on the event. Hear about it second-hand for months.
Mood Reading Match-Up:
-Rusty playground equipment. Child wailing. Parakeets chirping. Mall music. Electric guitars tuning up. Suitcase latches.
-Bizarro story-within-a-story soft sci-fi
-Socially isolated coming-of-age and new adult plots
Content Heads-Up: Physical and sexual assault, incestuous (sibling). Torture. Suicidal ideation. Rape (mention, rumours). Loneliness. Rejection (family, peers). Animal death (birds, disease). Nuclear weapons.
Rep: Japanese. Cisgender. Heterosexual.
📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Pushkin Press and NetGalley.
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
September 19, 2024
This colourful, suspenseful Japanese novel from Kazushige Abe has lots going from, from suitcase b💣mbs to parakeets and betrayal.
Meet Shiori. She doesn't have many friends and is often bullied at home by her sister Nozomi. Shiori is a fairly unlucky, possibly neurodivergent girl. Interestingly, the name 'Shiori' means poem. Like her namesake, Shiori dreams of becoming a travelling troubadour (a poet-musician). Unfortunately, while she loves to sing, she's tone-deaf and causes great distress to anyone and anything that happens to hear her singing.
We follow Shiori from her schooling years to beyond, she lives a largely unremarkable life filled with people who treat her poorly and take advantage of her kindness, until one day, when her friend gives her a suitcase, entrusting Shiori with the power to set the world on fire. What will she do?
While initially I felt outraged at the sheer number of typo errors/poor editing (like 'you're' instead of 'your' and there being at least 4-5 typos in the first 40 pages(!)), this was an engaging read that had me on the edge of my seat right until the end. I felt Shiori was a representation of naivety, kindness, trusting others, standing out, while her sister and those around her represented the bitter, harsh real world, ready and willing to cut that purity down (I'm reminded of the social phenomenon, tall poppy syndrome). This felt somewhat like a social commentary on how the evils of the world rests on the shoulders of the innocent. Timing-wise, it felt eerie to read a book about portable nukes at a time when pagers have destroyed and injured so many. Arguably at the end of the day, this book felt like (1) a reminder of how we can't forget the past especially when history is so easily rewritten, (2) how important it is to commit to peace, (3) how privileged and peaceful our lives may be, (4) how important it is to seek the truth and assume the best in other people, otherwise the truth (and our mistakes) might haunt us forever.
I was surprised Kazushige Abe, the author of Nipponia Nippon, is also known for being married to the writer Mieko Kawakami (she wrote Breast and Eggs). Nipponia Nippon is another fascinating, dark read also featuring unusual characters and based loosely on historical/political events of the past.
Meet Shiori. She doesn't have many friends and is often bullied at home by her sister Nozomi. Shiori is a fairly unlucky, possibly neurodivergent girl. Interestingly, the name 'Shiori' means poem. Like her namesake, Shiori dreams of becoming a travelling troubadour (a poet-musician). Unfortunately, while she loves to sing, she's tone-deaf and causes great distress to anyone and anything that happens to hear her singing.
We follow Shiori from her schooling years to beyond, she lives a largely unremarkable life filled with people who treat her poorly and take advantage of her kindness, until one day, when her friend gives her a suitcase, entrusting Shiori with the power to set the world on fire. What will she do?
While initially I felt outraged at the sheer number of typo errors/poor editing (like 'you're' instead of 'your' and there being at least 4-5 typos in the first 40 pages(!)), this was an engaging read that had me on the edge of my seat right until the end. I felt Shiori was a representation of naivety, kindness, trusting others, standing out, while her sister and those around her represented the bitter, harsh real world, ready and willing to cut that purity down (I'm reminded of the social phenomenon, tall poppy syndrome). This felt somewhat like a social commentary on how the evils of the world rests on the shoulders of the innocent. Timing-wise, it felt eerie to read a book about portable nukes at a time when pagers have destroyed and injured so many. Arguably at the end of the day, this book felt like (1) a reminder of how we can't forget the past especially when history is so easily rewritten, (2) how important it is to commit to peace, (3) how privileged and peaceful our lives may be, (4) how important it is to seek the truth and assume the best in other people, otherwise the truth (and our mistakes) might haunt us forever.
I was surprised Kazushige Abe, the author of Nipponia Nippon, is also known for being married to the writer Mieko Kawakami (she wrote Breast and Eggs). Nipponia Nippon is another fascinating, dark read also featuring unusual characters and based loosely on historical/political events of the past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2024
Mysterious Setting is a dark comedy recounted by a person who heard a story from a stranger in a park. This unnamed narrative follows Shiori, a young girl who dreams of becoming a troubadour but discovers she's tone-deaf and shifts her focus to becoming a lyricist. Her journey takes a mysterious turn when she acquires a strange suitcase.
Shiori is portrayed as sweet, empathetic, and gullible. Her passion for singing about the world remains strong despite her obstacles, particularly her strained relationship with her sister, Nozomi. Nozomi's harsh treatment of Shiori borders on cruelty, yet their connection is complex, resembling the dynamics of an evil soap opera mother-in-law. They have a complex dynamic that is puzzling in real life.
Throughout the novella, Shiori faces emotional abuse and social isolation but maintains an unwaveringly positive outlook on life that's both inspiring and perplexing. The ending was quite emotional and dramatic, leaving you questioning Shiori's mental well-being long after you've turned the last page.
Despite its shortness, the novella captivates you from the start, seamlessly transitioning from literary fiction to suspenseful storytelling as Shiori encounters the enigmatic suitcase. The narrative's unexpected twists, well-paced plot, and skilful translation add to its poetic flow, making it a super engaging read. While I enjoyed the novella's immersion into Kuzushige Abe's storytelling, I found certain elements unsettling, particularly Shiori's continuous victimization and the ambiguity surrounding her character's mental state. However, these aspects also added depth to the narrative.
Overall, 'Mysterious Setting' serves as a wonderful introduction to Kuzushige Abe's work. I recommend it to readers looking for an exhilerating and bizaare read. Also, finding out he's married to Mieko Kawamaki was a shock to me. I've been wanting to read her books for a while now, this has motivated me to dive into both their books sooner.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and for giving me a chance to review this book.
Shiori is portrayed as sweet, empathetic, and gullible. Her passion for singing about the world remains strong despite her obstacles, particularly her strained relationship with her sister, Nozomi. Nozomi's harsh treatment of Shiori borders on cruelty, yet their connection is complex, resembling the dynamics of an evil soap opera mother-in-law. They have a complex dynamic that is puzzling in real life.
Throughout the novella, Shiori faces emotional abuse and social isolation but maintains an unwaveringly positive outlook on life that's both inspiring and perplexing. The ending was quite emotional and dramatic, leaving you questioning Shiori's mental well-being long after you've turned the last page.
Despite its shortness, the novella captivates you from the start, seamlessly transitioning from literary fiction to suspenseful storytelling as Shiori encounters the enigmatic suitcase. The narrative's unexpected twists, well-paced plot, and skilful translation add to its poetic flow, making it a super engaging read. While I enjoyed the novella's immersion into Kuzushige Abe's storytelling, I found certain elements unsettling, particularly Shiori's continuous victimization and the ambiguity surrounding her character's mental state. However, these aspects also added depth to the narrative.
Overall, 'Mysterious Setting' serves as a wonderful introduction to Kuzushige Abe's work. I recommend it to readers looking for an exhilerating and bizaare read. Also, finding out he's married to Mieko Kawamaki was a shock to me. I've been wanting to read her books for a while now, this has motivated me to dive into both their books sooner.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and for giving me a chance to review this book.
April 30, 2024
I think this book is one of the very interesting books I've read this year. It really hooked me in and the more I read it the more I wasn't able to put it down.
At first I almost didn't find the enjoyment, to be honest. But the more the story goes, it became more and more interesting that I became to love the characters. And eventually, the story itself. I really liked how it unfolded. It was a little bit slow and it feels like you don't where this would take you, but then at the end, everything suddenly make sense. It feels like everything that happened in the earlier part of the book is a way to support the ending. Also this book is one of those with no plot and just vibe that recently I found to be quite relaxing to read because you don't have to think — just enjoy it. I have such a pleasant time reading this book, and I became attached to it.
The story itself is about Shiori who is tone-deaf but has a big dream to be a lyricist. She considered herself as a troubadour, and even when her sister Nozomi trying to wake her up from her dream, she kept going. One thing, though. To me, she's a pretty naive kind of person and for many times, people took advantage from her. Her life felt like not going anywhere. It felt like her path is not to be a troubadour who doesn't sing. Like I said. When you think this book is not that captivating, something happened and it suddenly suck you in.
This book made me feel annoyed, disguted, and sad but all in a good way. There are some point where I can't stand the characters' behaviours, but the story became so much interesting that you can forget all those feelings, at least for me. It's a little bit of comic, too, that I actually found myself asking why some scenes happened.
Anyway, this book is very enjoyable for me and I hope anyone would feel the same as well.
Thank you for NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the DRC. The book is now out, so go check it!
At first I almost didn't find the enjoyment, to be honest. But the more the story goes, it became more and more interesting that I became to love the characters. And eventually, the story itself. I really liked how it unfolded. It was a little bit slow and it feels like you don't where this would take you, but then at the end, everything suddenly make sense. It feels like everything that happened in the earlier part of the book is a way to support the ending. Also this book is one of those with no plot and just vibe that recently I found to be quite relaxing to read because you don't have to think — just enjoy it. I have such a pleasant time reading this book, and I became attached to it.
The story itself is about Shiori who is tone-deaf but has a big dream to be a lyricist. She considered herself as a troubadour, and even when her sister Nozomi trying to wake her up from her dream, she kept going. One thing, though. To me, she's a pretty naive kind of person and for many times, people took advantage from her. Her life felt like not going anywhere. It felt like her path is not to be a troubadour who doesn't sing. Like I said. When you think this book is not that captivating, something happened and it suddenly suck you in.
This book made me feel annoyed, disguted, and sad but all in a good way. There are some point where I can't stand the characters' behaviours, but the story became so much interesting that you can forget all those feelings, at least for me. It's a little bit of comic, too, that I actually found myself asking why some scenes happened.
Anyway, this book is very enjoyable for me and I hope anyone would feel the same as well.
Thank you for NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the DRC. The book is now out, so go check it!
April 16, 2024
Synopsis: Shiori is a young woman who has always known she wanted to be a troubadour, a musician who sings about the beauty of the world. However there is one problem, Shiori is completely tone-deaf and her singing causes pain to everyone who hears it. When she turns 18 Shiori moves to Tokyo to pursue a degree in songwriting and accidentally falls in with a bad crowd. It is one of these new friends who leaves Shiori a unique gift that could lead to explosive results.
My Thoughts: Mysterious Setting is possibly the most shocking introduction I have had to an author. I am using the word shocking here positively and negatively. The first two-thirds of this book are difficult to read. Not because of the writing, or the excellent translation. Instead, it is difficult because the character of Shiori is consistently abused and taken advantage of on every page. At times I felt guilty for continuing to read about her misfortune and doing nothing to stop it. I wanted to reach through the page and stop the people who hurt Shiori, and try to warn her before she gets into another bad situation. These visceral emotions only speak to the excellent characters that Kazushige Abe has written. At the 65% mark, this book takes an explosive turn that I would have never expected. I won’t talk too much about it, but it turned this into a fantastic story that made Shiori’s pain mean something.
Overall, reading Mysterious Setting was emotionally impactful and exhilarating. I highly recommend this book.
My Thoughts: Mysterious Setting is possibly the most shocking introduction I have had to an author. I am using the word shocking here positively and negatively. The first two-thirds of this book are difficult to read. Not because of the writing, or the excellent translation. Instead, it is difficult because the character of Shiori is consistently abused and taken advantage of on every page. At times I felt guilty for continuing to read about her misfortune and doing nothing to stop it. I wanted to reach through the page and stop the people who hurt Shiori, and try to warn her before she gets into another bad situation. These visceral emotions only speak to the excellent characters that Kazushige Abe has written. At the 65% mark, this book takes an explosive turn that I would have never expected. I won’t talk too much about it, but it turned this into a fantastic story that made Shiori’s pain mean something.
Overall, reading Mysterious Setting was emotionally impactful and exhilarating. I highly recommend this book.
June 29, 2024
Tonally this reminded me very much of Heaven and Cold Enough for Snow, which are very enjoyable Asian literature written in straight forward simple prose that doesn't appear to be doing anything interesting but subtly sneaks up on you through very effective dialogue.
As with Heaven our main character is an awkward outsider struggling to connect with peers, and like Murakami there are strong elements of the absurd and dark comedy that keep you on your toes, never sure exactly where the story might go. I love this type of Asian Lit. where you just have to go wherever the story leads you and not try to overanalyse the narrative arc.
Having known several people like the gullible and naïve Shiori, I found her frustrating approach to life somewhat relatable, so I was happy to go with this good fun read. Abe has created a unique voice for his main character, an intriguing plot that kept me captivated throughout, and has cleverly captured the dark humour of Shiori's situation to comment on modern societal issues.
It was a little baggy, though, and could have been tightened up by 30-40 pages - the story-within-a-story format was unnecessary. A fun semi-weird read that isn't a stand out, but respect the heart racing impactful ending.
As with Heaven our main character is an awkward outsider struggling to connect with peers, and like Murakami there are strong elements of the absurd and dark comedy that keep you on your toes, never sure exactly where the story might go. I love this type of Asian Lit. where you just have to go wherever the story leads you and not try to overanalyse the narrative arc.
Having known several people like the gullible and naïve Shiori, I found her frustrating approach to life somewhat relatable, so I was happy to go with this good fun read. Abe has created a unique voice for his main character, an intriguing plot that kept me captivated throughout, and has cleverly captured the dark humour of Shiori's situation to comment on modern societal issues.
It was a little baggy, though, and could have been tightened up by 30-40 pages - the story-within-a-story format was unnecessary. A fun semi-weird read that isn't a stand out, but respect the heart racing impactful ending.
December 29, 2024
This story-within-a-story is about an unnamed narrator who recalls his childhood jaunts to a park. It’s a mediocre park with nothing special but people were always drawn there for some reason. There was an old man who told the same story over and over, which is the true story, about a girl called Shiori Hamura.
Shiori is a misfit without a single true or lasting relationship in her life up till the moment of her death. Growing up, she dreamed of being a troubadour, and when her emotions were high she would burst out in song. She believes she’s expressing how she truly feels, but to the rest of the human race, her tone dead wordless singing sounds like unintelligible howling and repulses them. She also begins to believe that whenever she sings, people die, so she bans herself from singing. Her younger sister (a gang member type) bullies her relentless and also teaches her to repress her true nature.
Because Shiori is so naive and gullible, so relentless believing in others no matter how many times she gets hurt, she falls for the same tricks again—her high school boyfriend cheats on her and treats her like an ATM, then she gets swindled by a group of university students into funding their personal expenses. She is then saddled with a suitcase that is actually a nuclear bomb even though it looks totally ordinary (this is named a mystery set after the jewellery-making technique). Shiori must decide how to get rid of the suitcase in a way that minimises loss of life.
Shiori is a misfit without a single true or lasting relationship in her life up till the moment of her death. Growing up, she dreamed of being a troubadour, and when her emotions were high she would burst out in song. She believes she’s expressing how she truly feels, but to the rest of the human race, her tone dead wordless singing sounds like unintelligible howling and repulses them. She also begins to believe that whenever she sings, people die, so she bans herself from singing. Her younger sister (a gang member type) bullies her relentless and also teaches her to repress her true nature.
Because Shiori is so naive and gullible, so relentless believing in others no matter how many times she gets hurt, she falls for the same tricks again—her high school boyfriend cheats on her and treats her like an ATM, then she gets swindled by a group of university students into funding their personal expenses. She is then saddled with a suitcase that is actually a nuclear bomb even though it looks totally ordinary (this is named a mystery set after the jewellery-making technique). Shiori must decide how to get rid of the suitcase in a way that minimises loss of life.
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