What do you think?
Rate this book
The Boy in the Earth
Fuminori Nakamura’s Akutagawa Prize-winner plunges us into the depths of a young man’s winding, troubled psyche.
An unnamed taxi driver in Tokyo has experienced a rupture from his everyday life. He cannot stop daydreaming of suicide, envisioning himself returning to the earth in what soon become terrifying blackout episodes. His live-in girlfriend, Sayuko, is in a similarly bad phase, surrendering to alcoholism to escape the memory of her miscarriage. He meets with the director of the orphanage where he once lived, and must confront awful memories of his past and an abusive family before determining what to do next.
An unnamed taxi driver in Tokyo has experienced a rupture from his everyday life. He cannot stop daydreaming of suicide, envisioning himself returning to the earth in what soon become terrifying blackout episodes. His live-in girlfriend, Sayuko, is in a similarly bad phase, surrendering to alcoholism to escape the memory of her miscarriage. He meets with the director of the orphanage where he once lived, and must confront awful memories of his past and an abusive family before determining what to do next.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published July 26, 2005
30 people are currently reading
1488 people want to read
About the author
Fuminori Nakamura
27 books678 followersHis debut novel Jū (The Gun) won the Shinchō New Author Prize in 2002. Also received the Noma Prize for New Writers in 2004 for Shakō [The Shade]. Winner of the Akutagawa Prize in 2005 for Tsuchi no naka no kodomo (Child in the Ground). Suri (Pickpocket) won the Ōe Kenzaburō Prize in 2010. His other works include Sekai no Hate (The Far End of the World), Ōkoku (Kingdom), and Meikyū (Labyrinth).
See also 中村 文則.
See also 中村 文則.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
May 18, 2020
"Hey Tim," I say to myself. "You've been reading a lot of horror recently. Maybe you should read something else for a bit."
"Well Self," I reply to myself as it would be rude of me to not answer. "You may be right. What should I read?"
"How about some Nakamura? You discovered him last year and pretty much binged most of his books, but there's still three you haven't read, right?"
"..."
"What?"
"Nakamura?"
"Yes. You like him, right?"
"I do... but..."
"But what?"
"Why stop reading horror even for a little bit, if I'm going to turn to the king of existential dread? The man whose work filled me with such nihilistic despair that after reading The Thief I spent the review knocking back shots..."
"That was just a joke for the review."
"WAS IT? WAS IT REALLY? HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW! YOU'RE JUST A JOKE FOR THIS REVIEW!"
"Well, if you want to be an asshole about this, perhaps we should end the gag here."
"No, no, come back. Sorry. It's just... seriously, Nakamura?"
"How bad could it be? It's not like the nihilistic dread could be worse... right?"
*Narrative voice over.* The nihilistic dread got worse. Much, much worse.
_________________
*Finishes the book and sets it down.*
Well... shit.
*Ends review.*
Okay, so I won't end it there. Instead of doing a review proper, let me give you a warning. Are you struggling with depression? Have you ever struggled with depression? Don't read this book. No, I won't debate this one. Don't read it. I should not have read it, I'm strongly advising you don't either.
You don't struggle with depression? Don't read the book, or you will potentially be joining the club.
See those three stars? I don't know what rating to give the book. I chose them because they are in the middle of the spectrum that we have to choose from. It's well written, it's layered, there's moments of brilliance. This book should be praised.
I want to throw it across the room, set the room on fire and then run off screaming into the distance.
To say this is not a fun read would be the understatement of a lifetime. Want a plot synopsis? Here you go: Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past. Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past. Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past.
Rinse and repeat. You will eventually reach the end.
Alright, my reaction here has been strong, another point I guess in the book's favor. Let me tell you something, I don't get emotional while reading. My favorite character in a book dies? *Shrug.* Well, that sucks. Wonder what will happen next. Book has a depressing ending? I analyze if it tonally matched what came prior. I don't tear up reading books.
I did here. It wasn't because the scene was sad (though it was), it was because I really felt like I was about to have a panic attack while reading. It was every horrible thought you have during depression given voice and it was PERFECTLY done.
I dropped the book upon reading that scene and had to decide if I was going to give up on the book entirely or if I was going to finish it before I went to bed, because I sure as shit was not going to be picking it up again the next morning.
Well, here I am, writing a review. I finished it. It's over. The world is not a better place, nor is it a worse one. It is the same as it was before.
...
I don't know where to take the review past that. If you'll excuse me, I'm going back to the horror genre, where the evil doesn't linger always inside one's head.
"Well Self," I reply to myself as it would be rude of me to not answer. "You may be right. What should I read?"
"How about some Nakamura? You discovered him last year and pretty much binged most of his books, but there's still three you haven't read, right?"
"..."
"What?"
"Nakamura?"
"Yes. You like him, right?"
"I do... but..."
"But what?"
"Why stop reading horror even for a little bit, if I'm going to turn to the king of existential dread? The man whose work filled me with such nihilistic despair that after reading The Thief I spent the review knocking back shots..."
"That was just a joke for the review."
"WAS IT? WAS IT REALLY? HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW! YOU'RE JUST A JOKE FOR THIS REVIEW!"
"Well, if you want to be an asshole about this, perhaps we should end the gag here."
"No, no, come back. Sorry. It's just... seriously, Nakamura?"
"How bad could it be? It's not like the nihilistic dread could be worse... right?"
*Narrative voice over.* The nihilistic dread got worse. Much, much worse.
_________________
*Finishes the book and sets it down.*
Well... shit.
*Ends review.*
Okay, so I won't end it there. Instead of doing a review proper, let me give you a warning. Are you struggling with depression? Have you ever struggled with depression? Don't read this book. No, I won't debate this one. Don't read it. I should not have read it, I'm strongly advising you don't either.
You don't struggle with depression? Don't read the book, or you will potentially be joining the club.
See those three stars? I don't know what rating to give the book. I chose them because they are in the middle of the spectrum that we have to choose from. It's well written, it's layered, there's moments of brilliance. This book should be praised.
I want to throw it across the room, set the room on fire and then run off screaming into the distance.
To say this is not a fun read would be the understatement of a lifetime. Want a plot synopsis? Here you go: Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past. Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past. Taxi driver almost kills himself, decides not to, instead thinks about past.
Rinse and repeat. You will eventually reach the end.
Alright, my reaction here has been strong, another point I guess in the book's favor. Let me tell you something, I don't get emotional while reading. My favorite character in a book dies? *Shrug.* Well, that sucks. Wonder what will happen next. Book has a depressing ending? I analyze if it tonally matched what came prior. I don't tear up reading books.
I did here. It wasn't because the scene was sad (though it was), it was because I really felt like I was about to have a panic attack while reading. It was every horrible thought you have during depression given voice and it was PERFECTLY done.
I dropped the book upon reading that scene and had to decide if I was going to give up on the book entirely or if I was going to finish it before I went to bed, because I sure as shit was not going to be picking it up again the next morning.
Well, here I am, writing a review. I finished it. It's over. The world is not a better place, nor is it a worse one. It is the same as it was before.
...
I don't know where to take the review past that. If you'll excuse me, I'm going back to the horror genre, where the evil doesn't linger always inside one's head.
March 4, 2019
A depressed taxi driver and his alcoholic girlfriend stumble through life. They both hate living. That’s it!
So this is definitely no Scorsese’s Taxi Driver - that film had a story! Not that Fuminori Nakamura’s The Boy in the Earth makes any attempt at one. It’s just one long misery-fest: the taxi driver hates himself and gets beat up, drinks, hurts himself some more, then we find out the sad details of his abusive childhood and the story’s over.
In place of a story are the endlessly morbid utterances between the taxi driver and his alcoholic girlfriend about how bleak and horrible the world is. It might’ve been compelling if there was anything original or thoughtful about the remarks but there isn’t - it’s gratuitously grim for the sake of it.
Absolutely pointless extended gripe about nothing, The Boy in the Earth is the literary version of the demented mumblings of a drunk sat in his own filth on a subway platform at three in the morning.
So this is definitely no Scorsese’s Taxi Driver - that film had a story! Not that Fuminori Nakamura’s The Boy in the Earth makes any attempt at one. It’s just one long misery-fest: the taxi driver hates himself and gets beat up, drinks, hurts himself some more, then we find out the sad details of his abusive childhood and the story’s over.
In place of a story are the endlessly morbid utterances between the taxi driver and his alcoholic girlfriend about how bleak and horrible the world is. It might’ve been compelling if there was anything original or thoughtful about the remarks but there isn’t - it’s gratuitously grim for the sake of it.
Absolutely pointless extended gripe about nothing, The Boy in the Earth is the literary version of the demented mumblings of a drunk sat in his own filth on a subway platform at three in the morning.
May 23, 2021
‘I hope it wasn’t a taxi robbery. There’ve been a lot of these lately. Guys with no money steal from the ones who don’t have money either.’
Atmospheric, urban noir; the protagonist’s a taxi driver, and his only friend is a quietly self-destructive alcoholic. The writing reminds me of Natsuo Kirino because I’ve not read enough East Asian ‘noir’, but for me, the buttery smoothness of the prose feels more like a Virginia Woolf novel (but take out the ‘bougie’ and replace that with a gallon of ‘trauma’ and poverty). Some have said that the writing feels Kafka-esque (perhaps the bit with the dogs, and the nightmares?) but for me it’s Woolf except much more fucked up (and definitely about a hundred shades darker – thematically and otherwise). Initially, I’d given it a 4-star rating, but my feelings about it changed overnight; I do think it deserves more than that. Afterall, the boy did win an Akutagawa Prize for this, didn’t he? Also, I almost forgot to add, but Allison Markin Powell did such a fantastic job with the translation. You might remember her from her translation of Hiromi Kawakami's Strange Weather in Tokyo.
‘These days, as long as I am working, I can live my life. I am not unhappy, nor at a disadvantage. And when I do think about what happened in that home, the mere fact that I’d survived to the age of twenty-seven made me think that it wasn’t such a big deal.’
The main characters are just two people trying to survive/live – co-exist. Subtle, but (very) dark humour; and again – subtle, but intentional social satire. If you can’t muster a laugh at an absurdly violent fight scene, and/or the irony of a cheap ball-point pen saving someone’s life, then this may not be the book for you. The characters are very conscious and aware of their situation/circumstances (social class; privilege/etc.) despite their self-destructive behaviours. A couple of my favourites bits from the book: the fire at the orphanage, and ‘Toku’ (a very minor but memorable character). The ending was extremely well done – I thoroughly enjoyed it. Subtlety is key in the beauty of this novel. Tender, delicate feelings tangled with a raw passion for living distorted by the gritty exteriors/environments.
‘I’m sure you’re right, but it drives me crazy. Thinking about even a drop of my mother’s or that asshole’s blood in my veins. And I hate that there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it. It’s like I’ve got a lump in the pit of my stomach. As if their genes are living inside of me. Like I’m marked by them and can’t help taking on their qualities. I know that’s just in my head, but their blood really is in my veins, isn’t it? Physiologically, I can’t stand it.’
The protagonist’s friend is no ‘manic-pixie-dream-girl’, and he’s no Superman – and depends on how you see it – the perspective will always be tinged with something bittersweet. A few times, this book made me pause to internally scream into a mental pillow. Haven’t we all destroyed relationships with our (emotional) intimacy issues at some point in our lives? If you’re fed up of the overdone, clichés of Haruki Murakami’s characters/relationships, this one’s really going to hit the spot (disclaimer: no ‘romance’ in this novel, if anything it’s just a hint of it that trails towards the end of the book).
‘I knew just what she meant. Yet still, I wondered why I had pushed the conversation to the point where it hurt her…I lit another cigarette, and imagined there was a lump in the pit of my own stomach. It felt creepy to think about a complete stranger’s information being embedded within me. I wondered if there were minute twitches, like threads strung throughout my body, that exerted an imperceptible influence on me, on my decisions and my actions.’
Unlike Murakami’s novels where the protagonists are usually insensitive, starry-eyed romantics (with a tendency to make everything the women’s fault – too ugly, too distant, too powerful, too witty, etc.), Nakamura’s characters are more ‘humane’, sensitive and self-aware. They also remind me of Wes Anderson’s characters, and I’m mostly thinking of ‘Moonlight Kingdom’ and ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’. They share a similar ambiguity, social strangeness, and are very much affected by their environment and family/background; and each deal with a muffled internal conflict like some fluorescent yellow bile that pushes the plot forward through the nocturnal, city landscapes.
‘I emerged from the tunnel, but the scenery was unchanged. The moon that Sayuko and I had tried not to see was still shining against the surrounding clouds, the same way it was last night. I went back to the car and started the engine. On the radio, a report about the war was being replayed on the air.’
The most common complaint about this book was of the ‘tone’/narrative voice – of how it feels like he doesn’t give a fuck about anything/everything. But having read the book, I must stubbornly disagree. Surely the protagonist can’t empathise with the common fear of losing ‘clout’, ‘a house’, or even something minor like anniversary gift diamond earrings or whatever a regular ‘Karen’ or ‘Joe’ is afraid of losing. He does not even have the mental/physical energy to think about placing his hands on the social ladder; he’s just trying his best to keep his sanity while trying to ‘live’ (and/but he thinks about how he might prematurely stop existing oft – as it that might feel like an easier option). The narrator’s tone was extremely appropriate considering his circumstances. The depletion/dryness of his emotional/mental energy may be tiring to read (not for me), but it works brilliantly in terms of characterisation/the writing in general. This isn’t a Marvel film so don’t expect it to be dramatic; and the ending’s not going to be clear-cut/straight-up sunshine in a shot glass. If this was written in any other way, it would feel like one was merely ‘spectating violence’, and less like a friend telling you something personal. Might as well just watch the fucking news if you’re hungry for the former.
‘No matter what kinds of tragedies occurred, the world kept spinning—perhaps it was the natural order of things. The news ended, a pop song came on, and there was a plug for the latest movie. Amongst the laughter, a dispassionate sorrow glimmers, a guest commentator intoned about the film.’
I’m usually too much of a coward to go for a book with a rating that falls on the lower end of a 3-star rating, but then I’m reminded of all the Natsuo Kirinos that I had enjoyed; and all those weird, experimental; and/or more messed up books that are understandably less palatable to most. From the reviews, I thought this was going to be a a bad fuck-up in terms of using violent scenes unnecessarily (so much so that it just overwhelming and ‘too much’), but I was well surprised. It's not what I'd imagined at all, but it's definitely adequately fucked up, and/but only so when and where it worked for the plot/character development not as cheap material to a badly built ‘shock factor’/used for a desperate kind of shock value. The writing was very well-controlled, and the story flowed very smoothly – one could easily finish this in one go.
‘The sultry heat was stifling. I cast an eye over my surroundings as I walked along, thinking I would try to distract myself from my deteriorating mood. The intense moonlight formed a circle behind the thin and uneven cloud cover, its pale bluish-gray color gleaming hazily. I came out of a narrow passageway between brick condominiums, turned alongside a row house, and came out onto a wide road with cars on it. As I turned my attention to the light from a convenience store, a tall woman came out with a crying child in tow.’
The ‘vibes’ (and the gritty East Asian urban setting) of the book alone reminds me a lot of Wong Kar Wai’s ‘Fallen Angels’ – esp. the ending scene (one of the best ending scenes, I must argue). The nocturnal urban landscapes, the mood, the ‘fight scenes’, and so many more. I don’t compare/make this statement lightly because Wong Kar Wai films are some of the very few things that I hold dear with a lot of strange attachment/affection. Overall, it’s a rather straightforward novel that leaves a strange and lingering aftertaste. I imagine this book would work brilliantly as a film adaptation. Nakamura throws around bloody imagery/scenes quite heavily though (a late trigger warning perhaps)? But not enough to borderline a horror/thriller (genre); just enough to make a regular novel stink of rusted metals.
‘I have truly been saved by literature. If I hadn’t met with stories that dive deep into the nature of society and humanity, stories that press on and attempt to reveal our true nature, I’m sure my life would have turned out differently. Literature is still precious to me. It provides me with the sustenance I need to go on living. Even now, having come to write books myself, that hasn’t changed in the slightest.’ – Afterword, Fuminori Nakamura
I’m only able to come up with tiny playlists when the writing/books really ‘hit the spot’/made me feel something substantial/significant. With too little affection, the tiny playlist would feel so forced, and almost – offensive. I don’t know why I’m so committed to these tiny playlists but here I am – powering on, regardless of the reasons why:
Don’t – eAeon ft. RM
If You’re Going to Break Yourself – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
There Must Be More Than Blood – Car Seat Headrest
‘Violence became easier to commit the more one wielded it. I no longer hoped to escape—what I longed for was a respite. An existence in which, for even just a brief span of time, I would not be attacked, where I could sleep peacefully.’
May 7, 2018
Wow, this really was the darkest of noir and yet utterly compelling and not without hope (I think!)
The protagonist is a Tokyo taxi driver with seemingly self destructive tendencies. The book opens with him throwing a cigarette butt into a group of bikers who then proceed to beat him to a pulp, and this pretty much sets the tone for the entire (short) book. His girlfriend is an alcoholic with her own issues, and their relationship seems somewhat dysfunctional. Towards the end of the book, the protagonist's traumatic childhood is revealed, and sheds light on how he became the person he did.
The Boy in the Earth is, perhaps, not for the faint hearted, but it's a quick and compelling read and the prose is starkly beautiful (as translated by Allison Markin Powell). Although unrelentingly dark, I found the ending quite satisfying, thus mitigating some of the darkness.
The protagonist is a Tokyo taxi driver with seemingly self destructive tendencies. The book opens with him throwing a cigarette butt into a group of bikers who then proceed to beat him to a pulp, and this pretty much sets the tone for the entire (short) book. His girlfriend is an alcoholic with her own issues, and their relationship seems somewhat dysfunctional. Towards the end of the book, the protagonist's traumatic childhood is revealed, and sheds light on how he became the person he did.
The Boy in the Earth is, perhaps, not for the faint hearted, but it's a quick and compelling read and the prose is starkly beautiful (as translated by Allison Markin Powell). Although unrelentingly dark, I found the ending quite satisfying, thus mitigating some of the darkness.
April 25, 2017
Wow. No question five star read. Super super dark noir tale. I have no words. Well, I actually have a lot of words but the review hasn't been published yet so just wanted to give it a quick signal boost in the meantime.
Brilliant author, brilliant book. Read it!
Brilliant author, brilliant book. Read it!
March 1, 2017
While I have a higher tolerance than most so-called for “dark” books that are unsettling and even disturbing, I am not a huge fan of noir fiction – characterized by cynicism and fatalism. I suppose that’s because noir fiction usually pre-supposes that the world is filled with justifiable heavy dread and ultimately, hopelessness and even nihilism.
So I will readily say that I am not the most ideal reviewer for The Boy in the Earth. The book has been compared to Taxi Driver and for once, the publicists are not exaggerating. In that American vigilante film, Robert de Nero’s character is alienated, depressed, and likely suffering from PTSD.
The unnamed taxi driver of this book is also afflicted with PTSD, giving in to spurts of meaningless violence and nihilistically daydreaming of erasing himself from the face of the earth. He lives in a nightmare world, flashing back to his past of orphanages and abusive foster care. He has coupled – in his own way – with an equally troubled girlfriend named Sayuko who is alcoholic and mostly frigid. The genesis for the title of this book is eventually revealed, and it is truly harrowing. Fuminori Nakamura takes the reader face-to-face with pure evil. I would recommend this book selectively, to those who are aficionados of noir.
So I will readily say that I am not the most ideal reviewer for The Boy in the Earth. The book has been compared to Taxi Driver and for once, the publicists are not exaggerating. In that American vigilante film, Robert de Nero’s character is alienated, depressed, and likely suffering from PTSD.
The unnamed taxi driver of this book is also afflicted with PTSD, giving in to spurts of meaningless violence and nihilistically daydreaming of erasing himself from the face of the earth. He lives in a nightmare world, flashing back to his past of orphanages and abusive foster care. He has coupled – in his own way – with an equally troubled girlfriend named Sayuko who is alcoholic and mostly frigid. The genesis for the title of this book is eventually revealed, and it is truly harrowing. Fuminori Nakamura takes the reader face-to-face with pure evil. I would recommend this book selectively, to those who are aficionados of noir.
August 22, 2018
"The Boy In The Earth", told mainly through internal dialogue with a touch of noir, is a powerful novel on childhood abuse and trying to survive the aftermath. Lonely and isolated, even though he is in a relationship, the protagonist puts himself in dangerous situations and contemplates suicide. Only when he is in danger and fear is upon him does he find an emotional connection to himself. He tries to reach into his past but some of those paths are emotionally closed off, along with the memory. He returns to the orphanage that took him in after the abuse and locates the person there who always believed in him. He ultimately has a breakthrough in remembering a particularly horrifying event of abuse and his desire not to be afraid. This novel is both moving, affective and effective as his mind fractures and reassembles. Yet, in spite of the heavy material, there are glimmers of hope and a possibility of a future.
January 15, 2021
"I didn't care whether it was boring or interesting work. I think I'd be fine as long as I could just edge toward the prospect of letting go, with the possibility of escaping my depressive tendencies." pg 50
Man, this was both depressing and hopeful. As exemplified in the quote above and below.
"I am alive! Against all of your expectations! I have no intention of obeying you. With my own hands, I will defeat whatever obstacles you throw at me." pg 115
It's one of those stream of consciousness books that are a hit or miss. I happened to really enjoy this. It was short enough that I think the stream of conscious writing style wasn't overly tedious or annoying. It was a very gloomy read for the majority of it. I think you need to be in the right head space when you give it a go.
May 5, 2025
I feel so... hopeless.
FOUR STARS! 🗣️
⭐⭐⭐⭐
FOUR STARS! 🗣️
⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 31, 2017
First posted at https://reallifereading.com/2017/05/2...
“All the books I have are depressing.”
“So why do you read them?”
“I don’t really know,” I said, laughing softly. “I feel like they save me. They get me thinking about things, even if it’s just that I’m not the only person who thinks it’s hard to get around in this world.”
A young man who works as a taxi driver keeps putting himself in danger.
Like throwing a cigarette butt at some drunk bikers.
“I did what I did on purpose – with clear intention. It was not unconscious, nor was it for no reason at all – I was completely cognizant and aware of my actions.”
Of course he gets badly beaten up – unconscious but he manages to wake and return home.
What is up with this guy? A guy who purposely stops his car in the middle of a crosswalk instead of avoiding another car trying to make a right turn against the light.
He lives with Sayuko. They used to work together, and now sleep together, and she’s pretty much the only person he talks to. She stays with him as she has no money and no place to live and it’s “as if she had resigned herself to sleeping with a guy if she were going to live with him”. She hates sex but does it anyway, and drinks a lot. Not the most ideal of people for him to live with but perhaps their bleak view of the world draws them together.
The taxi driver, who remains unnamed, recently got some news about his parents who had abandoned him some 20 years ago – that his mother died, but his father is still alive. And he cannot help but wonder what his life would have been like if his parents hadn’t abandoned him. Flashbacks to his sad abused childhood intersperse his everyday life.
A melancholic and violent tale about a very damaged man. It’s the kind of book that makes on shudder at the icy way this writer handles his characters. It’s a short read with rather sparse prose but Nakamura packs so much darkness into these 147 pages, I cannot help but marvel at his brilliance.
“All the books I have are depressing.”
“So why do you read them?”
“I don’t really know,” I said, laughing softly. “I feel like they save me. They get me thinking about things, even if it’s just that I’m not the only person who thinks it’s hard to get around in this world.”
A young man who works as a taxi driver keeps putting himself in danger.
Like throwing a cigarette butt at some drunk bikers.
“I did what I did on purpose – with clear intention. It was not unconscious, nor was it for no reason at all – I was completely cognizant and aware of my actions.”
Of course he gets badly beaten up – unconscious but he manages to wake and return home.
What is up with this guy? A guy who purposely stops his car in the middle of a crosswalk instead of avoiding another car trying to make a right turn against the light.
He lives with Sayuko. They used to work together, and now sleep together, and she’s pretty much the only person he talks to. She stays with him as she has no money and no place to live and it’s “as if she had resigned herself to sleeping with a guy if she were going to live with him”. She hates sex but does it anyway, and drinks a lot. Not the most ideal of people for him to live with but perhaps their bleak view of the world draws them together.
The taxi driver, who remains unnamed, recently got some news about his parents who had abandoned him some 20 years ago – that his mother died, but his father is still alive. And he cannot help but wonder what his life would have been like if his parents hadn’t abandoned him. Flashbacks to his sad abused childhood intersperse his everyday life.
A melancholic and violent tale about a very damaged man. It’s the kind of book that makes on shudder at the icy way this writer handles his characters. It’s a short read with rather sparse prose but Nakamura packs so much darkness into these 147 pages, I cannot help but marvel at his brilliance.
December 27, 2020
Fast-paced, short and light but deep and so psychological. I love how straightforward it is with those heart-wrenching scenes although disturbing. I really fancy Nakamura's style of crafting and developing his characters (reading three of his books previously, I realised that I never dislike any of Nakamura's fictional characters so far). The plot plays with emotion and sympathy and I love how it portrays the nature of society and humanity along the way, on how it relates the 'earth' to the boy's life and vice versa.
The anxiety, the hatred, the emotional fear, the suicidal thought-- how a person could be so broken and numb but still trying his best to battle with his inner self.
"I wonder where a person’s lowest point is. I mean, how far are they willing to go?”
"Watching this happen always evoked anxiety, but for some reason, I found solace in that anxiety."
Nice ending somehow, I find it quite comforting and relief, and also the fact that he's been reading Kafka's The Castle making me loving this book even more.
"There was a way to conquer the fear that had taken root within me—a way that others might find perplexing—but perhaps I had created the fear just so that I could overcome."
"No matter what kinds of tragedies occurred, the world kept spinning..."
The anxiety, the hatred, the emotional fear, the suicidal thought-- how a person could be so broken and numb but still trying his best to battle with his inner self.
"I wonder where a person’s lowest point is. I mean, how far are they willing to go?”
"Watching this happen always evoked anxiety, but for some reason, I found solace in that anxiety."
Nice ending somehow, I find it quite comforting and relief, and also the fact that he's been reading Kafka's The Castle making me loving this book even more.
"There was a way to conquer the fear that had taken root within me—a way that others might find perplexing—but perhaps I had created the fear just so that I could overcome."
"No matter what kinds of tragedies occurred, the world kept spinning..."
May 22, 2018
This is my second of Nakamura’s novels, and similar to Last Winter We Parted this is a dark novel with little to brighten it. It concerns a young Tokyo taxi driver who is toying with suicide. After he was 8 years old he was brought up in an orphanage, with occasional foster families. Years of abuse, not from the orphanage though, have taken the toll, and his mental health is not strong. His characters are the losers of Tokyo’s backstreets, yet give the novel its appeal. It’s a type of existential noir which I have not come across before. There are a couple of memorable scenes, notably the opening pages in which he taunts a threatening gang of bikers.
June 25, 2018
This is a surprisingly easy and flowy read, despite the heavy subject discussed, which is depression. Meaningful answers on life were presented in thoughts and conversations, history and reasons were uncovered as the plot progresses. If there is one thing I find lacking, is the kind of depth that pierce my soul. I might not be able to appreciate it as much as other readers as I have read darker noir than this one, but this is still an impactful read. Recommended!
July 18, 2017
The Boy in the Earth was an interesting story.
Dark, humorous, and depressing.
I enjoyed the story line and the character development. I am so happy the book ended on a positive note of the theme looking forward to new beginning, instead of always dwelling on the past.
Dark, humorous, and depressing.
I enjoyed the story line and the character development. I am so happy the book ended on a positive note of the theme looking forward to new beginning, instead of always dwelling on the past.
October 26, 2018
It's okay, about on the same level as The Gun. It's focused even if there isn't much of a plot; there is a richness to the mood and metaphors. This book and Nakamura's The Thief might be the best places to start if you're thinking about getting into his work. The Boy in the Earth is a reasonably good novel to read if you're a fan of the writing of Camus and Kafka.
January 8, 2021
Fairly short book a 20 something taxi driver dealing with his past trauma and reflecting on his present life. Lot of TW. Somehow the story felt incomplete. Could have explored the backstory a bit more.
April 10, 2019
Short but definitely not sweet. My proper review is here: http://patricksherriff.com/2019/04/10...
October 3, 2019
The uphill struggle to fight against fate. I liked this one but I felt the length to be an issue. Could have done better as a short story or even a longer novel to flesh out ideas and characters.
February 8, 2022
this man has not had a single good day in his life
November 30, 2021
Such a sad book. What is it with me reading books that make me feel like I should plunge off the top of Bangalore’s Utility Building? Nothing wrong with this book, except that it was just too sad. Almost relentless in its bleak despair. It does offer you a glimpse of hope in the end.
Nakamura is one of Japan’s most celebrated writers, and this is the second book of his I have read. In this one, for some reason, I have been a bit underwhelmed. Or maybe, Nakamura takes the intense madness of living to a level that I am not quite there yet.
Nakamura is one of Japan’s most celebrated writers, and this is the second book of his I have read. In this one, for some reason, I have been a bit underwhelmed. Or maybe, Nakamura takes the intense madness of living to a level that I am not quite there yet.
May 4, 2021
**PLEASE check the trigger warnings before reading this book because there are a lot.
What can I say about this book? Nakamura packed a lot into a mere 160 pages.
Summary: Our narrator, who is unnamed, engages in risky behavior due to his traumatic past. His risky behavior is triggered after he gets a call from the orphanage he was raised in calls him and tells him that his biological father who abandoned him wants to him. He has thoughts of suicide and returning to the earth (ground or dirt).
What Popped: It's fast-paced. Nakamura uses short sentences and each word is chosen carefully. Although descriptions are brief, the reader still gets a full picture of the person or location.
What Flopped: Nothing really flopped. There were a couple of times I got lost because I didn't feel that it was made clear as to who was talking or the action wasn't properly set up.
My Thoughts: As I said at the beginning, please check the trigger warnings before reading this book. The Boy in the Earth at its core is a book about life & death, surviving traumatic events, mental health, and human nature & society. It is also an indictment of human nature and society.
Whenever I start reading a book, I always wonder what the connection the title has to the story; but I feel as though this was made clear early on. He says after he was attacked that he
The narrator continually refers to the earth, returning to the earth, there is a mention of earthworms, and mentions/illusions of being buried alive. I"ve only read one other book by Nakamura which was The Gun and I really enjoyed it. When I started reading this book, I immediately got The Gun vibes and thought that this just may be his writing style and I'm loving it.
Anyway, The Boy in the Earth is an indictment of human nature and society which is portrayed through the main character and even to some degree his girlfriend, Sayuko. Their relationship is dysfunctional at best and they are both afraid of having any type of meaningful relationship because of their traumatic pasts that involved people that claimed to love and care for me. Society allowed the narrator to be physically and mentally abused as a child by his adopted parents and did not step in until the very end. Literally the very end. And society allows for Sayuko's abuse and continued abuse by other members of society.
The book is also about surviving trauma and the mental health issues related to the trauma. Because the narrator was physically abused by his adopted parents on a daily basis he relates his relationship with pain when he is being beaten by a biker gang. A beating which he instigated.
Sayuko, the narrator's girlfriend, also engages in thrill-seeking behavior. She goes out on a regular basis, gets drunk and it appears that during some of her drunken stupors she may have been sexually assaulted. She drinks in order to forget her abuse. Whereas the narrator engages in fights to connect with life.
I'm not really sure how I feel about the ending. What I will say is that it wasn't tied up in a nice neat bow, but I felt there was a level of convenience that I didn't care for. Having said that with all the trauma and negative behavior the reader is left with a sense of hope for the future of the narrator and Sayuko.
Trigger Warnings: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage , Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
What can I say about this book? Nakamura packed a lot into a mere 160 pages.
Summary: Our narrator, who is unnamed, engages in risky behavior due to his traumatic past. His risky behavior is triggered after he gets a call from the orphanage he was raised in calls him and tells him that his biological father who abandoned him wants to him. He has thoughts of suicide and returning to the earth (ground or dirt).
What Popped: It's fast-paced. Nakamura uses short sentences and each word is chosen carefully. Although descriptions are brief, the reader still gets a full picture of the person or location.
What Flopped: Nothing really flopped. There were a couple of times I got lost because I didn't feel that it was made clear as to who was talking or the action wasn't properly set up.
My Thoughts: As I said at the beginning, please check the trigger warnings before reading this book. The Boy in the Earth at its core is a book about life & death, surviving traumatic events, mental health, and human nature & society. It is also an indictment of human nature and society.
Whenever I start reading a book, I always wonder what the connection the title has to the story; but I feel as though this was made clear early on. He says after he was attacked that he
might be absorbed by the earth, deep underground
The narrator continually refers to the earth, returning to the earth, there is a mention of earthworms, and mentions/illusions of being buried alive. I"ve only read one other book by Nakamura which was The Gun and I really enjoyed it. When I started reading this book, I immediately got The Gun vibes and thought that this just may be his writing style and I'm loving it.
Anyway, The Boy in the Earth is an indictment of human nature and society which is portrayed through the main character and even to some degree his girlfriend, Sayuko. Their relationship is dysfunctional at best and they are both afraid of having any type of meaningful relationship because of their traumatic pasts that involved people that claimed to love and care for me. Society allowed the narrator to be physically and mentally abused as a child by his adopted parents and did not step in until the very end. Literally the very end. And society allows for Sayuko's abuse and continued abuse by other members of society.
The book is also about surviving trauma and the mental health issues related to the trauma. Because the narrator was physically abused by his adopted parents on a daily basis he relates his relationship with pain when he is being beaten by a biker gang. A beating which he instigated.
I was in a state of excitement. I knew that was not an appropriate way to feel in this situation. . . I was definitely waiting for something yet to come. (p. 9)
Sayuko, the narrator's girlfriend, also engages in thrill-seeking behavior. She goes out on a regular basis, gets drunk and it appears that during some of her drunken stupors she may have been sexually assaulted. She drinks in order to forget her abuse. Whereas the narrator engages in fights to connect with life.
I'm not really sure how I feel about the ending. What I will say is that it wasn't tied up in a nice neat bow, but I felt there was a level of convenience that I didn't care for. Having said that with all the trauma and negative behavior the reader is left with a sense of hope for the future of the narrator and Sayuko.
Trigger Warnings: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage , Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence
August 21, 2018
2.5 stars
This was one of the shortest books I've ever read by Mr. Nakamura.
I usually enjoy the way he writes and his stories but I notice he doesn't add in the much of exposition or background so I'm usually left feeling lackluster about his characters.
The Boy in the Earth is one of those books.
The unnamed narrator, twenty seven and deeply depressed, drives a taxi aimlessly through the streets, contemplating his existence and his potential death by suicide.
A very difficult childhood and abandonment by his parents are offered as brief glimpses into the life he has had to endure up to now.
He has a simpatico relationship with a young woman who exchanges sex for cohabitation and has personal troubles of her own.
Suicide affects all races and genders, regardless of your socioeconomic status or how much education you have.
The unnamed narrator is astounded he has survived up until now and makes no bones that he is conflicted by his own demons; What are we here for? For what purpose? Why? To what end?
I have no doubt most of us have had thoughts like this, more than once or twice, in our lives.
I did sympathize with how the narrator felt, that feeling of just wanting to let go and fall to the earth, its a feeling not entirely too unpleasant to consider, when you think there is no other way out of this life.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
A near death experience from a car jacking and an accidental? collision brings perspective and a new meaning to life for the narrator.
In a sudden roundabout, he takes positive control of his life, and realized that letting fear rule his thoughts and actions was not the way to live.
To do that, you have to let go of the thoughts that hold us back.
This was one of the shortest books I've ever read by Mr. Nakamura.
I usually enjoy the way he writes and his stories but I notice he doesn't add in the much of exposition or background so I'm usually left feeling lackluster about his characters.
The Boy in the Earth is one of those books.
The unnamed narrator, twenty seven and deeply depressed, drives a taxi aimlessly through the streets, contemplating his existence and his potential death by suicide.
A very difficult childhood and abandonment by his parents are offered as brief glimpses into the life he has had to endure up to now.
He has a simpatico relationship with a young woman who exchanges sex for cohabitation and has personal troubles of her own.
Suicide affects all races and genders, regardless of your socioeconomic status or how much education you have.
The unnamed narrator is astounded he has survived up until now and makes no bones that he is conflicted by his own demons; What are we here for? For what purpose? Why? To what end?
I have no doubt most of us have had thoughts like this, more than once or twice, in our lives.
I did sympathize with how the narrator felt, that feeling of just wanting to let go and fall to the earth, its a feeling not entirely too unpleasant to consider, when you think there is no other way out of this life.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
A near death experience from a car jacking and an accidental? collision brings perspective and a new meaning to life for the narrator.
In a sudden roundabout, he takes positive control of his life, and realized that letting fear rule his thoughts and actions was not the way to live.
To do that, you have to let go of the thoughts that hold us back.
February 12, 2023
Why are the ratings so low?? I thought this was brilliant. I've not read anything noir before and now I really feel like I've been missing out! The main character is so likeable even though he struggles to retain hope in his life after having faced extreme adversity and the existentialist themes are really compelling. The translator did a really good job at creating a natural-sounding narrative and I really liked Brian Nishii's audiobook narration. Very explicit in terms of violence but I recommend this for anyone looking for an Akutagawa Prize-winning novel to sit and think about!
January 16, 2022
This author never ceases to amaze me by his insightful writings❤️
April 17, 2022
I liked the writing but not the story. I'll give the author another try.
February 7, 2017
Nakamura has become one of my favorite writers; he is lyrical but chooses his words carefully...almost sparse with them so that they seem to pack more of punch, IMO.
This book starts with the un-named main character getting the shit beat out of him by a motorcycle gang....in fact this man has become so obsessed with his own death that he begins to black out with dark fantasies. As the story progresses, he is forced to confront his traumatic past in order to move into the unknown future.
I have read all of Nakamura's books, at least those available in English, so I was expecting this story to be dark but I have to say that out of all his books I think this one was the darkest. Grab this one when you want a short read but something that will make you think about it for days to come.
Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
This book starts with the un-named main character getting the shit beat out of him by a motorcycle gang....in fact this man has become so obsessed with his own death that he begins to black out with dark fantasies. As the story progresses, he is forced to confront his traumatic past in order to move into the unknown future.
I have read all of Nakamura's books, at least those available in English, so I was expecting this story to be dark but I have to say that out of all his books I think this one was the darkest. Grab this one when you want a short read but something that will make you think about it for days to come.
Thanks to Random House for the ARC!
August 20, 2025
Shorter read! There’s not too much of a plot, just two characters hating life. I’d say majority of the plot itself happens towards the end. Really depressing read too. I would not recommend this to anybody who might be in a slump, as this would make you feel worse. Characters have some pretty sad backstory but I feel like it doesn’t justify their feeling towards life for the rest of their time on earth. Plus they’ve never had the privilege of increasing shareholder value for their company. I’m sure that would change up their attitude real quick. While I didn’t care much for the characters or story itself, I do like the way it is written. Not sure why I’ve read so much Japanese literature this year. Doesn’t help that the next two books I plan to read are also Japanese literature but whatever I guess it is fitting since I was there earlier this year and I do enjoy Japanese writing a lot
April 11, 2025
My fourth Fuminori Nakamura book and one that I likely could have skipped. I would not say it is bad, necessarily, but lacks a real plot and feels like an incomplete thought. This is a book you can read in a few hours so it's not an egregious time waster but I'm disappointed there wasn't more there.
November 16, 2018
Nakamura’s works seem to follow the same formula. They are mostly about the personal contemplations of a nameless, jobless smoker who lives with a night hostess as he drifts through life. A major portion of the work is about the guy’s thoughts, flashbacks, and philosophical rant; most of which you could skip. This leaves you with few paragraphs that amount to a short story if put together. This novella is no different. It is about a guy who was traumatized in his childhood that leaves him wander the meaning of fear and death. If you like to read personal thoughts about the meaning of life, then you probably will enjoy Nakamura’s works. Otherwise, you will be skimming through pages waiting for something to happen. I won’t deny, though, that he usually ends his novels with a punch that wows you; but does it justify reading the whole book?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews