Giving my impressions on a book is a little more difficult when I’m reading a translated version. Some of it comes from culture differences, or perhaps from the different expectations from readers.
This book felt like you were peeking inside the mind of a Japanese worker. The main character of this novel wants a job that is as easy as possible, and the story doesn’t get much deeper than that.
Why are they working? What is their goal here? To have an easy life? Why not quit outright and have a really easy life? What’s the point of it all?
This book addresses none of the issues above, and instead spends an inordinate amount of time with idle thoughts about lots of extraneous information and detail that don’t really contribute to any sort of tension or resolution. It was hard for me to understand if this is representative of a culture or instead just a vapid person.
This was translated into English by a Brit, so I could pick up some new British English words (stockists, bedsit, etc.) so I got a little benefit out of the book. But for me it just wasn’t consequential enough of a story to recommend it to anyone.
Next I am reading The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy.
