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charm_city_sinner's reviews
170 reviews
Out by Natsuo Kirino
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Now You're One of Us by Asa Nonami
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Revenge by Yōko Ogawa
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I've been on quite a big short stories kick for over a year now, and Revenge by Yoko Ogawa definitely has a place in my top 10 favorite collections.
You could be forgiven if assuming this was just a normal collection after reading the first story. Ogawa seems to have delivered a very poignant take on grief and sets expectations high right off the bat.
The further you go, Ogawa starts filling in pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and connecting one story to the next. There are entirely plausible connections based on the real world that tie these stories together, but with a very deft sleight of hand you suddenly find yourself immersed in different possible timelines or worlds.
It is VERY hard to assign a genre to this book because Ogawa's writing defies labels. Much like Murakami, any label you try to pin on this book just slides right off. Despite the thematic circles Ogawa spins you in, her ability to create deeply layered characters in such a small amount of space is truly impressive.
This was my first Ogawa book and it definitely won't be my last. Highly recommended!
You could be forgiven if assuming this was just a normal collection after reading the first story. Ogawa seems to have delivered a very poignant take on grief and sets expectations high right off the bat.
The further you go, Ogawa starts filling in pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and connecting one story to the next. There are entirely plausible connections based on the real world that tie these stories together, but with a very deft sleight of hand you suddenly find yourself immersed in different possible timelines or worlds.
It is VERY hard to assign a genre to this book because Ogawa's writing defies labels. Much like Murakami, any label you try to pin on this book just slides right off. Despite the thematic circles Ogawa spins you in, her ability to create deeply layered characters in such a small amount of space is truly impressive.
This was my first Ogawa book and it definitely won't be my last. Highly recommended!
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
My goodness, what an amazing book!
Fresh off of reading A Wild Sheep Chase last month, I knew I wanted to get to my second Murakami book soon. These books were miles apart when it came to structure and style, but there could be no doubt they came from the same author.
This book is comprised of two alternating locations/worlds as the title suggests, Hard-Boiled Wonderland in the present (1985), and the End of the World, which seems to operate on another plane of existence altogether. Right off the bat, this will strike some readers as dense, or quite possibly even pretentious. I can totally understand how a person could read 20 or 30 pages and give up.
Murakami starts leaving you breadcrumbs early on though, and things started to click for me, but not in a predictable way. What amazes me is that there are sci-fi and fantasy elements here, and those are two genres that don't interest me at all. The way he weaves these elements into two halves of the same book which have deeply emotional and philosophical undercurrents throughout left my jaw in the floor and made me a believer.
If this review makes no sense, I totally own that. I've never read an author like Murakami, and describing his work is hard. I firmly believe Murakami is in a genre all his own, and I'd liken him to the Willy Wonka of the literary world.
All I know is that I absolutely love what I've read from him so far, and that's all that really matters ☺️
Fresh off of reading A Wild Sheep Chase last month, I knew I wanted to get to my second Murakami book soon. These books were miles apart when it came to structure and style, but there could be no doubt they came from the same author.
This book is comprised of two alternating locations/worlds as the title suggests, Hard-Boiled Wonderland in the present (1985), and the End of the World, which seems to operate on another plane of existence altogether. Right off the bat, this will strike some readers as dense, or quite possibly even pretentious. I can totally understand how a person could read 20 or 30 pages and give up.
Murakami starts leaving you breadcrumbs early on though, and things started to click for me, but not in a predictable way. What amazes me is that there are sci-fi and fantasy elements here, and those are two genres that don't interest me at all. The way he weaves these elements into two halves of the same book which have deeply emotional and philosophical undercurrents throughout left my jaw in the floor and made me a believer.
If this review makes no sense, I totally own that. I've never read an author like Murakami, and describing his work is hard. I firmly believe Murakami is in a genre all his own, and I'd liken him to the Willy Wonka of the literary world.
All I know is that I absolutely love what I've read from him so far, and that's all that really matters ☺️
Dead End Memories by Banana Yoshimoto
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
My goodness, what an absolutely incredible collection this is. @books_nooks_spooks has read several other works by @bananayoshimoto2017 and it was impossible to hear her speak about these books and not want to experience it myself.
Dead-End Memories is composed of five stories featuring women as their main characters. These are stories of resilience, quiet strength, and the search for happiness.
Yoshimoto gives a stunningly beautiful amount of depth to what may seem on the surface to be very simple stories. She does it so effortlessly, and as I made my way through the collection, it became increasingly clear that there is no room for bad writing to hide in stories like these. There's a sense of purity and simplicity here that you can't help but marvel at.
Even within the scope of shorter fiction, Yoshimoto's characters are deeply developed and relatable. Across all five stories, I also felt like a silent spectator in the room. To be so fully immersed is the kind of high that readers are always chasing.
This was an absolutely stunning collection and I can't wait to read more from her.
Dead-End Memories is composed of five stories featuring women as their main characters. These are stories of resilience, quiet strength, and the search for happiness.
Yoshimoto gives a stunningly beautiful amount of depth to what may seem on the surface to be very simple stories. She does it so effortlessly, and as I made my way through the collection, it became increasingly clear that there is no room for bad writing to hide in stories like these. There's a sense of purity and simplicity here that you can't help but marvel at.
Even within the scope of shorter fiction, Yoshimoto's characters are deeply developed and relatable. Across all five stories, I also felt like a silent spectator in the room. To be so fully immersed is the kind of high that readers are always chasing.
This was an absolutely stunning collection and I can't wait to read more from her.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Keiko Furukura is 36 years old, and has worked at a Smile Mart convenience store for over 18 years. She is comforted by her routine and the sense of purpose and identity she achieves in this role. She's quirky, she's an oddball character for sure, but she's happy. She's also very endearing, and I very quickly found myself rooting for Keiko and her happiness.
It's not until other people start imposing their own expectations onto Keiko that she begins to feel conflicted. Whether it's her co-workers, family, or childhood friends, everyone seems to have an opinion on what Keiko "should" be doing with her life. Keiko remains true to herself and her happiness, but nevertheless tries to appease those around her, if for no other reason than to be left to what makes her happy.
A LOT of reviews make assumptions that Keiko is autistic, but I couldn't find anything from the author Murata directly about this. I think to focus on this specific detail misses the point of the book, and also puts blinders on the reader when it comes to understanding Keiko as a character.
Convenience Store Woman revealed itself to me as a commentary about the expectations that we as a society place on people. It also speaks very directly about how we as individuals define our own happiness. In rooting for Keiko's happiness, I we as readers can be more confident in prioritizing our own.
This was a beautiful and touching book in its own quirky way, and I highly recommend it.
It's not until other people start imposing their own expectations onto Keiko that she begins to feel conflicted. Whether it's her co-workers, family, or childhood friends, everyone seems to have an opinion on what Keiko "should" be doing with her life. Keiko remains true to herself and her happiness, but nevertheless tries to appease those around her, if for no other reason than to be left to what makes her happy.
A LOT of reviews make assumptions that Keiko is autistic, but I couldn't find anything from the author Murata directly about this. I think to focus on this specific detail misses the point of the book, and also puts blinders on the reader when it comes to understanding Keiko as a character.
Convenience Store Woman revealed itself to me as a commentary about the expectations that we as a society place on people. It also speaks very directly about how we as individuals define our own happiness. In rooting for Keiko's happiness, I we as readers can be more confident in prioritizing our own.
This was a beautiful and touching book in its own quirky way, and I highly recommend it.
Confessions by Kanae Minato
dark
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Confessions by Kanae Minato is one of the books where the synopsis doesn't do the story justice. It sounds as if you're getting a straightforward thriller/revenge story, but why Minato presents the story is so much more than that.
Middle school teacher Yuko Moriguchi's young daughter has been killed by two of the students in her class. The first chapter lays out exactly how this happened, and I was almost to the point where I started to think "there's still quite a lot of book left, and it looks like she's writing herself into a corner."
But the transition from the end of the first chapter into the second is a huge turning point where you see how Minato is going to handle the rest of the book. She shows you the murder from all different angles and POVs, and even though the big question is answered early on, she keeps showing you more and more until everything comes into very sharp focus.
This was such an intense and creative way to approach what could have been a straightforward and boring read. Minato keeps the surprises and twists coming, but not in an obvious or lazy way.
Confessions was a great way to start off my #januaryinjapan after a slightly delayed start, and it's a journey I'm still very much enjoying!
Middle school teacher Yuko Moriguchi's young daughter has been killed by two of the students in her class. The first chapter lays out exactly how this happened, and I was almost to the point where I started to think "there's still quite a lot of book left, and it looks like she's writing herself into a corner."
But the transition from the end of the first chapter into the second is a huge turning point where you see how Minato is going to handle the rest of the book. She shows you the murder from all different angles and POVs, and even though the big question is answered early on, she keeps showing you more and more until everything comes into very sharp focus.
This was such an intense and creative way to approach what could have been a straightforward and boring read. Minato keeps the surprises and twists coming, but not in an obvious or lazy way.
Confessions was a great way to start off my #januaryinjapan after a slightly delayed start, and it's a journey I'm still very much enjoying!
Bone White by Ronald Malfi
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
Paul Gallo hasn't heard from his twin brother Danny in over a year. His last known whereabouts is the twin of Dread's Hand Alaska, where a resident has recently admitted to killing and burying eight people in the surrounding mountains. Is this a matter of a simple serial killer, or is something else going on? Those questions pull Paul away from his teaching job on Maryland all the way to Alaska to investigate. Paul's journey from start to finish is dark and as bleak as it gets.
Malfi's strengths at creating believable and sympathetic characters are what makes his books stand out from most other mainstream horror. If you've read Snow, you can tell he can write a creature feature romp if he wants, but that feels like much more of a one-off than his bread and butter.
When he does pull in supernatural elements, he keeps it minimal, and Bone White has way more in common with The Narrows than anything else I've read. Bone White is a great read, but I think The Narrows is much stronger when it comes to this kind of balance. Personally, I think Malfi is really at his strongest when he forgoes those elements altogether, which is why Floating Staircase or December Park are higher on my list.
Bone White is a very strong book though, and where you rate it will depend on how heavy you like supernatural elements.
Malfi's strengths at creating believable and sympathetic characters are what makes his books stand out from most other mainstream horror. If you've read Snow, you can tell he can write a creature feature romp if he wants, but that feels like much more of a one-off than his bread and butter.
When he does pull in supernatural elements, he keeps it minimal, and Bone White has way more in common with The Narrows than anything else I've read. Bone White is a great read, but I think The Narrows is much stronger when it comes to this kind of balance. Personally, I think Malfi is really at his strongest when he forgoes those elements altogether, which is why Floating Staircase or December Park are higher on my list.
Bone White is a very strong book though, and where you rate it will depend on how heavy you like supernatural elements.
Where I End by Sophie White
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Where I End by Sophie White tells the tale of Aoileann, a victim of a mysterious family trauma, who lives on a sparsely populated island off of Ireland. She's been forced into the role of her mother's caregiver by her spiteful grandmother and her absent father, all the while being ostracized by the inhabitants of the island.
The unfolding of the mystery surrounding her situation is a dark and slow burn, which is upended by the arrival of a woman named Rachel and her infant to the island. Given the bleakness of Aoileann's existence, Rachel becomes a focal point and eventually an obsession for her.
This is a hard book to describe in detail without giving away spoilers, but the characters are fully developed, and the atmosphere White achieves pulled me in completely. This is a dark, and very bleak book that really delivers in the end.
Where I End could potentially make for a profoundly disturbing movie, but only if handled correctly. There's so much to the characters that could be lost in the adaptation, but I think that's part of what makes the book so successful as its own piece of art.
Highly recommended, but be warned that this book will take you down some very dark roads.
The unfolding of the mystery surrounding her situation is a dark and slow burn, which is upended by the arrival of a woman named Rachel and her infant to the island. Given the bleakness of Aoileann's existence, Rachel becomes a focal point and eventually an obsession for her.
This is a hard book to describe in detail without giving away spoilers, but the characters are fully developed, and the atmosphere White achieves pulled me in completely. This is a dark, and very bleak book that really delivers in the end.
Where I End could potentially make for a profoundly disturbing movie, but only if handled correctly. There's so much to the characters that could be lost in the adaptation, but I think that's part of what makes the book so successful as its own piece of art.
Highly recommended, but be warned that this book will take you down some very dark roads.
The Haar by David Sodergren
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Murial McCauley is a feisty, forthright, and cantankerous (in a deeply funny and endearing way) holdout in the Scottish village of Witchaven who refuses to make way for a rich obnoxious American developer who wants to turn the land into a golf course. The Haar is the story of her last stand, and damn it if it wasn't an amazing book to end 2024 with.
Similarly to Maggie's Grave, Sodergren introduces some supernatural and gory devices that connect Muriel's late husband as she stands her ground against seemingly impossible odds. This connection to her late husband is so beautifully interwoven with the horror elements that it never felt jarring to switch between what in many ways is a love story, with some truly entertaining body horror.
There's definitely a point of no return with the plot where things start to escalate and you know that you're about to get taken on a wild ride, and Sodergren does NOT disappoint.
Something else that really makes this book special is the afterword/dedication to Sodergren's grandmother and the inclusion of some of her journal entries. It makes the dedication at the beginning of the book all the more funny and endearing.
I think David Sodergren is going to be one of a small handful of horror authors that I keep going back to even though I read way less horror now than I did when I first started this account. He always manages to create characters that are easy to relate to, his writing style flows effortlessly, and he doesn't take himself or the genre too seriously. You can tell how much fun he's having and that counts for a lot in my mind.
I highly recommend this and suggest you follow him at @paperbacksandpugs if you don't already!
Similarly to Maggie's Grave, Sodergren introduces some supernatural and gory devices that connect Muriel's late husband as she stands her ground against seemingly impossible odds. This connection to her late husband is so beautifully interwoven with the horror elements that it never felt jarring to switch between what in many ways is a love story, with some truly entertaining body horror.
There's definitely a point of no return with the plot where things start to escalate and you know that you're about to get taken on a wild ride, and Sodergren does NOT disappoint.
Something else that really makes this book special is the afterword/dedication to Sodergren's grandmother and the inclusion of some of her journal entries. It makes the dedication at the beginning of the book all the more funny and endearing.
I think David Sodergren is going to be one of a small handful of horror authors that I keep going back to even though I read way less horror now than I did when I first started this account. He always manages to create characters that are easy to relate to, his writing style flows effortlessly, and he doesn't take himself or the genre too seriously. You can tell how much fun he's having and that counts for a lot in my mind.
I highly recommend this and suggest you follow him at @paperbacksandpugs if you don't already!