Okay, I have quite mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand the writing was so vivid and descriptive, I truly felt like I was a prospector watching boats sail in the setting that this book took place in (which is in Yokohama, Japan.) I also appreciated the commentary heavily embedded within this book about masculinity, specifically toxic masculinity and how destructive behaviors either towards yourself or those around you are deemed to be praiseworthy if you are a man. The metaphors in this book, in particular about the sea and how that aspect of the world can be related to how men can treat women was also quite powerful to read about. However, when I read books, in order to enjoy them I have to have at least a smidgen of respect or empathy for the characters that I am reading about, which sadly this book did not provide me with. I found all of the characters in this book (except the one women character in this book!) to be very difficult to read about. And, as a personal qualm, there is a graphic scene in this book depicting violence towards a kitten, which as a cat lover I could very much have done without reading. So yeah, this book has very beautiful commentary and writing, yet also has some icky elements within it as well.