Fantastic short story collection. More than any other collection I have read, this actually feels more like a single novel split into multiple stories, following a consistent set of characters and exploring themes including obsession, possession, and, naturally, revenge, from multiple angles. Ogawa deftly fits each of the stories together. Other reviews have referred to this as 'interweaving', but I found that the result was more orderly and satisfying than that term implies - The effect was rather more like well-played Tetris, or an expertly-packed suitcase: everything in its place, nothing superfluous, all connections clear and right, like an intricate diorama, seen from multiple angles.

The stories themselves are beautiful, each featuring congruous but clearly separate atmospheres which are all set up, lived in, and finished within the short time allotted to each story, another feat not often achieved by short story collections. The language is by turns gorgeous, reflective, and utterly disgusting, and Ogawa knows precisely when to switch between these, though praise for this should naturally be shared with the translator, Stephen Snyder, who handles the prose brilliantly.

Read it!