afi_whatafireads's reviews
589 reviews

I had to sleep on it after finishing this book that is less than 100 pages but had got me stirred up. Because, the more you think about this book, the more I felt that it really is deserving of that Akutagawa Award in 2011.

I feel that the word Cannibals in here might insinuate you to think the story is about the literal meaning itself - of the act of humans eating other human's flesh.

Instead, the word Cannibals itself is somewhat a metaphor and symbolism of how the living condition and environment can seemingly eat you up alive. That is how I've interpreted the story. The main plot revolves around the slums of Japan by the riverside, and how the lives of the people living there revolves with the tide and condition of the place. It showcases a side of Japan that was not highlighted often but exists. Its a state of condition from the lives of normal people having to go through conditions that are not ideal for them, in which it will eat them up alive.

And at the very core of this short novel is about abuse. The abuse inflicted on women in order for the men to feel superior, the heinous acts acted during intercourse for the power struggle that reflects more of the Japan society than they will care to admit. If you're reading it at face value, paired with its very straightforward writing, its almost degrading how the author writes about the characters in here, especially the women. But, as the plot progresses and intensifies, the backbone of the story had always been about the women and their strengths and how at the end, due to the heinous acts acted by men, women had been forced to clean up their mess.

One of the things I liked about the book is how everything in the story revolves around the riverside. Even with the straightforward writing, it leaves me almost suffocating towards the end, on how intense it was. It was as if I could see it happen before my very eyes. The symbolism that the river brings forward, making it carry the emotions and weight of both the characters and it had affected me as a reader.

This book is not one that you can pick up on a whim. Its vile and heinous but its also the depiction of a society that comes and goes. Its there but its never acknowledged. It will make you uncomfortable but its an eye opening read.

Thank you to Honford Star for this gorgeous copy!

4🌟 for this one~

This collection of short stories took me by surprise, in the best way.

And the more I sit and think about this book, the more I felt compelled to write something longer as I overanalyse each story again.

The core theme of the book circles around womenhood, throughout the ages. And I liked how each stories are different and stands in their own way - and making the struggles being a Korean-American amongst the theme of this collection as well.

There is something so serene with her writing, but it also screams rage and unhinged in the best way. I loved the metaphors that she had used in her stories, and each one represents a loss or hope, either in relationships, grief and even love. The thing with Gina Chung, is how she can make some of the stories so shocking that it will bring tears to your eyes - like how How To Eat Your Own Heart had made me bawled my eyes out in public (and its only 5 freaking pages), or how she can evoke and explore some emotions that you are very uncomfortable with.

But again, it all resonated to the struggles of women, motherhood and also the complex relationship of asian parents, especially with mothers and daughters and the pressure and guilt to give back to our parents. Chung has managed to write complex themes into stories with simple and straightforward nuances, and sometimes even almost mind-boggling, but also has a deep message interlaced within.

And I kind of want her to write more Sci-Fi themed, because, damn, her stories in here were really good and it had definitely made me stare at the pages for a good few minutes after finishing it.

Some of the stories that are memorable and I had very much enjoyed:

Story 1: How To Eat Your Own Heart
This one sets a tone to the collection and how you can expect it to be. The story was only 5 pages long, but it had touched something in me that I didn't know how to explain, and left me bawling in public. It was also told in such an interesting way that will leave you almost speechless.

Story 5: Presence
On grief and how pain is a relative thing in the core for humans. Imagine having a technology where we can alter and delete memories as we wish. But, will it do more good than harm? One of the stories that had spoke volumes without needing much effort.

Story 9: Attachment Processes
Again, one of her sci-fi takes, and one that I had absolutely enjoyed. Attachment processes shows how grief works differently for others, and at the end, in whichever way you choose to handle grief, only yourself can learn to forgive yourself properly.

Story 12: Honey and Sun
I felt that this particular story's writing was so ethereal, it felt almost dream-like. The writing for this particular story was so beautiful and it accentuates the sorrow for the two characters.

This is my first book from Gina Chung, and even if its my first from hers, she might be an author that I will definitely keep on the lookout for. The mix of folklore and sci-fi but also spoke volumes on what reality is makes it endearing and one that I will remember for a very long time.

Definitely a fav. Would definitely recommend for you to at least read this book once in your life.

Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟

Thank you to Pansing for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)

TESSA MAAM YOU GOT YOUR SPARK BABE MAAM PLEASE I FREAKING LOVE IT <3

Istg, her last few releases had been... well... not it.
BUT YES my mother is mothering, she's back and in full swing.
And the spice in here yall? slaying. HARD GOOD LORD THIS ONE WAS GOOD.

I think its been awhile since I got really hooked with a good romance. And if you are used to Tessa Bailey's writing, you are definitely used to how some of her scenes CAN get cringey but good lord is the kind of good cringe that I love and stan.

And honestly, I'd never imagine loving a story on a professional golfer and his fan. And good lord this man is DOWN HARD for her. I swear to god, I can see this series being one that will be a fav of mine for all time, because I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SECOND BOOK ALREADY :')

Besides the romance (which Madam Tessa Bailey EXCELS at), I loved the fact that we get a girl with a condition rep. Josephine is a character that I love so so much. Not only she's a ray of sunshine, I loved how she has layers that she only shows with the people that are close to her. Reading about girls with lifetime conditions always gets me (because I have one of my own), and I loved how she navigates through her life with her illness. And freaking Wells Whitaker, I'm officialy DOWN BAD FOR THIS MAN BECAUSE GOOD LORD :') I get giddy reading books where the guy is an absolute LOSER for his girl. Please, I'm freaking obsessed.

If one thing that I would like to know more is more on Well's background and how it shaped him to the adult that he is. But, all in all, this book had got me screaming, squealing and smiling like an idiot. I CAN'T WAIT for the second book because good lord, I can sense it being a good one already hehe.

4🌟 for this gem. LOVE IT SO MUCH.

Thank you so much to Times Reads for this copy! Truly appreciate it :)

What a book.
This book had left me with all sorts of feelings. It made me sad, it made me angry and it made me laugh, bust most of all, it left me with a feeling of guilt and also hope. A hope for something bigger to come, even if we are still far from it.

The prose of the book feels simple and straightforward. We follow the narration from a 15 year old Aoi, who had been sold as a prostitute by her family at a brothel. There we go through the lives of hers as she grew up, the female friendship that was formed, the betrayal from someone that was supposed to protect you and about freedom. I really liked that we went through this book from the lenses of a child. Its a reflection of the cruel society and how women were forced to sell their bodies even if its against their will.

Reading this reminded me a lot of the Indian Movie -Gangubai Kathiawadi - where the premise sets at a red light district in Mumbai. And the key to freedom, in both the movie and the book, is education. The privilege to have education and to even be educated - as without having learning to write, read and count, there will be no freedom for a person. I absolutely loved the solidarity of the women in this book and it made me feel thankful for the privilege that I had with my education.

I feel that if you are new to japanese literature and wants to try going into the genre without it being too heavy - I would definitely recommend this book. Not only that the proses are simple, I liked that the critics for the government and social class is subtly intertwined but it is prominent. And at the end of the day, since this story is based on true events and in par with our reality now - to make a change, there needs to be a resistance. The fight for human rights and equality is a never ending journey and this book will be one of the books that I will remember for a very very long time.

Highly recommended!

Personal Ratings : 4.5🌟

Thank you to Pansing for the gifted copy! I truly appreciate it.

You know when you've read something so bloody good that when you've reached the final page, you felt like going back to the first page to start all over again. And love in the big city is all that and more. It gives a feeling of loss, hope, love and life, going through its harsh and unprovoked realities - in the way that is a story told from the perspectives of youths in its rawest form.

Raw. That's what I would say with this book, and it still leaves a lingering feeling even after finishing it.

(Disclaimers: This book handles topics on the narrator going through HIV. If this is not your cup of tea, its okay to skip this :) )

A story that I felt was mundane. Its in the beauty of the raw form of humans - in the times of youth that were confusing, in the times of vulnerability and the dynamics of Asian parenting, and its on life. In the most messiest forms - its life.
Reading this, does remind me a lot with Sally Rooney's books. The straightforward and almost nonchalant tone, whilst capturing the essence of emotions of the characters in the storytelling - its definitely a similarity between the two. And I like how mundane it is, and how very queer it is.

The book is divided into four big parts - in which we go through with the narrator, the stages of his life. And we get on adult friendships, mother-son complex relationships, caretaker , and most of all, the daily lives of a man in a city, living through his life. I like how straightforward the writing is, and how its both funny and sad at the same time. I could laugh at one page and cry at the very next so that's how much of an emotional coaster ride this book had gotten me. Its truly an experience on its own.

Out of all the things from the book, what I felt was in how raw everything is. Humans are messy. They make mistakes. They will fail and fall. But they will also form meaningful relationships that will stay. Love that is irreplaceable but may not be yours to keep. But its mostly on the exploration of self- and how we grow from all of the things we went through in life. And the hardships in having a condition that could never really go away. Mistakes , failures and heartbreaks, but also happiness and strength.

By means, this book is not perfect, but its a depiction that is true to life. And what the author said in his notes had what made this book for me one of those I will remember for a very long time.

4.5🌟 for this one.

Leave it to Keigo for making me rid of my reading slump (its been a month good lord) and serving with a story that leaves your brain twisted till the very end. And it goes to show - Keigo is a mastermind in his trade and he writes well written stories that will will question everything that you read from the very start.

As usual with Keigo's stories, its better to go in without knowing much about the premise. But what I can say here - living true to the title itself, we will be following through the creatives mind of a human and how crafty and sinister we can be. At the end of the day, will you be the puppet or the master of the game? That, you will never know. And that's what makes this story so interesting and intriguing.

Keigo for me has been that author that can write anything and I will definitely eat it up. With this story, is differs a bit from his usual route for crime thrillers, but I sometimes wonder what goes through his mind when writing these stories. And with most of Keigo's stories, you will already know what's bound to happen, BUT, you will still be surprised when everything unfolds. Reading his books will give you that sense of disorientation - of not knowing who and what to trust and we, as readers, are strung along with the narrator as well. The characters and the plot progression for me was spot on, and I kind of loved that most of his characters are very smart too. It gives you joy in reading something that is well-thought and planned out , without losing the human touch and the exploration of human complexity and human nature in the process as well.

This book feels like watching a huge game and puzzle unfold. It will definitely leave your jaw gaping at some point (and I kind of expected what was about to happen) but it still left my heart racing. If you're in need of a quick, pick up book that will want you wanting for more , pick up this one. You can never go wrong with Keigo's books. And I'm thankful that Kodansha picked this up again for reprints cause Keigo's stories definitely deserved to be explored more to the world.

Personal Ratings : 4.5🌟

Thank you to Times Reads for one of the copies! I truly appreciate it :)

A spiralling and intriguing story, and one that had made me question everything that I've read from the very beginning. Its notably interesting to read from the POV of an unreliable narrator, let alone, them being a psychopath. Whilst we know who the killer is, the process of knowing the why's and the process of it all, is what had made this story for me so so so bloody good. I was engrossed. I was fully invested. The turmoil, his anger and the narrator's frustrations was written so well - it was as though we were there with Yu-Jin, through every step of him tracing back his memories.

Its vile. Its horrifying. Its a take on human nature and a mother's love.

I don't even want to spoil the book too much, but I love how, I read the last 100 pages with the audiobook, and it brought me to another height of anxiety and fear. The narrators had done such a wonderful job in portraying the emotions of the characters, and good lord was it intense. Please give the audiobook a go to! It elevated my experience to a whole new level.

And whilst its intense and made me lowkey going WTF - its also heartbreaking at a certain level.
(view spoiler) The relationship of a mother and a child - is it something that can be severed easily? I feel that, that's one of the winning points of this book. Its in the way it showed a new level of complexity with the relationship between mother and son.

Overall, it was definitely such a great read for me. I freaking loved it. To me - its a novel that will keep you on edge, and will let you in the ins of the minds of the darkest side of a human. Sinister and vile, I enjoyed this tremendously!

Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟

This was not a bad read but I do feel that the plot could have been better because everything was just packed at the end of the book, which felt meh to me to be honest.

As usual, Rina Kent knows to write her characters. I feel like the reason why I stuck through the whole series was due to the relationship and crossovers between each characters. It felt genuine and I liked their friendships together - even if some of them can be effed up at a few times.

I think, I would have liked if the problems were not dumped at the end of the book. It felt super rushed and there were way too many plot climax that it became dull whenever there's an important scene that is going on.

I just can't wait for the next two books because they might be my two fav couples in the series (from the crossovers) so I lowkey can't wait!

Personal Ratings: 3.25

Buku ini membuatkan aku seolah-olah terasa berada di awangan, berada bersama-sama dengan karakter-karakternya di langit ketujuh. Aku memanjat langit yang maha tinggi, dengan setiap helaian muka surat yang aku baca.

Hiperbola? Mungkin.

Semestinya, buku ini tidak mengecewakan aku.

Aku cadangkan kalian untuk memasuki buku ini tanpa apa-apa ekspektasi. Masuk dengan hanya tahu premis pada cerita ini mempunyai elemen-elemen misteri dan lagenda yang bercampur dan bertemu di dalam satu buku. The way the story is told, lowkey took me on an acid trip. Sometimes, some of the scenes felt like it came out straight from a horror or gore movie, but at the end of the day, the point-being, its a love story; that will somehow break or make someone.

I feel like, out of all the things in the book, there's a sense of wanting to know that's going on. You're there going WTF IS HAPPENING LIKE EXCUSE ME and you kept turning the page to find out what is what. Cara cerita ini mungkin tidak akan digemari oleh semua, tetapi bagi aku , the story itself is pretty unique to me and I liked how the author knew how to create a worldbuilding that's not only intense, but also filled with various characters that you'll somehow know in some ways.And that for me was one of the main highlights of the book.

But the reason for it not being a 5 star, is the transition of the book itself. I do feel like it felt too much and it can get pretty confusing at certain points. If you're used to fantasy books, I don't think it would be too much of a hassle, but for some especially beginners, it can get pretty confusing at some points. This I felt was the only flaw of the book that I can pinpoint.

But overall, I still did enjoy this a lot. The female rage and power perspective in here was just so nicely written that it felt so SATISFYING to read it.

Antara buku yang tidak aku sangka akan aku suka, tetapi turned out? Aku suka and will highly recommend.

Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟