midsummerfoxfrou's reviews
8 reviews

abigail, what the fuck?

Desdemona is such a Padme Amidala variant, both bound to the destructive envy and corruption of their high ranked husbands, and doomed to die at the hands of their own lover-- without even blaming them for doing so, due to the irreplaceable goodness in their feminine hearts. Haunt the narrative til the end I say.

Being queer, in any sense, is perfectly represented by turning into an anthropomorphic animal. Lazi has a process of thought so beautifully fragmented, and articulately written. The deep hatred she has felt towards herself, for her animalistic nature as she so says, is so present in every relationship when she manages critique herself every time. 

And I have to comment on the extended political and societal metaphors because they are everything to me, and so deeply touched on.

Nana and Nana are the epitome of tragic homoerotic codependency, so much so that it sickens me. Josei is the perfect form of manga and I will die on that hill.

"Hey Hachi, no matter how much or how often people hurt each other, loving someone is never a waste,"

OH JUST BREAK MY STRAWBERRY GLASS WOULD YOU? The relationships are so beautifully crafted that you can not even jeopardize them for their blatant flaws. Ai Yazawa knows the mind of a young woman unlike any other. The problem with maturing is that the childlike mind clings to the romanticization of it, no matter if we think we have that young adult self-awareness or not. It is at that point of weakness where each character arc is drawn. I can't say I respect every one of them, but I don't think they're inherently bad people. The portrayal of naivety is so important to me.

Yasu is my ultimate favourite. I'm torn by how people seem to misunderstand his character, and how he-- like all the others-- is painfully unaware of how self-sabotaging and  destructive he is. He may be the most morally righteous, but acknowledge that his avoidant nature to confronting his problems is the only reason his actions do not appear problematic. I think most people would resonate with him most for that reason, and in turn come to misunderstand the "right" way to go about situations. 

Good and effective and meaningful and authentic art should make people uncomfortable. And as much as I hate unfinished endings, the lack of closure completes me in this case.

Charlie is the self-insert I needed in that first year of high school when nothing makes sense and your family is falling apart. Being able to read the mirror that he is-- a hyper-aware, self obsessed, pretentious, quiet mannered, sexually confused, literature fanatic kid. To be a wallflower truly means to be an observer at heart, rather than a participant, so to follow him as he breaks out of his own head and learns to enjoy himself is one of the most comforting things to read. 

I lived, breathed, and healed vicariously through him.

Nick and Jordyn would've made the perfect lavender marriage

Immense love for the esoteric girl who was lonely enough to create relationships out of thin air and a dream. This reads like a ghibli film. It perfectly captures the essence of being a young girl with unresolved jealousy, yearning and issues of self-worth. This book speaks to the desire of the mind to defend itself, in the form of manifestations rendered tangible. Genuinely believe that this deserves way more recognition, Anna is the realest girl out there

I keep this novel close to my heart. It is brilliant in its characterization for it delves into the human psyche through deeply flawed perspectives. I value the reading experience this blessed me with as a teenager.

These adolescents were written in such a way that almost challenges you to change their minds. Kawakami intentionally has us questioning our own convictions and morals and perspectives because this story is a reflection on the injustices within our society, and how we respond to them. It is our natural instinct to look for reason and make-sense of the things that happen to us, which is why I deeply empathize with Kojima. Finding comfort within pain as a child is such a visceral experience, especially under uncontrollable circumstances. Having these young people speak as if they're adults places us on the same emotional level, and it is in those heavy monologues that we are confronted with our difference in maturity. I appreciate that I can read through this and understand where she's coming from, whilst simultaneously exercising myself to think rationally in preparation for the inevitable injustices of adulthood.