In Japanese folklore, a ghost that arise from the burial of a pregnant woman is an Ubume.
The Summer of Ubume is the first of... read full description
The Summer of Ubume is the first of... read full description
reviews
Jan 03, 2012
Jacqui
rated it: 
This was a very interesting mystery. I will admit, sometimes I found myself getting a bit annoyed and/or bored when Kyogokudo would start talking on and on and on about things (even though the things he goes on about are, of course, related to the plot), but it wasn't enough to stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book. I'd heard that the solution to the mystery was rather disturbing, and indeed it was. I found myself still thinking about it quite awhile after I'd finished the book.
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Jun 21, 2011
Bloodytofu
rated it:
One of my favourite novels ever, and a very nice translation - Alexander O. Smith has made a wonderful effort here overall, utilising challenging language forms which are consistent with both the original Japanese form and the storyline as translated. There are a couple of minor problems with the translation, mostly in terms related to everyday Japanese culture (are "rice-flower dumplings" actually "dango", or something else entirely?).
The story itself is delightful More...
The story itself is delightful More...
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Oct 03, 2011
Isidore
rated it: 
A tough call. Large sections of the novel are given over to a sort of Socratic dialogue between the narrator and his friend, Kyogokudo, regarding the nature of perception, and the trustworthiness of our interpretation of the world around us. By the end, one sees why Kyogoku went to so so much trouble to plant these ideas in the reader's mind, but it doesn't really come off: I simply was not sufficiently convinced by Kyogokudo's lengthy arguments as to be able to suspend disbelief when confront
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Sep 19, 2011
J.C.
rated it: 
I was very excited to read this book, unfortunately the authors writing style and my personal preference in story telling did not mesh. He is very descriptive and his conversations are long and I found difficult to follow. His writing is very good, the translation easy and flowing. I however am more into story telling; not verbose writers who spend three to four pages describing the bark of a tree (not that this author did that, its just an outrageous example). I would recommend this to someo
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Dec 05, 2011
winnie
rated it:
while i feel terribly obliged to say i loved this book, because it was of the highest quality, all i can say is i must be somewhat brain-dead after a week's worth of pokemon because the plot was so mindbogglingly convoluted (in a good way). also maybe because it started off with 50 pages' worth of metaphysics, which is 1. not a branch of philosophy i'm particularly learned in 2. confusing to the layperson 3. didn't seem relevant at all. i guess if my frame of mind was in a better plight it'd be
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Jan 15, 2011
Zoe
rated it:
Read the first 98 pages, and will not finish the other third. My review covers only the first 100 pages.
Set in an indeterminate time a few years after WWII, The Summer of the Ubume starts with a tabloid writer visiting his friend to talk about a woman who has been pregnant for 20 months. Which sounds really interesting, until the journalist's used book dealer/part-time Shinto priest friend spends FORTY-FIVE PAGES talking about everything else but the actual point of the book. This wa More...
Set in an indeterminate time a few years after WWII, The Summer of the Ubume starts with a tabloid writer visiting his friend to talk about a woman who has been pregnant for 20 months. Which sounds really interesting, until the journalist's used book dealer/part-time Shinto priest friend spends FORTY-FIVE PAGES talking about everything else but the actual point of the book. This wa More...
Aug 18, 2011
Scribe
rated it:
Finished this a while back. Wow, this is a pretty crazy read though - trying to describe it is a little tricky, partly because it packs so much in, and partly because discovering what it's "about" seems like part of the fun.
Basically a mystery story, but tied in with psycho-magical theses and a driving, intriguing narration. Intense, clever - but I can't say if it's *too* clever or not. All I can say is that it worked for me, and that I found myself tearing through the secon More...
Basically a mystery story, but tied in with psycho-magical theses and a driving, intriguing narration. Intense, clever - but I can't say if it's *too* clever or not. All I can say is that it worked for me, and that I found myself tearing through the secon More...
Aug 13, 2011
Sae-chan
rated it: 
I picked this book to soothe my soul after Yoshimura Akira's On Parole. I thought a ghosty mystery novel would have been good. I wanted to be spooked. Yea, right. I got spooked big time. But not that way.
This is a philosphical, psychological, turning-your-reasoning-head-upside-downal novel. Full of shikionis to spook you.
This is a philosphical, psychological, turning-your-reasoning-head-upside-downal novel. Full of shikionis to spook you.
Apr 12, 2011
Fiore777
rated it:
Wavered between a 4 and a 5, where's 4.5 when you need it? A heavy dialogue heavy start. I was not certain I would continue it but the blend of supernatural and the screwy paths the mind takes drew me in. Unsettling just about the entire way through but a satisfying read.
Nov 22, 2010
Piratejenny
rated it:
Sheer brilliance. I'd seen the TV series adaptation of Ubume's sequel, 'Moryo no Hako', and was intrigued to say the very least. I bought this excellent English adaptation and devoured it over two weeks in midsummer (which was fitting, considering the novel's title and setting).
Dec 15, 2009
Mason
rated it:
This is an odd one -- it's a mystery, yet it's not intended as a "mystery" novel in which you try to figure out who's behind the crimes. It's a supernatural book, yet there isn't as much supernatural stuff going on as you're led to believe. It's got quite a lot of history and philosophy, but it's not a polemic. It's a character study, but not really of the main character so much as his friends. I enjoyed it, and I'm curious to see what else Kyogoku has available in translation, if anyt
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Feb 22, 2011
Mely
rated it:
Really powerful. Stayed up too late to finish. I'm not sure if it's misogynistic or not; it's definitely not judgmental, or if there's judgment it's not making it through the cultural translations. Some of the materialist talk-around gets tiresome, but -- reality as constructed, delusions and denial, women trapped by pregnancy or the lack of. Though mostly it's about the narrator, trapped by guilt and desire. I wonder if he narrates the others in the series.
Dec 19, 2010
Blake
rated it:
Really unique! Whole different spin on the detective/crime genre. Talk about verbose though! It's a bit of a hard slog through some of the "reasoning" sections, but definitely worth it!
May 22, 2011
j_ay
rated it:
a real struggle to get through 84%, at which point I prefer to finish the book, but this was just impossible.
One would be better off with a book of Japanese folk tales.
One would be better off with a book of Japanese folk tales.
Jul 28, 2010
daniel
rated it:
there is nothing that is strange in this world, sekiguchi.
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Dec 06, 2011
Carolin
rated it:
Needs a lot of concentration, and the chapters were too long for my liking but after about 100 pages I was drawn in and needed to know what happens. A fascinating book
Jun 19, 2011
Will wait next salary time to get this baby. time to haul all the Vertical Publishing releases.
Mar 18, 2011
A very interesting books that will get the readers to start thinking and get scared by the content just by a short sentence. The lines are able to capture the readers' mind keeping them reading page by page, before they know it they have already read finished and craving for more. The mystery gave me a tinge of excitement and waiting to know what is going to happen the next page perharps it would have already been the last page i would not even realised.
Mar 27, 2010
Shelly
rated it:
A great undertaking, twirls with Japanese myths and crime mystery, i love where this author is taking the crime genre.
Feb 11, 2012
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