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マチネの終わりに
天才ギタリストの蒔野(38)と通信社記者の洋子(40)。
深く愛し合いながら一緒になることが許されない二人が、再び巡り逢う日はやってくるのか――。
出会った瞬間から強く惹かれ合った蒔野と洋子。しかし、洋子には婚約者がいた。
スランプに陥りもがく蒔野。人知れず体の不調に苦しむ洋子。
やがて、蒔野と洋子の間にすれ違いが生じ、ついに二人の関係は途絶えてしまうが……。
芥川賞作家が描く、恋の仕方を忘れた大人たちに贈る恋愛小説。
※単行本版より一部の内容を改定しています。
深く愛し合いながら一緒になることが許されない二人が、再び巡り逢う日はやってくるのか――。
出会った瞬間から強く惹かれ合った蒔野と洋子。しかし、洋子には婚約者がいた。
スランプに陥りもがく蒔野。人知れず体の不調に苦しむ洋子。
やがて、蒔野と洋子の間にすれ違いが生じ、ついに二人の関係は途絶えてしまうが……。
芥川賞作家が描く、恋の仕方を忘れた大人たちに贈る恋愛小説。
※単行本版より一部の内容を改定しています。
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2016
2163 people are currently reading
7139 people want to read
About the author
Keiichirō Hirano
44 books302 followersKeiichirō Hirano (平野 啓一郎 Hirano Keiichirō, born June 22, 1975) is a Japanese novelist.
Hirano was born in Gamagori, Aichi prefecture, Japan. He published his first novel (Nisshoku, 日蝕) in 1998 and won the Akutagawa Prize the next year as one of the youngest winners ever (at 23 years of age). He graduated from the Law Department of Kyoto University in 1999. In 2005 he was nominated as a cultural ambassador and spent a year in France.
Hirano was born in Gamagori, Aichi prefecture, Japan. He published his first novel (Nisshoku, 日蝕) in 1998 and won the Akutagawa Prize the next year as one of the youngest winners ever (at 23 years of age). He graduated from the Law Department of Kyoto University in 1999. In 2005 he was nominated as a cultural ambassador and spent a year in France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews
December 30, 2022
I felt super indifferent about this one. I loved the individual journeys that our two main characters went on, but when their stories threaded together, I could never find myself getting on board with it. I don't think it's bad to have infidelity woven into books, because it's a real thing that happens, but I just couldn't stand the way it showed up here. I think had this book been about two people stepping away from a relationship that wasn't working and following them as they focused on their dreams, that I would have liked it a lot more. Instead they keep going back to this relationship that's not working and it's FRUSTRATING.
April 27, 2021
At the End of the Matinee is a unique story about two people that instantly fall in love but then don’t see each other for years. I loved how music was such an important part of the story with Satoshi Makino being a famous guitarist. When he meets Yoko Komino they instantly form a bond but they go years without seeing or talking to each other. The story takes place over years with multiple reunions. Their lives keep drifting apart and coming back together. Can they figure out how to make their love last? Both characters have interesting lives and I enjoyed seeing how their lives progressed throughout the years. At the End of the Matinee is a beautiful story that I definitely recommend.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brian Nishii and enjoyed his narration. He was the perfect voice for Makino.
Thank you Megan Beatie Communications, Amazon Crossing and Brilliance Audio for At the End of the Matinee.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brian Nishii and enjoyed his narration. He was the perfect voice for Makino.
Thank you Megan Beatie Communications, Amazon Crossing and Brilliance Audio for At the End of the Matinee.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
August 27, 2021
| | blog | tumblr | ko-fi | |
Although At the End of the Matinee shares stylistic and thematic similarities with Keiichirō Hirano's A Man, it makes for a far less intriguing read. At the End of the Matinee lacks the psychological edge that made A Man into such a compelling read. The story and characters of At the End of the Matinee have little depth, and, as the narrative progresses and the storyline veers into melodrama, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated by what I was reading (and disappointed too, considering that—abrupt ending aside—I found A Man to be a well-written and engaging read).
The opening pages of At the End of the Matinee are very reminiscent of the ones from A Man. Readers are informed that the story they are about to read is real and that to "protected their privacy" this unnamed author has "altered" certain details (such as their names). Yet, whereas this 'fiction posing as true story' device fitted A Man (given that the novel adopts a story within a story structure) here it just seemed a half-hearted attempt to make Satoshi and Yoko's story more interesting to the reader. This prologue, after all, has no real impact on the remainder of the narrative.
Set in the mid to late 2000s At the End of the Matinee recounts the love story between Makino, a classic guitarist who as of late has become a wee bit disillusioned by his playing and performances, and Yoko, a journalist daughter of a Japanese mother and a Croatian father, who happens to be a renowned film director. The two are introduced after one of Makino's performances through a friend of Yoko and immediately hit it off. Yoko is however engaged to a generic American man.
Despite the distance between them—Makino is in Japan or on tours that take him all over the world while Yoko, who is based in France, is for a period reporting from Iraq— the two begin an email correspondence. Their connection to and feelings for one another are intensified by their virtual exchanges. Makino believes they are meant to be together so decides to visit Yoko once she is back in France. Their reunion is 'complicated' by Jalila, who was forced to leave Baghdad and is now staying with Yoko. Yoko, who is also dealing with PTSD from her experiences in Iraq, is unwilling to leave Jalila by herself so her relationship with Makino is postponed. It became quite clear that Yoko cared very little for her American fiancée, and he merely functions as a plot device to make Yoko 'unavailable. Makino is also going through a musical crisis of sorts, he feels like he is no longer a musical prodigy and that he does not compare to up-and-coming young musicians. The guy was bland, he is the kind of male protagonist you could expect in a work by Murakami. Yoko, instead, is the kind of female character that was clearly written by a man. Her love for Makino makes her all the "more beautiful" and she "ached to give herself to [him] with total abandon, to dissolve in his arms". After Makino declares himself to her she immediately wants "to marry him and have his child". And we are supposed to believe that a female journalist in the 2000s has never been confronted by an arrogant and or condescending man. Yeah, two days ago a British man, who knew full well that I am Italian, felt the need to tell me about how the rest of Italy views Rome.
Half-way through the novel reaches sky-high levels of miscommunication and I hated how things unfolded. I just did not buy into any of it. It also seemed far too easy to make certain characters into 'bad' eggs make Yoko and Makino's behaviour seem just. And, I am so sick of this kind of clichéd portrayal of women (Yoko with her "unself-conscious beauty", the 'other woman' is vapid and big breasted—a trollop clearly—and the 'jealous' woman whose jealousy knows no bounds).
The story is brimming with platitudes ("Happiness was having someone with whom to share all the everyday experiences") and spirals into soap-opera levels of melodrama. There are attempts to make Makino and Yoko Not Like Other People™ because they talk extensively of literature but I found their comparison to Death In Venice to be both contrived and ill-fitting (also, they do not seem to feel the need to point out that Aschenbach's obsession with Tadzio is...problematic to say the least).
At the End of the Matinee was a vexing read. The story is clichéd, the characters lack depth, the obstacles that keep Yoko and Makino apart were overdone, and I found myself annoyed by almost every single thing I was reading (like having Yoko and Makino be Jalila's 'saviours'....bah!). If you have not read anything by this author I suggest you pick up A Man instead.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although At the End of the Matinee shares stylistic and thematic similarities with Keiichirō Hirano's A Man, it makes for a far less intriguing read. At the End of the Matinee lacks the psychological edge that made A Man into such a compelling read. The story and characters of At the End of the Matinee have little depth, and, as the narrative progresses and the storyline veers into melodrama, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated by what I was reading (and disappointed too, considering that—abrupt ending aside—I found A Man to be a well-written and engaging read).
The opening pages of At the End of the Matinee are very reminiscent of the ones from A Man. Readers are informed that the story they are about to read is real and that to "protected their privacy" this unnamed author has "altered" certain details (such as their names). Yet, whereas this 'fiction posing as true story' device fitted A Man (given that the novel adopts a story within a story structure) here it just seemed a half-hearted attempt to make Satoshi and Yoko's story more interesting to the reader. This prologue, after all, has no real impact on the remainder of the narrative.
Set in the mid to late 2000s At the End of the Matinee recounts the love story between Makino, a classic guitarist who as of late has become a wee bit disillusioned by his playing and performances, and Yoko, a journalist daughter of a Japanese mother and a Croatian father, who happens to be a renowned film director. The two are introduced after one of Makino's performances through a friend of Yoko and immediately hit it off. Yoko is however engaged to a generic American man.
Despite the distance between them—Makino is in Japan or on tours that take him all over the world while Yoko, who is based in France, is for a period reporting from Iraq— the two begin an email correspondence. Their connection to and feelings for one another are intensified by their virtual exchanges. Makino believes they are meant to be together so decides to visit Yoko once she is back in France. Their reunion is 'complicated' by Jalila, who was forced to leave Baghdad and is now staying with Yoko. Yoko, who is also dealing with PTSD from her experiences in Iraq, is unwilling to leave Jalila by herself so her relationship with Makino is postponed. It became quite clear that Yoko cared very little for her American fiancée, and he merely functions as a plot device to make Yoko 'unavailable. Makino is also going through a musical crisis of sorts, he feels like he is no longer a musical prodigy and that he does not compare to up-and-coming young musicians. The guy was bland, he is the kind of male protagonist you could expect in a work by Murakami. Yoko, instead, is the kind of female character that was clearly written by a man. Her love for Makino makes her all the "more beautiful" and she "ached to give herself to [him] with total abandon, to dissolve in his arms". After Makino declares himself to her she immediately wants "to marry him and have his child". And we are supposed to believe that a female journalist in the 2000s has never been confronted by an arrogant and or condescending man. Yeah, two days ago a British man, who knew full well that I am Italian, felt the need to tell me about how the rest of Italy views Rome.
Half-way through the novel reaches sky-high levels of miscommunication and I hated how things unfolded. I just did not buy into any of it. It also seemed far too easy to make certain characters into 'bad' eggs make Yoko and Makino's behaviour seem just. And, I am so sick of this kind of clichéd portrayal of women (Yoko with her "unself-conscious beauty", the 'other woman' is vapid and big breasted—a trollop clearly—and the 'jealous' woman whose jealousy knows no bounds).
The story is brimming with platitudes ("Happiness was having someone with whom to share all the everyday experiences") and spirals into soap-opera levels of melodrama. There are attempts to make Makino and Yoko Not Like Other People™ because they talk extensively of literature but I found their comparison to Death In Venice to be both contrived and ill-fitting (also, they do not seem to feel the need to point out that Aschenbach's obsession with Tadzio is...problematic to say the least).
At the End of the Matinee was a vexing read. The story is clichéd, the characters lack depth, the obstacles that keep Yoko and Makino apart were overdone, and I found myself annoyed by almost every single thing I was reading (like having Yoko and Makino be Jalila's 'saviours'....bah!). If you have not read anything by this author I suggest you pick up A Man instead.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2021
I love Japanese literature and this book is no exception. It is certainly not an easy genre if you are not used to it, but extremely refined and poetic. This book will make people argue, I think it will be in that category that either you love or hate, like marmite.
I loved the story, so delicate, I loved the intellectual and cultured characters, both as individuals and as a couple, I loved the music references.
What I was less keen on is the problem of incommunicability between the two main characters which leads them on completely different paths from those foreseen at the beginning of the novel.
Without spoilers I just want to say that my eyes welled up when Makino recognizes Yoko in the crowd.
Overall a really good book that leaves me wanting to read the previous one by the same author.
Recommended for Murakami and Yoshimoto lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the story, so delicate, I loved the intellectual and cultured characters, both as individuals and as a couple, I loved the music references.
What I was less keen on is the problem of incommunicability between the two main characters which leads them on completely different paths from those foreseen at the beginning of the novel.
Without spoilers I just want to say that my eyes welled up when Makino recognizes Yoko in the crowd.
Overall a really good book that leaves me wanting to read the previous one by the same author.
Recommended for Murakami and Yoshimoto lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2021
To paraphrase Yo-Yo Ma, Economics is about the creation of value; culture is about the value of creation. It sums up how he continues to find meaning in his life. Besides being a brilliant cellist, he is also a celebrated humanitarian. Having thought deeply about issues of purpose and connection, he has directed his music toward the goal of global understanding.
It is a sense of purpose that is eluding Satoshi Makino at the beginning of this novel. A renowned classical guitarist, he reflects on the crowning performance of his career. The applause, the acclaim – they all feel empty. He reflects on the concert: “The one thing it lacked was exactly what he now wanted with every fiber of his being: a future. It lacked the thing that until now had characterized all his performances at every stage of his career: the suggestion of newer, fresher music already putting out sprouts, scarcely able to wait for the completion of that moment.” (p.33) Only his old teacher Sofue seems to have suspected the truth. He recalls his old mentor's increasingly restrained congratulatory notes as his popularity rose. He further observes a new generation of musicians emerging and is flooded with feelings of irrelevance.
Yoko Komine, a Paris based journalist working for a French news agency, is entertaining similar doubts. She has concluded that at age 40, the rational decision is to marry Richard if she still wants children. Richard would be a stable influence with his position as an economist, and what she assesses as “a well-mannered passion.” (p.68) Professional doubts begin to overcome her after a suicide bombing while she is on assignment in Baghdad. It is her second rotation, one that she had volunteered for. “I've given a lot of thought to how to mediate between the reality of Iraq today and the minds of Europe living their ordinary lives. I've never felt that I got very far,” she confesses to her boss. Flashbacks due to PTSD continue to unnerve her emotionally.
Hirano is working with deceptively familiar elements: love, jealousy, emotional honesty, human connection, empathy, and the search for meaning. He encourages us through the actions of his characters to consider the ambiguous boundary between loving someone and being in love. These are the serious issues he touches on in this love story. However, it required a second reading of the book to discover this nuance.
I do not believe in love at first sight, and the intense emotions and intellectual spark kindled in the first meeting between Yoko and Makino felt like the kind of ephemeral bonding lubricated by drink that vanishes in the light of the next day. He has chosen a third person point of view which distances the reader from his characters. The reader is further distanced by his unnaturally compact and detached prose. Here is Makino, expounding on the similarity between the development of musical themes and life experiences: “People think that only the future can be changed, but in fact, the future is continually changing the past. The past can and does change. It's exquisitely sensitive and delicately balanced.” (p.17) The past, of course is memory, and our memories are shaped and reshaped by new emotional contexts.
I did not feel the book developed any momentum until the half way point, and I was considering not finishing. An unexpected decision is made that ups the suspense of the plot. Some readers have called the second half of the book melodramatic. However, I think worse weaknesses are the unconvincing quarrel between Yoko and Richard, and the Mary/Martha parable quoted by Mitani, Makino's devoted business manager.
Even worse, however, are the opportunities Hirano has overlooked. Makino speaks of how as a child he loved how music enabled a special kind of communication with his father. After the concert he is particularly pleased that Yoko loved the Brahms Intermezzo no. 2. It is significant that this was the only piece he himself was pleased with. The work was his own transcription. Yoko is multi-lingual. Not only does she speak Japanese, English, French, and a bit of German. Her mother was from Nagasaki and she mentions that she also is conversant in the Kyushu dialect. She speaks about her inability to communicate with her father because he spoke Croatian, a language she never learned. Makino speaks English, French, and Japanese. At a pivotal moment, he switches to Japanese to sound out a friend, Fumiaki Takechi, if he would be interested in a collaborative series of concerts. He briefly reflects an awkwardness in trying to speak to Yoko in English: “...speaking to Yoko in English tonight felt different, as if he were meeting her all over again. In French he could carry on a conversation quite naturally, but in English he couldn't express himself with as much ease.” (p.103) The entire plot hinges on a series of misunderstandings and misleading communications. Clearly Hirano could have explored this vein more deeply.
Despite its flaws, I found myself curious about Hirano's characters, in particular, Mitani and Takechi. I also felt the musical references did much to hold this book together.
NOTES:
There were over 21 musical pieces mentioned in the book. Highlights worth listening to are Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, La Catedral by Agustin Barrios Mangore,Triptico by Leo Brouwer (one of the pieces played by Makino and Takechi), and the Bach Cello Suites no. 1, 3 and 5. As I was reading this book I wished that I was more familiar with classical guitar music. I had to look up and listen to nearly all the references.
Review of the book by Ella Kelleher https://asiamedia.lmu.edu/2021/05/27/...
Interview with the author: https://pen.org/the-pen-ten-keiichiro...
Translator Juliet Winters Carpenter discusses the work: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/...
(you probably will need to create an “account” for this one, but access to it is free)
It is a sense of purpose that is eluding Satoshi Makino at the beginning of this novel. A renowned classical guitarist, he reflects on the crowning performance of his career. The applause, the acclaim – they all feel empty. He reflects on the concert: “The one thing it lacked was exactly what he now wanted with every fiber of his being: a future. It lacked the thing that until now had characterized all his performances at every stage of his career: the suggestion of newer, fresher music already putting out sprouts, scarcely able to wait for the completion of that moment.” (p.33) Only his old teacher Sofue seems to have suspected the truth. He recalls his old mentor's increasingly restrained congratulatory notes as his popularity rose. He further observes a new generation of musicians emerging and is flooded with feelings of irrelevance.
Yoko Komine, a Paris based journalist working for a French news agency, is entertaining similar doubts. She has concluded that at age 40, the rational decision is to marry Richard if she still wants children. Richard would be a stable influence with his position as an economist, and what she assesses as “a well-mannered passion.” (p.68) Professional doubts begin to overcome her after a suicide bombing while she is on assignment in Baghdad. It is her second rotation, one that she had volunteered for. “I've given a lot of thought to how to mediate between the reality of Iraq today and the minds of Europe living their ordinary lives. I've never felt that I got very far,” she confesses to her boss. Flashbacks due to PTSD continue to unnerve her emotionally.
Hirano is working with deceptively familiar elements: love, jealousy, emotional honesty, human connection, empathy, and the search for meaning. He encourages us through the actions of his characters to consider the ambiguous boundary between loving someone and being in love. These are the serious issues he touches on in this love story. However, it required a second reading of the book to discover this nuance.
I do not believe in love at first sight, and the intense emotions and intellectual spark kindled in the first meeting between Yoko and Makino felt like the kind of ephemeral bonding lubricated by drink that vanishes in the light of the next day. He has chosen a third person point of view which distances the reader from his characters. The reader is further distanced by his unnaturally compact and detached prose. Here is Makino, expounding on the similarity between the development of musical themes and life experiences: “People think that only the future can be changed, but in fact, the future is continually changing the past. The past can and does change. It's exquisitely sensitive and delicately balanced.” (p.17) The past, of course is memory, and our memories are shaped and reshaped by new emotional contexts.
I did not feel the book developed any momentum until the half way point, and I was considering not finishing. An unexpected decision is made that ups the suspense of the plot. Some readers have called the second half of the book melodramatic. However, I think worse weaknesses are the unconvincing quarrel between Yoko and Richard, and the Mary/Martha parable quoted by Mitani, Makino's devoted business manager.
Even worse, however, are the opportunities Hirano has overlooked. Makino speaks of how as a child he loved how music enabled a special kind of communication with his father. After the concert he is particularly pleased that Yoko loved the Brahms Intermezzo no. 2. It is significant that this was the only piece he himself was pleased with. The work was his own transcription. Yoko is multi-lingual. Not only does she speak Japanese, English, French, and a bit of German. Her mother was from Nagasaki and she mentions that she also is conversant in the Kyushu dialect. She speaks about her inability to communicate with her father because he spoke Croatian, a language she never learned. Makino speaks English, French, and Japanese. At a pivotal moment, he switches to Japanese to sound out a friend, Fumiaki Takechi, if he would be interested in a collaborative series of concerts. He briefly reflects an awkwardness in trying to speak to Yoko in English: “...speaking to Yoko in English tonight felt different, as if he were meeting her all over again. In French he could carry on a conversation quite naturally, but in English he couldn't express himself with as much ease.” (p.103) The entire plot hinges on a series of misunderstandings and misleading communications. Clearly Hirano could have explored this vein more deeply.
Despite its flaws, I found myself curious about Hirano's characters, in particular, Mitani and Takechi. I also felt the musical references did much to hold this book together.
NOTES:
There were over 21 musical pieces mentioned in the book. Highlights worth listening to are Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, La Catedral by Agustin Barrios Mangore,Triptico by Leo Brouwer (one of the pieces played by Makino and Takechi), and the Bach Cello Suites no. 1, 3 and 5. As I was reading this book I wished that I was more familiar with classical guitar music. I had to look up and listen to nearly all the references.
Review of the book by Ella Kelleher https://asiamedia.lmu.edu/2021/05/27/...
Interview with the author: https://pen.org/the-pen-ten-keiichiro...
Translator Juliet Winters Carpenter discusses the work: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/...
(you probably will need to create an “account” for this one, but access to it is free)
July 8, 2021
I am a huge fan of Japanese literature and I’m always looking for a new author. I am very grateful to discover Keiichiro Hirano through Amazon First Reads. I owned his first book, but read this, his second book, first. The author must have done extensive research. He expertly writes about the war in Iraq, refugees, PTSD, and classical music (in relation to the guitar). All of these are topics of interest to me so I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
There is also a love story (between the war correspondent and the classical guitarist). Both are involved with other people to varying levels of seriousness when they first meet. The miscommunication and following lack of communication that keeps the two of them apart is explained in great detail, but this is the one aspect of the story that dropped my rating from five to four stars.
At the End of the Matinee explores the aftermath of the deception to attain love, reasons why couples separate, and personal growth when overcoming physical, mental, and emotional challenges. But above all, it explores the idea of loss. The setting moves from Japan to Iraq to Paris to New York. At the End of the Matinee is a very well-written book that moves the reader intellectually and emotionally. If you are looking for a new author to broaden your reading horizons, I strongly recommend Keiichiro Hirano. I’m pleased to say I’ve found a new favorite Japanese author.
There is also a love story (between the war correspondent and the classical guitarist). Both are involved with other people to varying levels of seriousness when they first meet. The miscommunication and following lack of communication that keeps the two of them apart is explained in great detail, but this is the one aspect of the story that dropped my rating from five to four stars.
At the End of the Matinee explores the aftermath of the deception to attain love, reasons why couples separate, and personal growth when overcoming physical, mental, and emotional challenges. But above all, it explores the idea of loss. The setting moves from Japan to Iraq to Paris to New York. At the End of the Matinee is a very well-written book that moves the reader intellectually and emotionally. If you are looking for a new author to broaden your reading horizons, I strongly recommend Keiichiro Hirano. I’m pleased to say I’ve found a new favorite Japanese author.
August 14, 2021
A melodramatic love story that follows a relationship between a classical guitarist, Satoshi Makino and a journalist, Yoko Komine. They both met during one of Makino's toured concert and instantly attracted with each other. Neither knows enough about love nor the future fate of their bond. With few hurdles that might envisioning their lives, the story soon unfolds the uncertainties and riddles also the beauty of longing and love.
Hirano still using the same formula like A Man's novel, posing fiction into a true story narration with 3rd pov of each characters' perspective alternating in chapters. I read that few readers did not favour the monotonous nuances but gladly I have no problem in devouring these stagnant prose, although I do admit at some extent it did affect the characters development which became 'tight' and emotionless a bit.
I love that it was not only focusing on both Makino and Yoko but grasped an interesting view of relationship from Mitani and Richard too. A true love or a selfish love and a relationship based on ego, you get to put yourself in their shoes for a moment; to understand and explore the question of trust, experiencing their healing and suffering, that tug-of-war of joy and disappointments, resentment, hope and a crave for a happy ending.
The plot covers subtopic on politics and culture, also PTSD, terrorism and Islamophobia (bit on suicidal too) which I find quite compelling. Love the career talk from both Yoko (a well researched journalism stuff, I think) and Makino (thanks for that few classical music recs). Their personal views of life, love and relationship somehow relatable and also distressing to me-- having love-hate for both characters especially the way they handle those misunderstanding that I could actually relate when the narrator said; "I sympathized with them, grew disgusted with them sometimes, and yet I admired them." Kind of love the abrupt ending too!
Thanks to Times Reads for sending me copy of this book in return for my honest review!
Hirano still using the same formula like A Man's novel, posing fiction into a true story narration with 3rd pov of each characters' perspective alternating in chapters. I read that few readers did not favour the monotonous nuances but gladly I have no problem in devouring these stagnant prose, although I do admit at some extent it did affect the characters development which became 'tight' and emotionless a bit.
I love that it was not only focusing on both Makino and Yoko but grasped an interesting view of relationship from Mitani and Richard too. A true love or a selfish love and a relationship based on ego, you get to put yourself in their shoes for a moment; to understand and explore the question of trust, experiencing their healing and suffering, that tug-of-war of joy and disappointments, resentment, hope and a crave for a happy ending.
The plot covers subtopic on politics and culture, also PTSD, terrorism and Islamophobia (bit on suicidal too) which I find quite compelling. Love the career talk from both Yoko (a well researched journalism stuff, I think) and Makino (thanks for that few classical music recs). Their personal views of life, love and relationship somehow relatable and also distressing to me-- having love-hate for both characters especially the way they handle those misunderstanding that I could actually relate when the narrator said; "I sympathized with them, grew disgusted with them sometimes, and yet I admired them." Kind of love the abrupt ending too!
Thanks to Times Reads for sending me copy of this book in return for my honest review!
Read
April 25, 2021Rather than responding to anything posted here by others, or reviewing the novel directly, I'd like to offer some thoughts drawn from my knowledge of the author. First, 'Matinee' and 'A Man' are utterly different from Mr. Hirano's scholarly, neoclassical, early novels 'Eclipse' and 'One Month,' both of which are in the process of being translated into English (they've long been available in French and several other languages--we in the English-language world are years behind!). When published in English, they'll present readers with new perspectives on Mr. Hirano's work. Second, "Matinee" reflects his philosophy of "bunjin" 分人, which holds that we're somewhat different people depending on what we're doing--working in the office vs. reading a favorite book, for example--or whom we're interacting with, and that one's "true self," if it exists at all, is the amalgamation of one's various personas in one's own mind. The same theme is prominent in 'A Man.' Third, as I think someone has already mentioned, Mr. Hirano is concerned with relationships among the past, the present, and the future. This is rather explicit in the 'Matinee.' Finally, the ending of 'Matinee' (no spoiler here) reminds me of the endings of some well-known 20th-century Japanese masterpieces, such as 'Kokoro' (by Natsume Soseki) and 'Some Prefer Nettles' (by Tanizaki), works with which it has little else in common.
April 28, 2021
I could not put this book down. It’s heartbreaking and somehow healing at the same time? Beautiful. Makes me so upset and somehow provides just enough satisfaction to prevent me throwing it across the room. I wouldn’t say this is about lost love but rather love that has changed, shifted, and mutated form. I think the perspective on memory and the arguments about destiny and self-determination were the most powerful. I’m not sure what to conclude except that I need to remedy my lack of classical music knowledge.
June 10, 2021
Full review on the blog, but I loved it. https://www.themartins.work/blog/book...
March 28, 2021
3 stars *may change
Trigger warnings: suicide (off-page), death, depression, PTSD, war, Islamophobia
Serving as a semi-fictional memoir of the love story between classical guitarist Satoshi Makino and journalist Yoko Komine, At the End of the Matinee is both excruciatingly long and incredibly short.
I'm not very privy to the history behind music and film, so I was expecting that there would be quite a bit in this story I just didn't get. Still, I could not have predicted the paragraphs on paragraphs explaining and giving context behind certain things. It would have made more sense had the fact that this was a memoir been more obvious. Yes, the events are mostly true according to the author (besides obvious changes for privacy), but it only sometimes really read like it. I /know/ memoirs, and I /know/ non-fiction, and this seemed to me like a writing style that could not bear to pick either a conversational memoir-style or a story-telling fictional style. So it did both. It would read to me like any other book and then break off to give the long context behind the Iraq war or the history behind how a fictional movie was made (I think it was fictional, since giving an actual film would expose who this book is about).
I'm gonna gear off into metaphorical territory here, sorry. This book felt like a Thursday. Like 3pm on a Thursday afternoon after having come back from the beach and showered but you can still smell the ocean. Like it's raining outside and you can barely hear the raindrops tapping at your window. Like you're on the verge of falling asleep because all the lights are turned off and you're watching TV. Does that make any sense?
This book felt like forever and like a minute all at the same time. I feel like I flew through it every time I sat down to read — as if events happened in the blink of an eye and we moved on to the next. But then it also felt like an eternity. Finishing it was like running laps for hours and finally being done. It's hard to really describe it.
I find it hard to criticize the characters considering that this is literally about real people. Wouldn't that be weird? They were very...well, human. I can't necessarily blame an author for writing real life exactly how it was, although I must admit that sometimes real life is a bit boring. I wanted a bit more drama in this book — specifically in the last bit. A big end-all show to top it off. I think the genre of "obsessed artist" is so interesting. Watching someone wholly immerse themselves in a passion as they tear themselves apart. This was certainly not that. It's a much more realistic, if dull, showing of what the average artist is. Passionate in what they do but not self-destructive. An accurate retelling, but at what cost?
This was not mind-blowingly amazing. It didn't stop my world nor did it outshine the other books I've read this month. It was good. Definitely not bad. It had charisma and heart behind it but lacked a certain amount of pizzazz.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: suicide (off-page), death, depression, PTSD, war, Islamophobia
“People think that only the future can be changed, but in fact, the future is continually changing the past. The past can and does change. It’s exquisitely sensitive and delicately balanced.”
Serving as a semi-fictional memoir of the love story between classical guitarist Satoshi Makino and journalist Yoko Komine, At the End of the Matinee is both excruciatingly long and incredibly short.
I'm not very privy to the history behind music and film, so I was expecting that there would be quite a bit in this story I just didn't get. Still, I could not have predicted the paragraphs on paragraphs explaining and giving context behind certain things. It would have made more sense had the fact that this was a memoir been more obvious. Yes, the events are mostly true according to the author (besides obvious changes for privacy), but it only sometimes really read like it. I /know/ memoirs, and I /know/ non-fiction, and this seemed to me like a writing style that could not bear to pick either a conversational memoir-style or a story-telling fictional style. So it did both. It would read to me like any other book and then break off to give the long context behind the Iraq war or the history behind how a fictional movie was made (I think it was fictional, since giving an actual film would expose who this book is about).
I'm gonna gear off into metaphorical territory here, sorry. This book felt like a Thursday. Like 3pm on a Thursday afternoon after having come back from the beach and showered but you can still smell the ocean. Like it's raining outside and you can barely hear the raindrops tapping at your window. Like you're on the verge of falling asleep because all the lights are turned off and you're watching TV. Does that make any sense?
This book felt like forever and like a minute all at the same time. I feel like I flew through it every time I sat down to read — as if events happened in the blink of an eye and we moved on to the next. But then it also felt like an eternity. Finishing it was like running laps for hours and finally being done. It's hard to really describe it.
I find it hard to criticize the characters considering that this is literally about real people. Wouldn't that be weird? They were very...well, human. I can't necessarily blame an author for writing real life exactly how it was, although I must admit that sometimes real life is a bit boring. I wanted a bit more drama in this book — specifically in the last bit. A big end-all show to top it off. I think the genre of "obsessed artist" is so interesting. Watching someone wholly immerse themselves in a passion as they tear themselves apart. This was certainly not that. It's a much more realistic, if dull, showing of what the average artist is. Passionate in what they do but not self-destructive. An accurate retelling, but at what cost?
This was not mind-blowingly amazing. It didn't stop my world nor did it outshine the other books I've read this month. It was good. Definitely not bad. It had charisma and heart behind it but lacked a certain amount of pizzazz.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2021
Whether you like or dislike "At the End of the Matinee" is probably going to depend on your expectations coming into it, and on your stance on destiny.
It starts like a romance: after one of the concerts given when he's 38 and celebrating 20 years of professional musical activity, Satoshi Makino, an exceptional classical guitarist, is introduced to Yoko Komine, a highly educated half-Japanese, half-Croatian journalist. They find a deep, life-changing connection right away.
But this isn't, really, a romance. It's a book pondering on the ripple effect of small events, on coincidences, on how the future rewrites our perception of the past, on destiny versus choice. It's mostly a thoughtful book, filled with longing and overt questions of how to handle those small, nagging "what ifs" in life, as well as subtextual questions regarding what it means to be "mature".
A couple of events are on the edge of believability and one really wishes that the main characters would just... talk. And be more clear with each other, avoiding consequences. But then again, perhaps they cannot be more clear, and their circumstances and personalities have set them up for just that situation they're in. In a way almost akin to a Greek tragedy, you cannot help but wish things played out differently and be frustrated that they don't (for the want of a detail), while watching them unfold in perhaps the only way they can.
As the book is about a classical guitarist, I didn't expect to understand many musical references, but Keiichirō Hirano is quite adept at describing music in such a way as to make readers feel it and understand the charm of concerts and the work of a performer.
It's a charming novel, though perhaps not everyone's cup of tea.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
It starts like a romance: after one of the concerts given when he's 38 and celebrating 20 years of professional musical activity, Satoshi Makino, an exceptional classical guitarist, is introduced to Yoko Komine, a highly educated half-Japanese, half-Croatian journalist. They find a deep, life-changing connection right away.
But this isn't, really, a romance. It's a book pondering on the ripple effect of small events, on coincidences, on how the future rewrites our perception of the past, on destiny versus choice. It's mostly a thoughtful book, filled with longing and overt questions of how to handle those small, nagging "what ifs" in life, as well as subtextual questions regarding what it means to be "mature".
A couple of events are on the edge of believability and one really wishes that the main characters would just... talk. And be more clear with each other, avoiding consequences. But then again, perhaps they cannot be more clear, and their circumstances and personalities have set them up for just that situation they're in. In a way almost akin to a Greek tragedy, you cannot help but wish things played out differently and be frustrated that they don't (for the want of a detail), while watching them unfold in perhaps the only way they can.
As the book is about a classical guitarist, I didn't expect to understand many musical references, but Keiichirō Hirano is quite adept at describing music in such a way as to make readers feel it and understand the charm of concerts and the work of a performer.
It's a charming novel, though perhaps not everyone's cup of tea.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
I wasn’t at all convinced by this romance novel, and in fact became increasingly irritated as the narrative progressed. It tells of the ill-fated relationship between a classical guitarist and a journalist, who, when they meet for the first time, connect immediately and profoundly – and for ever. So far so saccharine. But it seems they are destined to be kept apart - with a bit of help from a jealous personal assistant, in a plot twist that is just so unlikely that I nearly gave up at that point. I just couldn’t understand why this mature experienced couple couldn't simply talk it all through and get it together – instead of sacrificing their lives to some implausible misunderstanding. Platitudes and clichés abound in this book, not least in the descriptions of the women – I thought we had got past the fainting feeble woman longing to melt into their lover’s arms. The characters lack depth, the dialogue is overwritten and the emotions verge on the melodramatic. So anything to like? A few things, to be fair. The protagonist’s musical career is quite well handled, and the journalist’s experiences in Baghdad add some interest. But overall this is not one I can recommend.
May 2, 2022
I'm a sucker for love stories like this as a hopeless yet realistic romantic if you will. That said, I enjoyed this book immensely. It made me feel deeply for and easily resonate with the characters. The story played out in my head easily with no need to suspend disbelief or subscribe to flimsy character motivations (except for that one major plot point iykwim). It's a love story that, for me, makes you want to believe in love in all its mess and beauty.
In the beginning, we meet Satoshi Makino, a seasoned classical guitarist and musical prodigy, and Yoko Komine, a veteran war journalist who has experienced her fair share of life's harsh realities. After Makino's concert in Tokyo, they meet and instantly form an unexplainable affinity for each other. As they continue their conversations despite their distance and realities, they slowly realize they are falling in love.
And my gods I am SUCH a sucker for this trope. What stood out for me the most was how Makino and Yoko had their own separate lives before meeting and how their respective careers are as important to them as each other. As people in their mid to late 30s, both believe that they will be resigned to their respective fates: a bachelor prodigy who will remain forever in love with his music and a successful journalist who will have a family with her college sweetheart. But you know, life and love throw you these curveballs that literally change your life, and this book does the perfect job of showing this to the reader.
When the two have established their love, they both constantly strive to make it work. They have their own lives and they now have each other, but they also realize that love never comes easy. As mature and realized individuals, they approach their love tentatively in an almost immature way when they first venture into this unknown territory. Their relationship is one that is affected by several factors both within and outside them, in both their own minds and by the people around them. When a (completely overblown and seemingly contrived) misunderstanding occurs, it triggers the unravelling of events that takes a full 180-turn on the whole story. If you read this and once you encounter this scene, you'll understand what I mean.
Through all the ups and downs that Makino and Yoko's story went through, it just further cemented in me the concept that life is and will never be just a walk in the park. Too many things beyond your control will happen and people will always be there to contradict everything you say or do. But despite this, it is our very human nature to connect with another, no matter the hurdles. And it is in this way that the story will have a lasting effect on me.
Recommended for: people who enjoyed Sally Rooney's "Normal People" because it reminded me so much of that story, except Makino and Yoko are older, (slightly) more mature versions of Connell and Marianne. If you like love stories rooted in very human emotions and experiences with a touch of angst, this book is for you.
In the beginning, we meet Satoshi Makino, a seasoned classical guitarist and musical prodigy, and Yoko Komine, a veteran war journalist who has experienced her fair share of life's harsh realities. After Makino's concert in Tokyo, they meet and instantly form an unexplainable affinity for each other. As they continue their conversations despite their distance and realities, they slowly realize they are falling in love.
And my gods I am SUCH a sucker for this trope. What stood out for me the most was how Makino and Yoko had their own separate lives before meeting and how their respective careers are as important to them as each other. As people in their mid to late 30s, both believe that they will be resigned to their respective fates: a bachelor prodigy who will remain forever in love with his music and a successful journalist who will have a family with her college sweetheart. But you know, life and love throw you these curveballs that literally change your life, and this book does the perfect job of showing this to the reader.
When the two have established their love, they both constantly strive to make it work. They have their own lives and they now have each other, but they also realize that love never comes easy. As mature and realized individuals, they approach their love tentatively in an almost immature way when they first venture into this unknown territory. Their relationship is one that is affected by several factors both within and outside them, in both their own minds and by the people around them. When a (completely overblown and seemingly contrived) misunderstanding occurs, it triggers the unravelling of events that takes a full 180-turn on the whole story. If you read this and once you encounter this scene, you'll understand what I mean.
Through all the ups and downs that Makino and Yoko's story went through, it just further cemented in me the concept that life is and will never be just a walk in the park. Too many things beyond your control will happen and people will always be there to contradict everything you say or do. But despite this, it is our very human nature to connect with another, no matter the hurdles. And it is in this way that the story will have a lasting effect on me.
Recommended for: people who enjoyed Sally Rooney's "Normal People" because it reminded me so much of that story, except Makino and Yoko are older, (slightly) more mature versions of Connell and Marianne. If you like love stories rooted in very human emotions and experiences with a touch of angst, this book is for you.
June 12, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book, with so much miscommunication that finally led to endless drama between the main characters, 38 years old Satoshi Makino and 40 years old Yoko Komine. Makino, a classical music guitarist encountered by chance Yoko who works as a journalist for the French media outlet RFP. Soon their relationship begins to take shape into more intense online communication through email as Yoko was assigned the job of reporting from Iraq the year of the execution of Saddam Hussein. But it was only the start of the story, as Keichiro Hirano will guide us to see the various miscommunications which hinder the possibility of happiness between Makino and Yoko.
The setting for this novel is quite ambitious, unlike many contemporary Japanese novels which I have read in the past few years. There are scenes that take place in Japan, as the story begins to tell the chance encounter between Makino and Yoko in Tokyo after one of his concerts. It also depicts some scenes during Yoko’s time of reporting from Baghdad when she was assigned the job to report for RFP news, which I should praise for the clarity of factual information and the rendering of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that affected many foreign journalists and military staff after their postings there. In some other parts of the story, we are also taken into Paris and New York as the viewpoints change between Yoko and Makino.
Even though the story is being told from the third-person point of view, I get a sense of reading something of a story that was initially rendered in first-person, then get changed into third-person halfway. As though the narrators are actually Makino and Yoko themselves, but it was then modified to third-person narrative to give a more intense sense of miscommunication between the two. But overall, miscommunication is the main strength of this story. We as the readers are led into thinking that we know what will happen next, only to be told otherwise.
Reading this novel in some ways gives me a similar vibe to reading news or any texts of journalism. There is much factual information that sometimes overrides the main story. In some parts of the story, conversations may dominate the passage, but there are times when the author explains some historical facts or literary criticism in a matter-of-fact way that is far from natural in the way that is commonly used for literary text, such as the way the author portrays the situation of the American invasion of Iraq before Yoko’s posting there or explaining how Bach music was influenced by the Thirty Years War. It is as though the author is afraid that the readers will lose the context, that he begins explaining even though it might come out as unnatural. This is, after all, a rather ambitious novel incorporating many different aspects beyond cultural barriers which render it worth noting as Weltliteratur.
To readers who are unfamiliar with classical music, it might bore them a bit since they will not understand the references. Classical music is central to our characters and forms conversations and bond between Makino and Yoko, that in some ways make me think more that music is a universal language that could transcend across cultural boundaries. That is why I think many people across cultures would undoubtedly feel at home reading this novel, on the condition that they could take the references. The love between Makino and Yoko is a tragic one, since they live in distance with frequent miscommunication caused by the imperfect online bridgings, and it pained me more to discover some parts of myself inside the brief relationship between those two. Overall, I appreciate the carefully curated information that enriched my knowledge through this novel and countless drama that stirred up my emotion, however, I still think there might be something missing in translation from this book, that I’ll reserve my final judgment after watching the film adaptation.
The setting for this novel is quite ambitious, unlike many contemporary Japanese novels which I have read in the past few years. There are scenes that take place in Japan, as the story begins to tell the chance encounter between Makino and Yoko in Tokyo after one of his concerts. It also depicts some scenes during Yoko’s time of reporting from Baghdad when she was assigned the job to report for RFP news, which I should praise for the clarity of factual information and the rendering of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that affected many foreign journalists and military staff after their postings there. In some other parts of the story, we are also taken into Paris and New York as the viewpoints change between Yoko and Makino.
Even though the story is being told from the third-person point of view, I get a sense of reading something of a story that was initially rendered in first-person, then get changed into third-person halfway. As though the narrators are actually Makino and Yoko themselves, but it was then modified to third-person narrative to give a more intense sense of miscommunication between the two. But overall, miscommunication is the main strength of this story. We as the readers are led into thinking that we know what will happen next, only to be told otherwise.
Reading this novel in some ways gives me a similar vibe to reading news or any texts of journalism. There is much factual information that sometimes overrides the main story. In some parts of the story, conversations may dominate the passage, but there are times when the author explains some historical facts or literary criticism in a matter-of-fact way that is far from natural in the way that is commonly used for literary text, such as the way the author portrays the situation of the American invasion of Iraq before Yoko’s posting there or explaining how Bach music was influenced by the Thirty Years War. It is as though the author is afraid that the readers will lose the context, that he begins explaining even though it might come out as unnatural. This is, after all, a rather ambitious novel incorporating many different aspects beyond cultural barriers which render it worth noting as Weltliteratur.
To readers who are unfamiliar with classical music, it might bore them a bit since they will not understand the references. Classical music is central to our characters and forms conversations and bond between Makino and Yoko, that in some ways make me think more that music is a universal language that could transcend across cultural boundaries. That is why I think many people across cultures would undoubtedly feel at home reading this novel, on the condition that they could take the references. The love between Makino and Yoko is a tragic one, since they live in distance with frequent miscommunication caused by the imperfect online bridgings, and it pained me more to discover some parts of myself inside the brief relationship between those two. Overall, I appreciate the carefully curated information that enriched my knowledge through this novel and countless drama that stirred up my emotion, however, I still think there might be something missing in translation from this book, that I’ll reserve my final judgment after watching the film adaptation.
July 31, 2021
Brilliant and beautiful, laced with human frailty and strength.
January 28, 2023
It has been a while since I have stayed up all night listening to a book because I just didn’t want to stop listening to the story. This morning I turned off the light at 6 AM having just finished experiencing this audible book.
I would rate this book as a 4.9 star Effort. And I take off a bit for the messy miscommunication that happens between the main characters about halfway into the book which leads to their separation. This whole process of communication and the words that are used in the messages sent is way too contrived and contrast significantly with the apparent skill of this writer. It is such a key part of the story that it is sad that it is not better done. The other bit that I have a problem with is the ending. It leaves you not knowing exactly what is going to happen in the relationship of the two main characters. This seems a bit too much like a gimmick, which is something that this book does not deserve.
I believe that the writing in this book which deeply explores the interior life of the two band characters in expressing their feelings and hopes and experiences with each other is a Monumental success in spite of the two glitches that I have mentioned previously. The ability of the author to be inside the head of both a man and a woman as they experienced. A deep connection with each other was amazingly well done from my point of you. It displayed the complexity of life and relationships in a way that I found both moving and lovely. It shows that you do not always get what you want in life, and that there are a lot of reasons for that common occurrence. One thinks of Romeo and Juliet among many others. The phrase “starcrossed lovers“ comes to mind. But in this case there is a true villain, who may not exactly have been a villain in retrospect, because she did not achieve her goal exactly. The struggle of people setting aside their own deeply felt needs because of a sense of a higher purpose is an interesting drama without any obvious best answers.
I would rate this book as a 4.9 star Effort. And I take off a bit for the messy miscommunication that happens between the main characters about halfway into the book which leads to their separation. This whole process of communication and the words that are used in the messages sent is way too contrived and contrast significantly with the apparent skill of this writer. It is such a key part of the story that it is sad that it is not better done. The other bit that I have a problem with is the ending. It leaves you not knowing exactly what is going to happen in the relationship of the two main characters. This seems a bit too much like a gimmick, which is something that this book does not deserve.
I believe that the writing in this book which deeply explores the interior life of the two band characters in expressing their feelings and hopes and experiences with each other is a Monumental success in spite of the two glitches that I have mentioned previously. The ability of the author to be inside the head of both a man and a woman as they experienced. A deep connection with each other was amazingly well done from my point of you. It displayed the complexity of life and relationships in a way that I found both moving and lovely. It shows that you do not always get what you want in life, and that there are a lot of reasons for that common occurrence. One thinks of Romeo and Juliet among many others. The phrase “starcrossed lovers“ comes to mind. But in this case there is a true villain, who may not exactly have been a villain in retrospect, because she did not achieve her goal exactly. The struggle of people setting aside their own deeply felt needs because of a sense of a higher purpose is an interesting drama without any obvious best answers.
May 8, 2023
At the End of the Matinee features a refreshingly simplistic and age-old storyline: boy meets girl, falls in love, loses girl, and finds girl again.
The ending ... is left to the reader.
This resonated for me for many reasons. It has made me take note of the research the author has done as well as think through the passages. I couldn’t help but root for them despite the path they were lead to – and if they just talked. Easier said than done, such is life.
I'm glad I selected this as my first read for 2022, and appreciate this wonderful translation.
The ending ... is left to the reader.
This resonated for me for many reasons. It has made me take note of the research the author has done as well as think through the passages. I couldn’t help but root for them despite the path they were lead to – and if they just talked. Easier said than done, such is life.
I'm glad I selected this as my first read for 2022, and appreciate this wonderful translation.
March 19, 2021
This is a beautifully written book, with some elegant sentences and at times phrases and statements that feeling intensely insightful and personal. And yet for a story about a romance, and two wonderfully intellectual characters, the book for me felt flat and somehow distant, almost clinical. The prologue somewhat sets up this tone and the writing feels restrained at times despite the prose. The writing was strong, the development of each character had thoughtful depth and nuance, and the gentle progression of the story was enjoyable and felt realistic for how the characters were written as both seemed like intentional, focused, and independent characters devoted to their work yet also perhaps realizing they sought meaning and connection in ways they had not realized they wanted until they connected and continued to connect over the years. I just wished for less internal dialogue and more emotional connection (though I also understand my perceptions may be colored by cultural differences that should be worth considering in my comments).
There are strengths though for me despite my lack of engagement with the story; I appreciated a chance to learn, in depth, about the characters as intellectuals and professionals as I do not often encounter characters who live so much in their professional world as these characters do and I appreciated their passion for their work and their identities. I also enjoyed that these were characters slowly entering midlife and, to use Erikson's lifespan theory, the writing managed to capture the unconscious conflict that is associated with midlife (generativity vs. stagnation) and I have an appreciation for a writer who could capture this somewhat intangible but very real feeling that many experience in their personal and/or professional lives. This was clear in their thoughts about starting a relationship in midlife or worrying that passion/infatuation and perhaps child rearing were lost opportunities, in the reflection on past mentors and the notion of how to give back to one's professional or personal community, and also the emergence of themes on mental health that emerge and worries about longevity in career/impact on a profession. This was to me a notable strength of the book.
I appreciated the chance to read this book as despite not being quite able to connect with the story overall, I did connect with the depth, detail, and thoughtfulness, even respect, the author appeared to have for the characters and their story.
There are strengths though for me despite my lack of engagement with the story; I appreciated a chance to learn, in depth, about the characters as intellectuals and professionals as I do not often encounter characters who live so much in their professional world as these characters do and I appreciated their passion for their work and their identities. I also enjoyed that these were characters slowly entering midlife and, to use Erikson's lifespan theory, the writing managed to capture the unconscious conflict that is associated with midlife (generativity vs. stagnation) and I have an appreciation for a writer who could capture this somewhat intangible but very real feeling that many experience in their personal and/or professional lives. This was clear in their thoughts about starting a relationship in midlife or worrying that passion/infatuation and perhaps child rearing were lost opportunities, in the reflection on past mentors and the notion of how to give back to one's professional or personal community, and also the emergence of themes on mental health that emerge and worries about longevity in career/impact on a profession. This was to me a notable strength of the book.
I appreciated the chance to read this book as despite not being quite able to connect with the story overall, I did connect with the depth, detail, and thoughtfulness, even respect, the author appeared to have for the characters and their story.
May 30, 2020
Senz’altro uno dei libri più belli letti quest’anno, difficilmente inquadrabile in un filone specifico. Parla un linguaggio universale di sentimenti, emozioni, amori ed amicizie che non hanno confini geografici. Se mi perdonate il paragone (sono sempre approssimativi, ma tanto per dare l’idea) è come leggere Mariàs con una scrittura ancora più raffinata ed una trama più solida (senza esagerare però...).
È la storia di due affermati professionisti, un chitarrista classico ed una giornalista, tra i quali scocca la scintilla dell’amore inteso nel senso più pieno del termine. E quindi non solo come aspetto fisico, ma anche e soprattutto come completamento l’uno dell’altra.
La trama del racconto evolverà con dei colpi di scena, alcuni francamente un po’ improbabili. Ma bisogna considerare che la trama è più che altro il pretesto per consentire all’autore di sondare l’animo umano nelle sue molteplici sfaccettature.
In particolare sono due i temi che a mio avviso ricorrono più frequentemente.
Il primo è il passato che cambia. Cambia perché le nostre nuove esperienze ci fanno vedere il nostro passato con occhi sempre diversi, così che il giudizio che abbiamo dato di una nostra esperienza passata e perfino della nostra stessa vita vissuta può cambiare nel tempo.
Il secondo tema è quello che Hirano chiama il “dividuo” contrapposto all’”individuo”. La persona non come un monolite con una sua personalità (individuo) ma come un essere complesso fatto di molteplici relazioni (al lavoro, con la moglie/marito, con i genitori e con i figli, con gli amici e con gli sconosciuti) nei confronti delle quali la persona (il dividuo) sviluppa molteplici personalità.
La magia di Hirano consiste nel far vivere questi temi in una storia vibrante ed appassionata, fuori del tempo.
È la storia di due affermati professionisti, un chitarrista classico ed una giornalista, tra i quali scocca la scintilla dell’amore inteso nel senso più pieno del termine. E quindi non solo come aspetto fisico, ma anche e soprattutto come completamento l’uno dell’altra.
La trama del racconto evolverà con dei colpi di scena, alcuni francamente un po’ improbabili. Ma bisogna considerare che la trama è più che altro il pretesto per consentire all’autore di sondare l’animo umano nelle sue molteplici sfaccettature.
In particolare sono due i temi che a mio avviso ricorrono più frequentemente.
Il primo è il passato che cambia. Cambia perché le nostre nuove esperienze ci fanno vedere il nostro passato con occhi sempre diversi, così che il giudizio che abbiamo dato di una nostra esperienza passata e perfino della nostra stessa vita vissuta può cambiare nel tempo.
Il secondo tema è quello che Hirano chiama il “dividuo” contrapposto all’”individuo”. La persona non come un monolite con una sua personalità (individuo) ma come un essere complesso fatto di molteplici relazioni (al lavoro, con la moglie/marito, con i genitori e con i figli, con gli amici e con gli sconosciuti) nei confronti delle quali la persona (il dividuo) sviluppa molteplici personalità.
La magia di Hirano consiste nel far vivere questi temi in una storia vibrante ed appassionata, fuori del tempo.
May 2, 2021
DNF at 20%
I'm sure this is a great book for someone but it's not for me. I found it incredibly dull and meandering, it kept wandering in all the spaces around the plot using the most monotonous voice possible. I just truly do not want to continue
I'm sure this is a great book for someone but it's not for me. I found it incredibly dull and meandering, it kept wandering in all the spaces around the plot using the most monotonous voice possible. I just truly do not want to continue
April 28, 2021
An absolutely exquisite mediation on art, free will, destiny, and love with a rich soundtrack of classical guitar pieces. One of the finest pieces of contemporary fiction from Japan I’ve ever read!
December 8, 2022
As I was reading this book, I was listening to a list of classical reading music, and one, in particular, was very relevant to the story, so relevant that I kept repeating it.
Lost by Annelie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J614H...
So a few years from now, this book is going to be remembered by this music, I'll think about it whenever I'll listen to it.
Having said that, I would like to point out that I'm not very musical, I love music, and I love classical music, but I'm not very cultured in the matter, and this book was very musical .
The average reader, like myself, will find it hard to keep up with all the names and their significance to the story.
Now to my opinion on the book itself, I've been away from books and in a reading slump for a very long time, and I'm finally finding my way back to it, like finding my way back to an old lover, I have high expectations that will not be met instantly because as much as I think that this is an old lover that knows me, it's been years, resulting in both of us growing and changing in ways none of us has predicted, and therefore the old lover has to be treated like a new lover would be, with caution, with ease and with lots of learning and patience.
As I have grown and changed, my view on love has changed, I no longer believe in love at first sight, nor in a love that you only fight for by keeping it in your heart, I believe that a true love's fight is by having that lover by your side and by fighting together everything that could keep us apart, including ourselves.
You will then ask me, why is love intensified by absence? why does distance make our longings grow? I don't think it does, I think we take everything for granted, we take the presence for granted, just like a spoiled kid who would throw away a toy and only get fussy about it if he knows that he will lose it, we are wired to long for what we can't have, or for what's hard to have, and that's a good incentive for our personal growth, but it's usually what keeps us unhappy.
Love in my opinion is intensified by hard work, and by not taking anything for granted, and last but not least, by taking what you have and making it greater, instead of looking for something better.
Lost by Annelie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J614H...
So a few years from now, this book is going to be remembered by this music, I'll think about it whenever I'll listen to it.
Having said that, I would like to point out that I'm not very musical, I love music, and I love classical music, but I'm not very cultured in the matter, and this book was very musical .
The average reader, like myself, will find it hard to keep up with all the names and their significance to the story.
Now to my opinion on the book itself, I've been away from books and in a reading slump for a very long time, and I'm finally finding my way back to it, like finding my way back to an old lover, I have high expectations that will not be met instantly because as much as I think that this is an old lover that knows me, it's been years, resulting in both of us growing and changing in ways none of us has predicted, and therefore the old lover has to be treated like a new lover would be, with caution, with ease and with lots of learning and patience.
As I have grown and changed, my view on love has changed, I no longer believe in love at first sight, nor in a love that you only fight for by keeping it in your heart, I believe that a true love's fight is by having that lover by your side and by fighting together everything that could keep us apart, including ourselves.
You will then ask me, why is love intensified by absence? why does distance make our longings grow? I don't think it does, I think we take everything for granted, we take the presence for granted, just like a spoiled kid who would throw away a toy and only get fussy about it if he knows that he will lose it, we are wired to long for what we can't have, or for what's hard to have, and that's a good incentive for our personal growth, but it's usually what keeps us unhappy.
Love in my opinion is intensified by hard work, and by not taking anything for granted, and last but not least, by taking what you have and making it greater, instead of looking for something better.
October 1, 2021
like a beautiful & complex musical composition, at the end of the matinee by keiichiro hirano swirls and eddies in my mind, a poignant story of love & human identity. classical guitarist satoshi makino seems to be meeting his musical dreams when he meets journalist yoko komine; they instantly connect, yet their lives take them in different directions. hirano so perfectly nails the dance of falling for someone; the uncertainty and hesitations interwoven between the assurance and confidences of love. the way one sometimes finds their own identities and wants and needs both outside and inside of other relationships.
this book is definitely for you if you enjoy character driven stories. a quiet romance, this story took me in directions i did not expect. it is a heavy read at times and touches on very serious themes, including personal trauma, intergenerational trauma, and war. this was a book that as i finished, i wiped away the tears from my face and just sat reflecting.
this book is definitely for you if you enjoy character driven stories. a quiet romance, this story took me in directions i did not expect. it is a heavy read at times and touches on very serious themes, including personal trauma, intergenerational trauma, and war. this was a book that as i finished, i wiped away the tears from my face and just sat reflecting.
June 3, 2021
The story of life…
With the vagaries of fate, traumas, life history, cultures and intersections with world events both man made and environmental… this story passes all expectations. Deeply philosophical, it shines light on the brief flickers of light comprising our lives and the miracles of unity both within and between that can happen.
With the vagaries of fate, traumas, life history, cultures and intersections with world events both man made and environmental… this story passes all expectations. Deeply philosophical, it shines light on the brief flickers of light comprising our lives and the miracles of unity both within and between that can happen.
April 16, 2019
A cosa corrisponde la parola individuo e quale lingua scegliere per raccontare di come esso continui a frantumarsi per ogni scelta che compie per ogni volta che bisogna per necessità perdere il controllo.
Una storia d'amore che diventa un'esperienza estatica.
https://bit.ly/2PcbnUN
Una storia d'amore che diventa un'esperienza estatica.
https://bit.ly/2PcbnUN
May 26, 2021
4.5
Thoroughly enjoyed this and the romance was delightful. I want to kill Mitani but also I understand why she did it. This book explores grey areas so well and the intricacies of relationships.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and the romance was delightful. I want to kill Mitani but also I understand why she did it. This book explores grey areas so well and the intricacies of relationships.
July 22, 2021
At the End of the Matinee by Keiichiro Hirano
Just finished this moving Japanese novel (it's also a 2019 Japanese romance drama). It kind of feels like the type of book people will either loath or love.
At the End of the Matinee is about two people, a Japanese-Croatian news correspondent named Yoko Komine, and a famous Japanese classical guitarist called Satoshi Makino, in a classic case of two right people who fall instantly in love with each other at the wrong time, who ended up apart, and the long years before and after their first meeting, and the people that surrounded them.
Reads like a lyrical memoir meets soap opera, with lots of imagery, classical music references, and literary references thrown in - and not to mention, world events, a refugee friend, and an exploration of PTSD.
Some parts felt very real while other parts felt like they were researched and embellished onto the reality. (Notably, for a Japanese novel, it wasn't overtly Japan-centric and was actually quite international.) There are also quite a few twists and turns along the way. Would probably recommend this book to those who love music, or are fans of Japanese literature.
Many thanks to @times.reads for this review copy!
Just finished this moving Japanese novel (it's also a 2019 Japanese romance drama). It kind of feels like the type of book people will either loath or love.
At the End of the Matinee is about two people, a Japanese-Croatian news correspondent named Yoko Komine, and a famous Japanese classical guitarist called Satoshi Makino, in a classic case of two right people who fall instantly in love with each other at the wrong time, who ended up apart, and the long years before and after their first meeting, and the people that surrounded them.
Reads like a lyrical memoir meets soap opera, with lots of imagery, classical music references, and literary references thrown in - and not to mention, world events, a refugee friend, and an exploration of PTSD.
Some parts felt very real while other parts felt like they were researched and embellished onto the reality. (Notably, for a Japanese novel, it wasn't overtly Japan-centric and was actually quite international.) There are also quite a few twists and turns along the way. Would probably recommend this book to those who love music, or are fans of Japanese literature.
Many thanks to @times.reads for this review copy!
August 11, 2025
2006 - renowned classical guitarist Satoshi Makino has just performed his final concert of his latest tour in Tokyo's Suntory Hall. After the concert, Satoshi meets journalist Yoko Komine - and the two form an instant bond.
However, Yoko is already engaged to an American economist and, even though she initially decides she wants to be with Mikano, events and circumstances keep conspiring against them. Will the couple ever be together?....
I previously read, and really enjoyed, one of this author's later works, A Man. This one was a bit slow to get going and initially I was a bit disappointed. But it picked up greatly in the second half and I began to feel real sympathy for the two central characters. Some more interesting themes in this one, as with my earlier read, including survivor guilt and the responsibility for fiscal collapse (the Lehman Bank collapse in the USA) - not to mention the art of playing classical guitar (which sadly I can't but the detail was still fascinating).
Another enjoyable Japanese literature read for me, although the poignant ending could have been better! - 8/10.
However, Yoko is already engaged to an American economist and, even though she initially decides she wants to be with Mikano, events and circumstances keep conspiring against them. Will the couple ever be together?....
I previously read, and really enjoyed, one of this author's later works, A Man. This one was a bit slow to get going and initially I was a bit disappointed. But it picked up greatly in the second half and I began to feel real sympathy for the two central characters. Some more interesting themes in this one, as with my earlier read, including survivor guilt and the responsibility for fiscal collapse (the Lehman Bank collapse in the USA) - not to mention the art of playing classical guitar (which sadly I can't but the detail was still fascinating).
Another enjoyable Japanese literature read for me, although the poignant ending could have been better! - 8/10.
July 8, 2023
3.5 stars*
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, although I do feel that this book wasn't written for me for where I am in my life right now, so at times I found it difficult to relate to the characters since I haven't gone through anything similar to what they have, maybe I would enjoy it more reading in the future. It did touch on some very interesting topics and conversations that really had me reflecting and thinking about certain things. With an interesting love story that I felt came to a satisfying conclusion. While I can't fully understand most of the characters actions and feelings I still enjoyed the story.
I loved all of the musical references, especially since a lot of the music Makino was playing I have played myself (although in the original on piano and cello rather than the guitar arrangement) and other pieces I was familiar with enjoyed them!
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, although I do feel that this book wasn't written for me for where I am in my life right now, so at times I found it difficult to relate to the characters since I haven't gone through anything similar to what they have, maybe I would enjoy it more reading in the future. It did touch on some very interesting topics and conversations that really had me reflecting and thinking about certain things. With an interesting love story that I felt came to a satisfying conclusion. While I can't fully understand most of the characters actions and feelings I still enjoyed the story.
I loved all of the musical references, especially since a lot of the music Makino was playing I have played myself (although in the original on piano and cello rather than the guitar arrangement) and other pieces I was familiar with enjoyed them!
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