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This book is about sand. I will never look at sand the same way again. The experience of reading it was wholly inexplicable yet engrossing, and at least half of the time, I had no idea what was going on. Nor do I really have any real desire to go back and try to understand, as it was far too allegorical and existentialist, metaphors piled upon metaphors. You want to read a terrifying mindfuck about sand? This book is for you.
To be honest, I am not sure what to rate this, so I won't. In 1955 Jumpei Niki, a school teacher takes a trip to the shore to collect insects. He misses last bus back to Tokyo. He is offered hospitality in a local's sand dune home, that can be reached only by a rope ladder. I'll stop here because I don't really want to give away the plot.
The writing was fine, the translation very good. I'm not sure whether I liked the book or not. I think that is somewhat the point. ...more
The writing was fine, the translation very good. I'm not sure whether I liked the book or not. I think that is somewhat the point. ...more
Aug 20, 2009
Vesra (When She Reads)
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