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A review by thewordsdevourer
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
a sparse, slice-of-life novel in the vein of banana yoshimoto, strange weather in tokyo depicts urban life and an age-difference love, w/ moments of greatness yet still never quite reaching its full potential.
i particularly enjoy the book's nature scenes - aplenty in being a feast for both the senses and stomach - as well as the bar scenes w/ all the food + behavior and interactions that reveal the characters' personalities.
however, i never quite feel the connection between tsukiko and sensei; wish some things were resolved more clearly (whatever happened to kojima?); and find the stillness of the story a bit dull. the book's indeed elevated by the bittersweetness of the last chapter, only to take a dive again bc of the last paragraph.
i particularly enjoy the book's nature scenes - aplenty in being a feast for both the senses and stomach - as well as the bar scenes w/ all the food + behavior and interactions that reveal the characters' personalities.
however, i never quite feel the connection between tsukiko and sensei; wish some things were resolved more clearly (whatever happened to kojima?); and find the stillness of the story a bit dull. the book's indeed elevated by the bittersweetness of the last chapter, only to take a dive again bc of the last paragraph.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment