Tag: Fiction

Review: Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

23 August 2023

A quiet commentary buried under a somewhat unhappy tone; Breasts and Eggs, which was Mieko Kawakami’s first significant literary work, stands as an interesting read for this reason. Split into two halves (separated by a decade), we follow Natsu as she becomes a budding author and attempts to wrangle with the pressures of society, work,…
Review: Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl

18 August 2023

Fun and memorable, whilst standing as one of Dahl’s best releases nearly fifty years on. Danny, the Champion of the World is not only a mouthful to say, but a fun novel that all ages can enjoy. Set in the 1970s, the story follows Danny and his father as the two live in a caravan…
Review: A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

3 August 2023

Touching and odd, Ishiguro’s debut work stands as an interesting short novel, marking the beginning of a long and excellent writing career. A Pale View of Hills follows Etsuko, a middle-aged Japanese mother who recounts her past whilst living in Britain. As she copes with the recent suicide of her eldest daughter, Keiko, Etsuko reflects…
Review: Strange Fits of Passion by Anita Shreve

1 August 2023

A tense and passionate story, with no pun intended. Shreve’s Strange Fits of Passion was an unexpectedly good read that not only introduced me to her work, but also encouraged me to pick up a few of her other works. Set in the 1970s, the story follows Maureen, a housewife and mother, who is trapped…
Review: Good Children Don’t Kill by Louis Thomas

27 July 2023

An interesting thriller that doesn’t outstay its welcome. Good Children Don’t Kill is a relatively short, tense, and amusing read. Because of its simple premise and linear execution, I think it is a book that would suit younger readers, too. The story follows Michael, Max, and Nicole as they wrap themselves up in a world…
Review: People From My Neighbourhood by Hiromi Kawakami

19 July 2023

An incredibly short, as well as utterly bizarre, collection of micro stories that push the bounds of fiction and continuity to their wit’s end. Kawakami, through a comedic and semi-sardonic tongue, paints a small world that is far from normal. Whilst I’m not one to spoil books (especially not one that barely creeps beyond a…
Review: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

13 July 2023

Taking its title from the Beatles’ song of the same name, Norwegian Wood is an apathetic and cynical story about late-1960s Japan and accepting manhood. Following Watanabe as he reflects on his teenage years and the beginning of his twenties, Murakami discusses much about society, life’s worth, suicide, and the ever pressing matter of sex…
Review: Jam by Yahtzee Croshaw

7 July 2023

A comedic post-apocalyptic novel set in Brisbane; Jam is a book that will entertain you with its nerdy humour and solid wit. The premise is bizarre, with Australia being covered in a man-eating jam overnight. With most of the population being wiped out in a flash, it’s up to Travis and his posse of odd…
Review: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

28 June 2023

A simple story with much emotion and truth tied to each chapter. I believe that Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is an essential read and proof that short fiction can have a large impact on readers, especially when it plays around with the fancifulness of dreams and the severity of reality. Following George and Lenny,…
Review: I’m Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork

26 June 2023

A cliché detective-thriller set within Norway, I’m Travelling Alone is a mixed bag of good and bad tropes. Even though it seemed to be generally well-received, I had a hard time enjoying this lengthy read. It felt like an insult that such an unoriginal, complicated thing could ever be printed and praised. The plot follows…