Tag: Japanese

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

[rating=1] I found ‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ painful to read, and would have abandoned it after 30 pages had it not been our February book club pick. Overwrought is the first word that comes to mind. Woefully, ponderously academic; ‘Elegance’ is less a work of literature than it is a series of diary entries […]

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

[rating=3] ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’ is a promising title. They always are, aren’t they? Yet, my ongoing ambivalence towards Haruki Murakami continues. I always feel as though I should love his work; it’s weird, and focuses on themes that are close to my heart: noir, crime, fantasy, sheep… and now, […]