I am a lover of Japanese literature. I studied Japanese in primary school (but it sadly is not one of the languages that stuck in my head), and I have had an affinity for Japanese culture, art, and food. When I came across Sayaka Murata’s work, Convenience Store Woman, I knew I had to get … Continue reading
The Embalmer by Anne-Renee Caille is an uneasy survey of death, our relationship with it, and the people who work with death on a regular basis. The novel is written in poetic prose and each new section is punctuated by the examination of a different dead body the embalmer has worked on throughout his career. … Continue reading
Mary Shelley wrote her novel Frankenstein in 1818, which tells of the young scientist Victor Frankenstein who experiments with nature and biology to reanimate a human. Frankenstein’s monster is a combination of body parts. He is hideous in form, yet cannot escape the universal human desire to love and to be loved. Frankenstein’s monster is … Continue reading
I have re-read a lot of books because of my studies, however, this usually means that the re-reading is out of necessity and not total indulgence. In saying that, there are three books that I keep returning to throughout my life because they are just so great. Each time I read them again, I feel … Continue reading
Han Kang is one of my new favourite authors. Her latest novel, “The Vegetarian”, is such an intriguing look into the human psyche. Her novel, “Human Acts” was translated into English and published in 2014. A basic summary of the novel would be it explores the complex nature of loss, violence, and death that accompanied … Continue reading
I bought this book in Helsinki last weekend. It might seem strange to go to Finland and buy a South Korean novel, but I had been looking for this book with this particular cover art for quite some time. When I found it in the Academic Bookstore located in downtown Helsinki, I bought it straight … Continue reading
I feel that I should start this review by saying that I have wanted to read this book for such a long time. After discovering the book, I thought that the title sounded intriguing and I had lots of people recommend the book to me, French and English speakers alike. It seemed to be a … Continue reading
