4 ms·

Did anyone actually read this novel?

• DanielBMarkham 17y ago
  Started out reading, then scanning, finally skimming for section heads and interesting topics. The problem is that the author didn't make a cogent point and back it up. Instead he started off with a lot of excuse-making, then went into a list, but kept deviating from the list to talk about video games (which, I guess, should have been the topic?) It had the feeling of a long list of grievances strewn together, ranted about, and then tacked on to a couple of other conversations. The strength of the article was in the negative first-person impressions of Japanese culture. He should have stuck with that, cut out the apologizing and made that just a sentence or two at the end. Then he should have tightened the hell out of the prose and tried to make some kind of thesis that his stories supported. Other that that, the first-person stuff was good. But damn -- this guy is an editor? The structure is a mess. At one point he even admits how bad it is -- and then continues on in the death march towards the end.
  • ErrantX 17y ago
    this guy is an editor? The structure is a mess. Aha it makes a little more sense now. Editors are usually poor writers/reporters - their skill set is different (which doesn't excuse the fact he clearly never copy-edited what he wrote)
  • Alex3917 17y ago
    I read the whole thing and I actually liked the style. It's not like he's randomly reviewing video games in the middle of the article, he's using his examples of things he finds stupid to show how the arbitrary and nonsensical social conventions contribute to a lack of creativity in Japanese business.
• Tichy 17y ago
  Haven't finished yet, but I find it a surprisingly entertaining read.