I'd probably have to give this a 2.75, rounding up. I generally like stories told with multiple perspectives but it was very unclear as to which character was speaking for each new section until something specific was mentioned (moss, coworkers, birds, etc). None of the "chapter" breaks label which character we're following and they all read incredibly similar- making this kind of a difficult read for me. Otherwise though, I did like that perspectives started syncing up near the end, allowing you to get multiple interpretations of the characters interacting with each other. Too bad it was only for about 10 pages of the book.

As far as the story goes, I've noticed that I like the almost "surreal" novellas that a lot of Japanese authors seem to have, but this one is a little too abstract for me. Maybe I'm bad at reading between the lines or something, but the ending left me sitting there quite confused- it seemed rushed. I hope to have better luck with another book of hers, The Hole, that I plan to read soon.

Very interesting, Kafkan novel. I'm sure I'm missing some cultural context and reference (though that is the case with Kafka sure). ( )

The human experience is universal. Period. ( )

This short novel is about a factory in Japan. This factory dominates this region of the country and so many people work there, it is like a city unto itself. The reader is introduced to four characters, each speaking in first person in their respective chapters. First is a temp worker whose job is to shred documents. Second is a proofreader whose job is to correct documents. Third is a researcher who was hired to work green the roofs of the factory buildings. The last character is the factory, grounds, and evolutionarily questionable wildlife that lives there.

As each worker learns their jobs and roles within the community, the tone of the novel becomes more disorienting. The paragraphs are very long, and the dialogue is mixed in with characters’ thoughts so it can be difficult to decipher where one character ends and the next begins. As the days, months, and years go by, each worker must grapple with what they are really doing there. Their jobs are evermore pointless as the time goes and nothing comes of it. There are no fruits of their labors.

The writing style evokes a stronger feeling than the actual story. Not much really happens. The reader is led to be as confused and muddled by what is going on as the characters. Strong messages of Marxism leaves one questioning the meaning of labor.

This was one of my Book Riot Tailored Book Recommendations, so I checked this out from the library.

I had mixed feelings on this one, honestly. There were parts of this that really worked for me and parts that did not. I enjoyed the creepiness of the massive, ineffable bureaucracy of it, the sense that the factory had become so large that the right hand no longer knew what the left hand was doing, and certainly none of the temp or contract workers did. I liked the weird ecology of the factory, the moss hunts, etc.

BUT.. there were certain plot points that felt like they were supposed to be twisty that I saw coming miles away. The conclusion felt a bit rushed. Most of the time I was reading it I was enjoying it, but I felt let down by the ending. I would definitely try another book by Oyamada in the future, though! ( )