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People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice: Stories
A fresh, thoughtful, and always surprising short story collection from a rising young star in the world of Japanese literature.
Composed of the title novella and three short stories, People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice sensitively explores gender, friendship, romance, love, human interaction and its absence, and how a misogynistic society limits women and men.
In the title story, Nanamori and Mugito, two university students appalled by society’s gendered roles, rebel. Refusing to interact with other people they use stuffed toys for emotional support. Unlike Nanamori and Mugito, their fellow plushie society member Shiraki does not talk to plushies. Pragmatic, she accepts the status quo that boys sometimes make nasty jokes; she believes their behavior resembles the real world.
In “Realizing Fun Things Through Water,” a young woman named Hatsuoka must contend with a mother-in-law who swears by cancer-preventing “hyper-organization” water, and a sister who writes fake news for a living. “Bath Towel Visuals” illuminates the mental cost of not just laughing along at mean humor, while “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay” follows a family’s response when their shut-in son announces he wants to throw himself a birthday party.
Written in brisk and gentle prose, Ao Omae’s stories capture the subtleties and complexities of his characters’ inner world, individuals struggling to conform in an inflexible society little tolerant of difference. These stories, sometimes comical, sometimes bittersweet, and always thought-provoking, speak to the pain and desires of all who embrace nuance, repudiate traditional sex roles, and long for a gentler and more tolerant world.
Composed of the title novella and three short stories, People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice sensitively explores gender, friendship, romance, love, human interaction and its absence, and how a misogynistic society limits women and men.
In the title story, Nanamori and Mugito, two university students appalled by society’s gendered roles, rebel. Refusing to interact with other people they use stuffed toys for emotional support. Unlike Nanamori and Mugito, their fellow plushie society member Shiraki does not talk to plushies. Pragmatic, she accepts the status quo that boys sometimes make nasty jokes; she believes their behavior resembles the real world.
In “Realizing Fun Things Through Water,” a young woman named Hatsuoka must contend with a mother-in-law who swears by cancer-preventing “hyper-organization” water, and a sister who writes fake news for a living. “Bath Towel Visuals” illuminates the mental cost of not just laughing along at mean humor, while “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay” follows a family’s response when their shut-in son announces he wants to throw himself a birthday party.
Written in brisk and gentle prose, Ao Omae’s stories capture the subtleties and complexities of his characters’ inner world, individuals struggling to conform in an inflexible society little tolerant of difference. These stories, sometimes comical, sometimes bittersweet, and always thought-provoking, speak to the pain and desires of all who embrace nuance, repudiate traditional sex roles, and long for a gentler and more tolerant world.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2020
About the author
Ao Omae
5 books14 followersAo Omae (Japanese name: 大前粟生) was born in 1992 in Hyogo Prefecture. Hailed in Japan as a rising star of gender-conscious literature since the 2020 publication of Nuigurumi to Shaberu Hito wa Yasashii (“People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals are Nice”), he debuted in 2016 with a short story that was eventually included in the 2018 collection Kaitengusa (Tumbleweed). In 2019, he released a collection of flash fiction called Watashi to Wani to Imōto no Heya (“A Room for a Crocodile, My Sister, and Me”), and his 2017 digital-only collection is Nokemonodomono.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 24, 2024
this book is truly nothing more than its title: extremely simple, almost annoying and cloying writing about very preschool-level topics, like imaginary friends and hitting and stuffed animals.
i read this book because of its title, and its title is the explanation for everything i hated about it.
life is so cruel in its ironies.
bottom line: i can't believe i'm giving this one star, and i can't think of any reason to give it more than that.
i read this book because of its title, and its title is the explanation for everything i hated about it.
life is so cruel in its ironies.
bottom line: i can't believe i'm giving this one star, and i can't think of any reason to give it more than that.
February 20, 2023
People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice: Stories by Ao Omae (translated by Emily Balistrieri) comprises an interesting collection of short stories that touch upon themes of friendship, gender politics and stereotypes, feminism, isolation and loneliness and mental and emotional well-being.
In the first story “Realizing the Fun Things Through Water”(3.5/5) we meet Hatsuoka who receives a case of “hyper-organization water” from her soon to be mother–in–law who tells her to talk to it, sharing happy thoughts to increase its potency. Hatsuoka is conflicted over her impending marriage, unsure of what she wants while also dealing with the pain of the loss of her sister who had been missing for almost two years. As she waits for her sister to return to the house they shared, she anxiously contemplates the upcoming changes in her life. The second in this collection is the novella “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice” (3.5/5) revolves around university students Nanamori, Mugito, Shiraki and others who are members of a Plushie Club whose purpose is to give its member the space to talk to stuffed animals for emotional support. The author tackles sensitive issues such as gender identity stereotypes, misogyny and mental health with sensitivity and compassion in this story. But the narrative seems a tad long and could have been more compact. In “Bath Towel Footage” (2.5/5) a woman sees an unpleasant side to her boyfriend while attending a comedy show, making her question her compatibility with him. The final story, “Hello, Thank You, I’m Okay” (3/5) revolves around Marumi and her family and how they each interact with her shut-in brother and how they cope with his decision to have a birthday party with his invisible friends and the aftermath.
Needless to say, the title of this book and that cover grabbed my attention. The tone of these thought-provoking stories is predominantly melancholic and emotionally charged. At times I found it difficult to connect with the characters and found the narrative in a few of the stories a tad disjoint, lacking in cohesiveness, though that might have been deliberate in keeping with the character’s state of mind. (Given that I read a translation of the original, I feel that perhaps fine-tuning the translation and/or the editing might have made a difference.) I did have a problem with the length of these stories. While the novella could have been more compact, the final two stories did not allow us to explore the characters well enough. Overall, while I did appreciate the concept and themes that are explored in these stories, the execution left a bit to be desired.
Many thanks to author Ao Omae, publisher HarperVia and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on June 06, 2023.
In the first story “Realizing the Fun Things Through Water”(3.5/5) we meet Hatsuoka who receives a case of “hyper-organization water” from her soon to be mother–in–law who tells her to talk to it, sharing happy thoughts to increase its potency. Hatsuoka is conflicted over her impending marriage, unsure of what she wants while also dealing with the pain of the loss of her sister who had been missing for almost two years. As she waits for her sister to return to the house they shared, she anxiously contemplates the upcoming changes in her life. The second in this collection is the novella “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice” (3.5/5) revolves around university students Nanamori, Mugito, Shiraki and others who are members of a Plushie Club whose purpose is to give its member the space to talk to stuffed animals for emotional support. The author tackles sensitive issues such as gender identity stereotypes, misogyny and mental health with sensitivity and compassion in this story. But the narrative seems a tad long and could have been more compact. In “Bath Towel Footage” (2.5/5) a woman sees an unpleasant side to her boyfriend while attending a comedy show, making her question her compatibility with him. The final story, “Hello, Thank You, I’m Okay” (3/5) revolves around Marumi and her family and how they each interact with her shut-in brother and how they cope with his decision to have a birthday party with his invisible friends and the aftermath.
Needless to say, the title of this book and that cover grabbed my attention. The tone of these thought-provoking stories is predominantly melancholic and emotionally charged. At times I found it difficult to connect with the characters and found the narrative in a few of the stories a tad disjoint, lacking in cohesiveness, though that might have been deliberate in keeping with the character’s state of mind. (Given that I read a translation of the original, I feel that perhaps fine-tuning the translation and/or the editing might have made a difference.) I did have a problem with the length of these stories. While the novella could have been more compact, the final two stories did not allow us to explore the characters well enough. Overall, while I did appreciate the concept and themes that are explored in these stories, the execution left a bit to be desired.
Many thanks to author Ao Omae, publisher HarperVia and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on June 06, 2023.
May 9, 2023
An unsettling, compelling collection from award-winning Japanese author Ao Omae, featuring the novella “People who talk to stuffed animals are nice” which was recently made into a movie. Omae’s fiction deals with aspects of the isolation and alienation underlying contemporary Japanese society with a focus on individuals in their late teens and early twenties. Each story’s told from a single character’s perspective, all caught up in personal dilemmas and finding inanimate objects offer the only possibility of retreat from an increasingly hostile environment.
The title piece has a gloriously messy immediacy. It’s a stream-of-consciousness narrative centred on university student Namamori who’s grappling with questions around gender and masculinity. He’s striving to find a way to construct an identity unconstrained by conventional masculinity and Japan’s overwhelmingly patriarchal culture. Namamori’s story also forms a fascinating commentary on kawaii culture as he seeks refuge in his university’s plushie club. A supposedly safe space where members confide their deepest, previously unspoken, feelings and fears to stuffed animals. Namamori, like the diffident Hatsuoka in “Realising Fun Things Through Water”, makes abundant use of messaging apps but, on-and offline, any impression of authentic communication eludes them - meanwhile the wider world is almost routinely menacing with news of mass shootings and evidence of the aftermath of natural disasters commonplace. The surreal final piece is a departure from the earlier, naturalistic entries, as schoolgirl Marumi’s suddenly confronted with her shut-in brother’s bizarre solution to loneliness.
Although Omae’s charting familiar territory in Japanese fiction here, there’s something intensely felt about his portrayals of fragile people adrift in a sea of conformity and convention that makes his work feel unexpectedly vivid and fresh. Translated by Emily Balistrieri.
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperVia for an ARC
The title piece has a gloriously messy immediacy. It’s a stream-of-consciousness narrative centred on university student Namamori who’s grappling with questions around gender and masculinity. He’s striving to find a way to construct an identity unconstrained by conventional masculinity and Japan’s overwhelmingly patriarchal culture. Namamori’s story also forms a fascinating commentary on kawaii culture as he seeks refuge in his university’s plushie club. A supposedly safe space where members confide their deepest, previously unspoken, feelings and fears to stuffed animals. Namamori, like the diffident Hatsuoka in “Realising Fun Things Through Water”, makes abundant use of messaging apps but, on-and offline, any impression of authentic communication eludes them - meanwhile the wider world is almost routinely menacing with news of mass shootings and evidence of the aftermath of natural disasters commonplace. The surreal final piece is a departure from the earlier, naturalistic entries, as schoolgirl Marumi’s suddenly confronted with her shut-in brother’s bizarre solution to loneliness.
Although Omae’s charting familiar territory in Japanese fiction here, there’s something intensely felt about his portrayals of fragile people adrift in a sea of conformity and convention that makes his work feel unexpectedly vivid and fresh. Translated by Emily Balistrieri.
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperVia for an ARC
Want to read
March 13, 2023I FEEL SEEN
August 4, 2023
A funny, self aware collection on gender dynamics and coming of age in contemporary society. Relatable and told with the direct, sometimes dramatic voices of our young narrators, this collection highlights the impacts of gender perception in young people, and the influence that interacting with others has on creativity, relationships, and emotion. This collection also highlights the negative effects of misogyny specifically to young minds, as it crushes aspirations and friendships into the tightly packed boxes of the past. These stories, though effectively challenging outdated ideals, are also fun to read; they are colorful, simple, recognizable; who doesn’t have an emotional support stuffie or two?
February 25, 2024
3 ½ stars
Mellow yet meaningful, People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice is a sensitively written and delightfully earnest collection of short stories. Consisting of three short stories (“Realizing Fun Things Through Water”, “Bath Towel Visuals”, “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay”) and the title novella, “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice”, this collection struck me for its empathy, and for its focus on characters who are (for whatever reasons) made to feel different. Throughout these stories, Ao Omae explores the experiences of characters who feel constrained by patriarchal norms of gender and sexuality. Omae is in particular critical of strict gender roles, heteronormative notions of dating and marriage, and traditional ideas of masculinity. In “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice” we follow Nanamori, a college student who is disenchanted by other men’s braggadocio attitudes towards women, from their crass banter to the way they objectify women and belittle men who are to whatever degree ‘atypical’. Nanamori longs for a more genderless society, and he finds solace in one of his college clubs, a judgment-free place where students talk to plushies for emotional support. Nanamori continues to feel guilty by association when it comes to his peer’s sexist and/or homophobic behavior, and he struggles with his own desire to ‘fit’ in. Throughout the novella, the narrative also explores his confusion when it comes to separating friendship from romance. In “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay” a shut-in young man delights his family when he announces that he is planning to invite his new friends over to his birthday party. When the time comes, his mother and sister realize that his friends are not exactly part of the ‘material’ world. Yet, not wanting to hurt his feelings, they play along and soon find themselves believing in their existence. The other two stories in this collection are more forgettable, not quite as funny or touching as the titular novella or “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay”. Still, it was an insightful collection that gives readers a glimpse into contemporary Japan and the different perspectives of young(ish) people questioning and pushing back against tradition. The translation was good, but some scenes/descriptions could have benefited from some added clarity. For instance, we have this scene where a character comes up with a fake name, “Kotori”, after seeing a bird outside the window, but unless you know that bird is “tori” in Japanese her name seems very random. Nevertheless, the unadorned writing style is very easy to read.
I liked this collection well enough. The stories, while slightly humorous, are grounded in everyday reality. The characters are not particularly fleshed out but we gain an understanding of their perspectives. The narratives are focused on exploring certain issues and they succeed in doing that. I appreciated the author’s sensitivity and that he allows characters to change their mind and/or question their own opinions and beliefs. I would definitely check out more of his work. If you are looking for an easy yet thoughtful read, look no further.
Mellow yet meaningful, People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice is a sensitively written and delightfully earnest collection of short stories. Consisting of three short stories (“Realizing Fun Things Through Water”, “Bath Towel Visuals”, “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay”) and the title novella, “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice”, this collection struck me for its empathy, and for its focus on characters who are (for whatever reasons) made to feel different. Throughout these stories, Ao Omae explores the experiences of characters who feel constrained by patriarchal norms of gender and sexuality. Omae is in particular critical of strict gender roles, heteronormative notions of dating and marriage, and traditional ideas of masculinity. In “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice” we follow Nanamori, a college student who is disenchanted by other men’s braggadocio attitudes towards women, from their crass banter to the way they objectify women and belittle men who are to whatever degree ‘atypical’. Nanamori longs for a more genderless society, and he finds solace in one of his college clubs, a judgment-free place where students talk to plushies for emotional support. Nanamori continues to feel guilty by association when it comes to his peer’s sexist and/or homophobic behavior, and he struggles with his own desire to ‘fit’ in. Throughout the novella, the narrative also explores his confusion when it comes to separating friendship from romance. In “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay” a shut-in young man delights his family when he announces that he is planning to invite his new friends over to his birthday party. When the time comes, his mother and sister realize that his friends are not exactly part of the ‘material’ world. Yet, not wanting to hurt his feelings, they play along and soon find themselves believing in their existence. The other two stories in this collection are more forgettable, not quite as funny or touching as the titular novella or “Hello, Thank You I’m Okay”. Still, it was an insightful collection that gives readers a glimpse into contemporary Japan and the different perspectives of young(ish) people questioning and pushing back against tradition. The translation was good, but some scenes/descriptions could have benefited from some added clarity. For instance, we have this scene where a character comes up with a fake name, “Kotori”, after seeing a bird outside the window, but unless you know that bird is “tori” in Japanese her name seems very random. Nevertheless, the unadorned writing style is very easy to read.
I liked this collection well enough. The stories, while slightly humorous, are grounded in everyday reality. The characters are not particularly fleshed out but we gain an understanding of their perspectives. The narratives are focused on exploring certain issues and they succeed in doing that. I appreciated the author’s sensitivity and that he allows characters to change their mind and/or question their own opinions and beliefs. I would definitely check out more of his work. If you are looking for an easy yet thoughtful read, look no further.
January 29, 2024
I’m trying to think of a reason to give this 2 stars but I really can’t. The stories did really not work out for me. The translator’s note mentions Omae’s writing is very simple and, I agree, but it also felt inconsequential and disjointed.
The stories are trying to be quirky but also meandering as we focus on the main character’s thoughts, but they would jump around topics and then, suddenly, add something about feminism, men/women, love, or gender. Like the author suddenly recalled ‘ah, I was trying to appeal the feminists.’ But the occasional burst of feminism was just very just there. It wasn’t really chewed on, it wasn’t properly explained, nor did it have a defined context. And so, the point didn’t come across.
I also struggled with a few bits. I read a fair amount of Japanese literature and after four years of East Asian Studies (with sociology, literature, and culture courses) I think I never really struggle reading or comprehending characters. Here… I don’t know, I think it just blew things out of proportion to be more literary? Maybe? Example: “Even if he didn’t look threatening, he was a man. Nanamori realized that by asking a girl out, he became the opposite sex to her. If a man takes the romantic, lustful action of “confessing” his feelings to a woman, it could frighten or hurt her.” Me is confused. This is… what is this.
I won’t go into the stories. The first one was probably a 2 stars because it was quirky enough, but the rest were just… bad. They really didn’t work for me and, as a short story collection, I don’t think they worked together.
I’ll just finish with this portion that just exemplifies the writing of the book. If this is something you don’t mind reading, go for it. I only read this collection because I love the title, but in hindsight, I wish I hadn’t.
“Their bit was about, like, ‘compliance’ and ‘fuck political correctness,’” I said. “Like, ‘I’m a feminist, so I hit girls same as guys’—”
“Hya-heh-heh!”
“Huh?”
“Ha-hya-heh-heh!”
So you think that’s funny? I thought. I wanted you to yikes with me.
The stories are trying to be quirky but also meandering as we focus on the main character’s thoughts, but they would jump around topics and then, suddenly, add something about feminism, men/women, love, or gender. Like the author suddenly recalled ‘ah, I was trying to appeal the feminists.’ But the occasional burst of feminism was just very just there. It wasn’t really chewed on, it wasn’t properly explained, nor did it have a defined context. And so, the point didn’t come across.
I also struggled with a few bits. I read a fair amount of Japanese literature and after four years of East Asian Studies (with sociology, literature, and culture courses) I think I never really struggle reading or comprehending characters. Here… I don’t know, I think it just blew things out of proportion to be more literary? Maybe? Example: “Even if he didn’t look threatening, he was a man. Nanamori realized that by asking a girl out, he became the opposite sex to her. If a man takes the romantic, lustful action of “confessing” his feelings to a woman, it could frighten or hurt her.” Me is confused. This is… what is this.
I won’t go into the stories. The first one was probably a 2 stars because it was quirky enough, but the rest were just… bad. They really didn’t work for me and, as a short story collection, I don’t think they worked together.
I’ll just finish with this portion that just exemplifies the writing of the book. If this is something you don’t mind reading, go for it. I only read this collection because I love the title, but in hindsight, I wish I hadn’t.
“Their bit was about, like, ‘compliance’ and ‘fuck political correctness,’” I said. “Like, ‘I’m a feminist, so I hit girls same as guys’—”
“Hya-heh-heh!”
“Huh?”
“Ha-hya-heh-heh!”
So you think that’s funny? I thought. I wanted you to yikes with me.
February 11, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. Here is my honest review:
This grouping of stories just didn't do it for me. The characters weren't relatable and the translation wasn't as clear as it could have been.
This grouping of stories just didn't do it for me. The characters weren't relatable and the translation wasn't as clear as it could have been.
November 11, 2023
Each of the young adults in People Who Talk (…) grapples with their identities, while trying to make sense of the world around them, one that is marred by hatred of women and pressure to conform. Some of them prefer to comply with the norms, but others seek to escape them by talking to stuffed animals or purified water, or hiding under a bath towel. One of them even went so far as to befriend four imaginary friends and introduce them to his family. But as much as they try to resist the society, they also have a tendency to placate others and put on a happy front which ultimately costs them mentally and emotionally.
The collection may sound depressing, yet there is a simplicity and tenderness in the author’s writing that inspires hope for a kinder and gentler society in the future.
The collection may sound depressing, yet there is a simplicity and tenderness in the author’s writing that inspires hope for a kinder and gentler society in the future.
June 30, 2023
Wish the last two stories were more elaborate
July 28, 2022
I struggled with this one. Four short stories, the first longer than the rest and represented in the title and cover of the book. The writing was easy to read. My translator friend had recommended it to me … or, well, asked me for my take on it as a “new masculinities” novel from Japan. The lead in the first story might be aro or ace or ambivalent … but, to me, felt like a rather stereotypical take on a teenaged Japanese guy: inconsiderate, expecting others to be interested in him, playing with people’s feelings for his own sake, ignorant of sexism, bemoaning his gender … the privilege and self-centredness … my eyes were rolling so much they nearly moseyed on out of my head by the end of it. The other stories were a bit hard to follow, especially the last one. Were they crazy? Bored? Stifled? Abused? Haunted? And what was the point? I dunno, I felt like there was a perturbing cast of unlikeable or zany characters but no deeper meaning to make up for it.
September 14, 2023
A title novella and 3 short stories in a spine; so quirky and cute yet quite distressful on how each plot brought me to observe on the idiosyncrasy of a character; of emotional fragility and disillusionment that was intricately crafted in a gender dynamic, coming-of-age and human relationship backdrops. Its tender almost gloomy narration was addictive much and I like how the author managed to explore the theme with a gripping variation in his neat characterization and absorbing plot dynamics.
I enjoyed reading all the 4 stories especially the title novella, People Who Talk To Stuffed Animals Are Nice as it centered on how people find solace and attachment by talking to stuffed animals. Of self-concern, social expectations, desire and morality that making Nanamori to question on his kindness and consideration towards others. Realizing Fun Things Through Water following Hatsuoka’s perspective on her mother-in-law who believes in the miracle of a cancer-preventing water and sister who writes fake news for a living but now went missing. Love the execution and tension in this story as well the affecting ending. A slightly dreamy plot for Bath Towel Visuals with its love conflict narrative , siblings drama and misogyny issue. Hello, Thank You, Everything’s Fine the most surreal out of all; Marumi who needs to deal with her brother’s shut-in behaviour and his imaginary friends who he invited over— bit haunting but I love how bizarrely psychological it goes.
A thought-provoking collection overall; unique with nothing exceptional yet intriguing much for how each expressing alienation, anxiety and fear in its own emotional arc— a grim reality that often go hopeless or misjudged. Will go with 4 stars to this!
Thank you Times Reads for the gifted copy!
I enjoyed reading all the 4 stories especially the title novella, People Who Talk To Stuffed Animals Are Nice as it centered on how people find solace and attachment by talking to stuffed animals. Of self-concern, social expectations, desire and morality that making Nanamori to question on his kindness and consideration towards others. Realizing Fun Things Through Water following Hatsuoka’s perspective on her mother-in-law who believes in the miracle of a cancer-preventing water and sister who writes fake news for a living but now went missing. Love the execution and tension in this story as well the affecting ending. A slightly dreamy plot for Bath Towel Visuals with its love conflict narrative , siblings drama and misogyny issue. Hello, Thank You, Everything’s Fine the most surreal out of all; Marumi who needs to deal with her brother’s shut-in behaviour and his imaginary friends who he invited over— bit haunting but I love how bizarrely psychological it goes.
A thought-provoking collection overall; unique with nothing exceptional yet intriguing much for how each expressing alienation, anxiety and fear in its own emotional arc— a grim reality that often go hopeless or misjudged. Will go with 4 stars to this!
Thank you Times Reads for the gifted copy!
October 1, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley, Goodreads, and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a collection of translated short stories that deals with mental illness and has some gender commentary? Do you like stories that are a bit of a musey bummer, but don’t really have any takeaway messaging?
Pre-reading:
This title is bonkers. I read such a wide range, guys.
Thick of it:
It’s giving MLM. It’s giving essential oils.
This translation is rough.
You wouldn’t live with the person you married? That’s odd to me.
osmanthus
2/5? Girlypop, grow up. Don’t settle for men. Go after what you actually want. Go to therapy. Stop people pleasing.
———————-
Go to therapy y'all. This is insane people-pleasing and social anxiety.
Doria
Zelkovas
Happi
I do not care about this story.
That’s called depression.
purikura
I want to read more about Japanese love hotels. Cultural differences surrounding sex are so wild to me.
See, this is very interesting commentary on toxic masculinity. Because men shouldn’t feel bad just for existing. But I do think it’s interesting how he’s going out of his way to make her hurt about himself. And it’s an interesting concept that people who consume trauma porn essentially are going out of their way to prove that they have empathy to prove that they’re a good person thereby proving that they’re not actually a good person, but that message is sort of hidden and buried within this clunky story because of the translation.
izakaya
You can definitely get by in the world without drinking. What the fuck kind of thought is that?
I don’t think you need to reject your gender identity to not be a threat.
3/5 I’m glad I read it. It’s an interesting think piece. But I don’t think it reached any sort of moral verdict. I think it’s just saying that sensitive people are overwhelmed by the world, and if you’re not overwhelmed, you’re missing a bit of empathy. But also, if you’re overwhelmed, you can’t function in society. And society needs people to function, so you can’t be pure empathy.
I don’t know, I feel like there’s a bit of a cultural disconnect. I would be curious to see this sort of concept Americanized and then see what I think of it.
——————-
2/5 Again, not really sure what to do with it. Sexist jokes succeed in a sexist society-fucking duh? It’s hard to go against the norms, but you can definitely find people that will go against them with you.
——————-
Girlypop this is not fine.
2/5 What a weird story. I feel like it was about mental illness and suicide and trying to be horror, but it was just so disjointed that I got nothing from it.
Post-reading:
This was an interesting collection of short stories. I think the translation might be limiting its impact a bit, but I obviously can’t read the original to verify that. All the stories seem to deal with some facet of mental illness and anxiety, but it’s hard to connect and engage with the characters. Again, that may be due to a bit of a cultural mismatch. I think if you like translated works and thought-provoking gender commentary, the collection is worth a read, but I’m not sure how much you’ll get out of it other than this general sense of huh, that’s something to think more about. All the stories just feel incomplete. They don’t have any simple takeaway messages which tend to be a vital backbone for memorable and impactful short stories. These are just musings that basically amount to the state of the world is pretty shit, and you should feel sad about it, but whoopsies, you also have to function in society and you can’t do that if you’re too sad. Like we done been knew.
Who should read this:
People who like translated works
Gender commentary fans
Do I want to reread this:
No
Similar books:
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* The Merry Spinster by Daniel M. Lavery-purposefully difficult to interpret set of dark fairytale retellings
* Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica-dark and edgy short stories that think they’re edgier than they are
* Amor and Psycho by Carolyn Cooke-edgy short stories
* How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu-interconnected sci-fi short stories, social commentary
* Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado-feminist short stories
* Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield-dementia horror, musey, all vibes very little plot
* Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt-gender commentary horror
* Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica-dystopian, societal commentary, cannibal horror
My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a collection of translated short stories that deals with mental illness and has some gender commentary? Do you like stories that are a bit of a musey bummer, but don’t really have any takeaway messaging?
Pre-reading:
This title is bonkers. I read such a wide range, guys.
Thick of it:
It’s giving MLM. It’s giving essential oils.
This translation is rough.
You wouldn’t live with the person you married? That’s odd to me.
osmanthus
2/5? Girlypop, grow up. Don’t settle for men. Go after what you actually want. Go to therapy. Stop people pleasing.
———————-
Go to therapy y'all. This is insane people-pleasing and social anxiety.
Doria
Zelkovas
Happi
I do not care about this story.
That’s called depression.
purikura
I want to read more about Japanese love hotels. Cultural differences surrounding sex are so wild to me.
See, this is very interesting commentary on toxic masculinity. Because men shouldn’t feel bad just for existing. But I do think it’s interesting how he’s going out of his way to make her hurt about himself. And it’s an interesting concept that people who consume trauma porn essentially are going out of their way to prove that they have empathy to prove that they’re a good person thereby proving that they’re not actually a good person, but that message is sort of hidden and buried within this clunky story because of the translation.
izakaya
You can definitely get by in the world without drinking. What the fuck kind of thought is that?
I don’t think you need to reject your gender identity to not be a threat.
3/5 I’m glad I read it. It’s an interesting think piece. But I don’t think it reached any sort of moral verdict. I think it’s just saying that sensitive people are overwhelmed by the world, and if you’re not overwhelmed, you’re missing a bit of empathy. But also, if you’re overwhelmed, you can’t function in society. And society needs people to function, so you can’t be pure empathy.
I don’t know, I feel like there’s a bit of a cultural disconnect. I would be curious to see this sort of concept Americanized and then see what I think of it.
——————-
2/5 Again, not really sure what to do with it. Sexist jokes succeed in a sexist society-fucking duh? It’s hard to go against the norms, but you can definitely find people that will go against them with you.
——————-
Girlypop this is not fine.
2/5 What a weird story. I feel like it was about mental illness and suicide and trying to be horror, but it was just so disjointed that I got nothing from it.
Post-reading:
This was an interesting collection of short stories. I think the translation might be limiting its impact a bit, but I obviously can’t read the original to verify that. All the stories seem to deal with some facet of mental illness and anxiety, but it’s hard to connect and engage with the characters. Again, that may be due to a bit of a cultural mismatch. I think if you like translated works and thought-provoking gender commentary, the collection is worth a read, but I’m not sure how much you’ll get out of it other than this general sense of huh, that’s something to think more about. All the stories just feel incomplete. They don’t have any simple takeaway messages which tend to be a vital backbone for memorable and impactful short stories. These are just musings that basically amount to the state of the world is pretty shit, and you should feel sad about it, but whoopsies, you also have to function in society and you can’t do that if you’re too sad. Like we done been knew.
Who should read this:
People who like translated works
Gender commentary fans
Do I want to reread this:
No
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January 28, 2023
a collection of short stories about gender and relationships, to me this was severely hindered by the translator. the translator emphasized the ending vowels of words by writing them like “yayyyyyy” which really took away from the narrative of certain stories.
while the main story, and namesake, “people who talk to stuffed animals” was wonderful and made me cuddle my own stuffed animals, i didn’t think the other stories held up against it. they were much, much shorter. i didn’t feel that this was an accurate representation of a sexuality either, and the theme of gender is lacking in the sense that there are no explicitly lgbtqia+ titles nor words. it’s up to speculation.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
while the main story, and namesake, “people who talk to stuffed animals” was wonderful and made me cuddle my own stuffed animals, i didn’t think the other stories held up against it. they were much, much shorter. i didn’t feel that this was an accurate representation of a sexuality either, and the theme of gender is lacking in the sense that there are no explicitly lgbtqia+ titles nor words. it’s up to speculation.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
May 16, 2023
What a weird, quirky, slightly disturbing collection of stories. Comprised of one novella of the book title and 3 other short stories, Ao Omae spin the wildly imaginative stories brimmed with tension and questions on gender roles, identity, sexuality, the toxic masculinity, the feminist ideas and one's own diversion from real life.
The titular novella of the book title talked about the deteriorating mental health condition of the youngsters as we are attacked left and right with horrible news such as the arson occured near, the sexual assault perpetrated to helpless women, the inability to act due to fear, the hatred of one's own gender while facing the insulting comments on masculinity. For me, the novella really talked thru about these issues from our main male lead with his stream of consciousness of his inner struggles with his feminine appearance, of wanting to love but have no understanding of the concept, of hating his own sex as a man for how vile some of the actions are.
The Plushie Club he joined alongside his best friend became a place of solace. In this club, the members talk to stuffed animals of stuff they will never talk to others for fear of burdening others or the judgement given. Stuffed animals dont talk back, they listen without being judgemental. In this we can also see how loneliness was potrayed where humans lose connections with people and seek for companion in this non living objects .
1. Realizing fun things through water - 3.8✨️
The female lead doesnt seems to have romantic feelings towards her fiancee, commenting in sexuality topics of what love meant to them. She was more concerned on her sister's disappearance than her upcoming wedding.
2. People who talk to stuffed animals are nice - 4.5✨️
3. Bath towel visuals - 2.5✨️ story is too short, barely convey the desired message. This one was weird and I dont understand much but the bigger theme will be the misogynistic treatment shown by the rude jokes men make in expense of women and how the female lead despise this, wishing she is invisible covered by the bath towel like a ghost
4. Hello, thank you, everything's fine - 4✨️
Odd, surreal and slightly horrific. Talking about the way her brother become a shut in and stop going to school. For what reason, we dont know and then he came with a bunch of imaginary friends. This slowly becoming weirder as we go thru the story as the line of imagination and reality become blurry.
Though, the translation can be clunky sometimes and doesnt feel like it convey the story well. Not entirely sure if its the original was written this way or there is something lost in translation
Thank you to Edelweiss & HarperVia for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review
The titular novella of the book title talked about the deteriorating mental health condition of the youngsters as we are attacked left and right with horrible news such as the arson occured near, the sexual assault perpetrated to helpless women, the inability to act due to fear, the hatred of one's own gender while facing the insulting comments on masculinity. For me, the novella really talked thru about these issues from our main male lead with his stream of consciousness of his inner struggles with his feminine appearance, of wanting to love but have no understanding of the concept, of hating his own sex as a man for how vile some of the actions are.
The Plushie Club he joined alongside his best friend became a place of solace. In this club, the members talk to stuffed animals of stuff they will never talk to others for fear of burdening others or the judgement given. Stuffed animals dont talk back, they listen without being judgemental. In this we can also see how loneliness was potrayed where humans lose connections with people and seek for companion in this non living objects .
1. Realizing fun things through water - 3.8✨️
The female lead doesnt seems to have romantic feelings towards her fiancee, commenting in sexuality topics of what love meant to them. She was more concerned on her sister's disappearance than her upcoming wedding.
2. People who talk to stuffed animals are nice - 4.5✨️
3. Bath towel visuals - 2.5✨️ story is too short, barely convey the desired message. This one was weird and I dont understand much but the bigger theme will be the misogynistic treatment shown by the rude jokes men make in expense of women and how the female lead despise this, wishing she is invisible covered by the bath towel like a ghost
4. Hello, thank you, everything's fine - 4✨️
Odd, surreal and slightly horrific. Talking about the way her brother become a shut in and stop going to school. For what reason, we dont know and then he came with a bunch of imaginary friends. This slowly becoming weirder as we go thru the story as the line of imagination and reality become blurry.
Though, the translation can be clunky sometimes and doesnt feel like it convey the story well. Not entirely sure if its the original was written this way or there is something lost in translation
Thank you to Edelweiss & HarperVia for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review
January 15, 2024
First book of 2024 is read and I am very pleased with this short story collection; the style was very simple, but the stories were a mix of cuteness and of hard reality. It's quick to read/listen to, and the characters are very relatable I think. The one I felt the most connected to is "People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals are Nice". I thought this one was very clever and beautiful in some ways. This is definitely a story for quiet people, who are easily terrified to do the easiest things in life--like me, I suppose. This story truly made me feel less alone. I'm writing this review under the scrutinized gaze of my bunny plushy, Poppy. Should I start talking to her, too?
July 6, 2023
am having such a rubbish year that I’m just gonna 5 star anything I enjoyed from now on. this was THE no plot, just vibes short story collection, with themes of gender, sexuality, and relationships, looking at them through a sort of cloudy lens. the collection as a whole feels a little disjointed, with an uneven tempo. (what is the eyeball version of tempo?) the title story is the winner here, the rest I will likely forget but what’s new I forget everything. the overall 3 star rating is not surprising but whatever man I liked it 🤷♀️
June 17, 2024
los dos primeros cuentos son hermosos pero la narrativa decae en los últimos dos; algunas partes se sienten muy forzadas al hablar de las problemáticas sociales y algunas funcionan muy bien.
en general creo que son muy digeribles y que cualquier sociedad puede encontrarse en algunos fragmentos de los cuentos.
en general creo que son muy digeribles y que cualquier sociedad puede encontrarse en algunos fragmentos de los cuentos.
July 31, 2023
..
Four weird quirky collections of short stories - if you're a fan of Sayaka Murata
▫️ Realizing Fun Things Through Water - loved it
▫️ People Who Talk To Stuffed Animals Are Nice- my favorite and most memorable
▫️ Bath Towel Tissues - wished it was longer, although it annoyed me
▫️ Hello, Thank You, Everything's Fine - the weirdest and also a favorite
As usual with short stories, there's always a connection of theme messages with deeper meanings and imaginations to reflect on. So I'd say this worked.
Topics of relationships, asexuality, family & sisterhood, gender dysphoria & stereotypes, friendships, loneliness, mental illness, preferred effective forms of communication, and imagination. As with translated lit, it gets lost sometimes and can be confusing... But for the most part, you get an idea of what's being conveyed with the bits you can retain. So although the representation of sexuality isn't concrete in its translation, one can interpret it as it is.
Four weird quirky collections of short stories - if you're a fan of Sayaka Murata
▫️ Realizing Fun Things Through Water - loved it
▫️ People Who Talk To Stuffed Animals Are Nice- my favorite and most memorable
▫️ Bath Towel Tissues - wished it was longer, although it annoyed me
▫️ Hello, Thank You, Everything's Fine - the weirdest and also a favorite
As usual with short stories, there's always a connection of theme messages with deeper meanings and imaginations to reflect on. So I'd say this worked.
Topics of relationships, asexuality, family & sisterhood, gender dysphoria & stereotypes, friendships, loneliness, mental illness, preferred effective forms of communication, and imagination. As with translated lit, it gets lost sometimes and can be confusing... But for the most part, you get an idea of what's being conveyed with the bits you can retain. So although the representation of sexuality isn't concrete in its translation, one can interpret it as it is.
April 19, 2023
damn harpervia sent this arc to every damn bookseller they could huh? 😂 strange; dispassionate; dare i say a little pathetic? (in the eileen myles way) confusing but i was moved at parts. i think there's a lot of good thoughts contained in some very strange and brief stories. i will read anything that includes engagement w the internet in a believable way:)
April 18, 2024
TLDR: Pretty sure this translator has no idea what they're doing.
I grabbed this on a whim one day at Barnes & Noble—a gorgeous pink hardcover I can fit on my dorky pink and yellow shelf? 50% off? A translated work from a rising voice in Japanese literature? As a gullible consumer with a goal to read more translated books in 2024, I was all in.
And, I mean, it does what it says on the tin. The stories were thematically interesting and simply told, with an entertaining perspective on the world. I like the perspective on the comfort of things that seem childish. But it still wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and I really don’t think I fully got a lot of what the author had to say; though I couldn’t actually tell if this was because of what Ao Omae was trying to convey or the way it was translated.
I don’t speak Japanese—just English, and Polish so amateur that it’s almost embarrassing to bring it up at all. I say this because this bad boy makes me wish I had the sort of time and dedication required to learn Japanese so I could read the source material myself. Unfortunately, I’m a slow learner determined to be fluently bilingual someday, and I already plan to spend the next fifteen years on remembering how to conjugate my Polish verbs without simultaneously crying, so that’s probably out. Kinda already picked my poison and sunk a few years into it. Mądry Polak po szkodzie or whatever (/s).
Anyway. My understanding is that the author is known for their simplistic style, but I still feel like something is getting lost between the lines here, especially because Japanese can be a lot more nuanced with its words and their meanings than English tends to be. You know, sort of like how there’s a standalone German word for everything, including feelings you never knew you’d experienced until German offers you a word for it, like schadenfreude or weltschmerz or torschlusspanik? The kind of stuff that usually takes multiple words to convey in English; a very specific sort of depth and a lot more room for error.
Accordingly, I have to wonder about the potential differences between a translator whose first language is Japanese vs. Emily Balistrieri whose first language is English, especially because when the titular story in the collection was adapted by Yurina Kaneko as a Japanese language film, the international translation of the title was different: People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind.
Maybe it’s just me, but immediately, that title strikes in me something completely different than “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice.” It’s not the stuffed animals part, it’s the “nice” part. Nice has this connotation of possible superficiality, and it’s something we’re all expected to be day to day because it’s polite. Kindness is something else entirely, a deeper and more genuine type of niceness that not everyone will possess. It’s something more pure that makes sense in the context of ‘talking to stuffed animals.’ So immediately, just from the title, there’s the vibe of a translation that needed fine-tuning. Not being able to differentiate kindergarten-level words in your first language is probably not a great sign, and at times the writing is so incredibly stilted it’s hard to believe this was translated by someone with a degree. I don’t even know how to fully articulate what reading this was like, but my best attempt would be that there were times where the prose sounded so natural, then suddenly started reading like an anime script someone ran through Google Translate a couple times.
All that being said, I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about when it comes to translating between Japanese and English, and nobody should take any of my thoughts as fact. Literally just thoughts. I’m just some guy. If people took me seriously all the time there would be a lot more cats and dogs in mayoral offices because I think it’s hilarious when animals have jobs, and I think we can all agree that would be an extremely adorable disaster.
Overall, 2 stars. My honest rating would probably be lower, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s the translator that’s the problem, not the author. I would love to be able to experience this in its original form, but this particular version was underwhelming.
I grabbed this on a whim one day at Barnes & Noble—a gorgeous pink hardcover I can fit on my dorky pink and yellow shelf? 50% off? A translated work from a rising voice in Japanese literature? As a gullible consumer with a goal to read more translated books in 2024, I was all in.
And, I mean, it does what it says on the tin. The stories were thematically interesting and simply told, with an entertaining perspective on the world. I like the perspective on the comfort of things that seem childish. But it still wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and I really don’t think I fully got a lot of what the author had to say; though I couldn’t actually tell if this was because of what Ao Omae was trying to convey or the way it was translated.
I don’t speak Japanese—just English, and Polish so amateur that it’s almost embarrassing to bring it up at all. I say this because this bad boy makes me wish I had the sort of time and dedication required to learn Japanese so I could read the source material myself. Unfortunately, I’m a slow learner determined to be fluently bilingual someday, and I already plan to spend the next fifteen years on remembering how to conjugate my Polish verbs without simultaneously crying, so that’s probably out. Kinda already picked my poison and sunk a few years into it. Mądry Polak po szkodzie or whatever (/s).
Anyway. My understanding is that the author is known for their simplistic style, but I still feel like something is getting lost between the lines here, especially because Japanese can be a lot more nuanced with its words and their meanings than English tends to be. You know, sort of like how there’s a standalone German word for everything, including feelings you never knew you’d experienced until German offers you a word for it, like schadenfreude or weltschmerz or torschlusspanik? The kind of stuff that usually takes multiple words to convey in English; a very specific sort of depth and a lot more room for error.
Accordingly, I have to wonder about the potential differences between a translator whose first language is Japanese vs. Emily Balistrieri whose first language is English, especially because when the titular story in the collection was adapted by Yurina Kaneko as a Japanese language film, the international translation of the title was different: People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind.
Maybe it’s just me, but immediately, that title strikes in me something completely different than “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice.” It’s not the stuffed animals part, it’s the “nice” part. Nice has this connotation of possible superficiality, and it’s something we’re all expected to be day to day because it’s polite. Kindness is something else entirely, a deeper and more genuine type of niceness that not everyone will possess. It’s something more pure that makes sense in the context of ‘talking to stuffed animals.’ So immediately, just from the title, there’s the vibe of a translation that needed fine-tuning. Not being able to differentiate kindergarten-level words in your first language is probably not a great sign, and at times the writing is so incredibly stilted it’s hard to believe this was translated by someone with a degree. I don’t even know how to fully articulate what reading this was like, but my best attempt would be that there were times where the prose sounded so natural, then suddenly started reading like an anime script someone ran through Google Translate a couple times.
All that being said, I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about when it comes to translating between Japanese and English, and nobody should take any of my thoughts as fact. Literally just thoughts. I’m just some guy. If people took me seriously all the time there would be a lot more cats and dogs in mayoral offices because I think it’s hilarious when animals have jobs, and I think we can all agree that would be an extremely adorable disaster.
Overall, 2 stars. My honest rating would probably be lower, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s the translator that’s the problem, not the author. I would love to be able to experience this in its original form, but this particular version was underwhelming.
October 3, 2023
I don't know what is considered a popular genre/trope in Japan, but it must be something between a Twilight Zone/Black Mirror/ episode of Good Place where Janet dies and every answer is some sort of cactus. The first few stories were relatable; people having a difficult time relating to others and not knowing if they can feel love at all. The last one? My brother is mentally ill, or is he made of tape? Very Black Mirror-like.
I'm soooooooo confused by the last story. Was he made of tape and flew away? Did he die? Did he run away? Is the sister mentally ill? Is EVERYBODY made of tape? WHO KNOWS
I'm soooooooo confused by the last story. Was he made of tape and flew away? Did he die? Did he run away? Is the sister mentally ill? Is EVERYBODY made of tape? WHO KNOWS
Read
June 25, 2024Four short pieces of which could be described as flash fiction, youthful characters navigating dysfunctional kawaii in a sometime celebratory style. The title story being the most lengthy here, there's a few themes under the currents, identity issues, or why the necessity of it?. Perhaps the characters here at the borderland of hikikomori, very nearly so in the last story, Hello, Thank You, Everything's Fine, a family live precariously in a house on a precipice, a brother who tapes himself up afterwhich his dual appears, amongst imagined friends, so perhaps things are not quite fine, but Omae's imagination is lively.
June 15, 2024
This just didn't land for me. All of the stories save the last were fairly mopey but without much substance to make one feel particularly sympathetic to the characters; the final story was at least interestingly weird and worth reading in isolation, but didn't justify the purchase of the whole book.
December 19, 2023
not sure what to rate this, and not sure what to make of the last story
Read
June 25, 2024Very interesting and a nice short read in a few different stories.
January 25, 2024
3.5! the second story/main story is actually nice i loved it
January 20, 2024
A good mixture of realistic issues narrated, with hints of strange and sometimes bizarre themes in the background. But I really like the balance!
October 5, 2023
It's hard to describe this book or assign it a star rating. It's quite unlike any fiction I've read before - quiet, straightforward, but simultaneously absurd and inscrutable. The titular story was my favorite, and one of the more understandable pieces; its exploration of patriarchy and the way it harms everyone was incredibly poignant and sharp. Maybe it's because I only just read it and I'm still trying to work out what the hell was going on but the last story in the collection I found intoxicating. It touches on the themes throughout of loneliness and otherness, but never outlines the characters' emotions or intent with enough clarity to make full sense of anybody's actions. What was the thing with the tape? Who/what were the brothers' friends? What was going on???? I want to chew on this story to try and make sense of its flavours. I'm eager to read any further translations of Ao Omae's work. I'm sold
July 19, 2023
"...Omae’s stories deal with gender in remarkably nuanced ways. He’s interested in the way gendered world views wound all people. Nanamori, for example, is straight, cisgender, and male. No, he isn’t traditionally “masculine”; at just 156 cm and 45 kg, he’s a very small man. (Some girls at his high school described him as “cute, like a girl”.) Still, the simple fact he is a man protects him from some of a gendered society’s worst abuses. He knows his gender is an arbitrary advantage, just as much as he knows there are times he was guilty of casually going along with a sexist highschool crowd instead of speaking up or acting. The shame—some deserved, mostly not—builds as the story moves to its moving and thought-provoking climax...
...Translator Emily Baliestrieri is an asset to any story he brings to English readers. (Balistrieri is also responsible for recent translations of Eiko Kadano’s Kiki’s Delivery Service and Tomihiko Morimi’s Tatami Galaxy and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl.) In all of his translations, Balistrieri reliably balances fidelity to the original text, comprehensibility, and respect for the reader. (He’s spoken out about how “readers don’t need to be babied as much as [translators and editors] think they do.”) To note just one example, the characters in People Who Talk use LINE—more prominent in East Asian countries–in the English translation because he trusts his English audience to understand what LINE is from context. Another translator might “gloss” LINE as a social network or even adapt it to a social medium more familiar to an English-language audience. Not only are Balistrieri’s choices apt, his affection and respect for the original shine through on every page..."
Full review at the Asian Review of Books:
https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
...Translator Emily Baliestrieri is an asset to any story he brings to English readers. (Balistrieri is also responsible for recent translations of Eiko Kadano’s Kiki’s Delivery Service and Tomihiko Morimi’s Tatami Galaxy and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl.) In all of his translations, Balistrieri reliably balances fidelity to the original text, comprehensibility, and respect for the reader. (He’s spoken out about how “readers don’t need to be babied as much as [translators and editors] think they do.”) To note just one example, the characters in People Who Talk use LINE—more prominent in East Asian countries–in the English translation because he trusts his English audience to understand what LINE is from context. Another translator might “gloss” LINE as a social network or even adapt it to a social medium more familiar to an English-language audience. Not only are Balistrieri’s choices apt, his affection and respect for the original shine through on every page..."
Full review at the Asian Review of Books:
https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews