Japanese fiction

[DesperateADHDMum]

I’ve worked my way through the new translations of Seishi Yokomizo books this year and picked up a couple of other Japanese fiction books when browsing the bookshop. Has anyone any recommendations for other good translations? I like reading translated fiction but some of the translations can be really poor - it’s definitely an art form in itself!

Oh also yes yes I know it's not Japanese it's Korean but anyone read the vegetarian by Han kang? It's next on my list

Me too! It is a nice read

also read The Guest Cat which was ok but not sure it spoke to me

The housekeeper and the professor is 99p today on kindle if anyone is interested! loved that one

The Guest Cat is £4.99 sadly op and seeing as I have hundreds of books waiting to be read I will probably be divorced if I buy it. 99p ones I can sneak in 🤣🤣🤣

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto is a decent read, Also, a lovely book in its own right, although a children's book, is Totto-chan by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi.

@BusinessClass I thought The Vegetarian was memorable and excellent but.... extremely not-lovely 😁Human Acts v. good too.

I'm currently reading Days at the Morisaki Bookshop which is easy, cosy and similar to but less twee than the Before the Coffee... series.

During my last bout of Covid I lapped up Bullet Train which was utterly ridiculous but fun.

Thank you just whizzed over and bought it! Sounds right up my street. Like you I mostly stick to 99p deals as I already own about a bazillion unread books...

My teen, who has autism and ADHD, has a hyper-interest in Japanese culture. I raided her bookcase last night and found a copy of The Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura so I’m starting it today.

I really loved that book. Looking back I don’t know why but I guess it was the right book at the time I read it! I will be interested to hear what you think!!

OMG , this thread has just sent me down a rabbit hole.
We're off to Japan next month and I finished Days at the Morisaki bookshop last night.
On the basis of your recommendations, I've just ordered Sweet Bean Paste, The housekeeper and the professor and one I didn't see mentioned here I don't think called Pachinko.
Before the coffee gets cols is already on my bedside table

Convenience Store woman by Suyaka Murata

Nice to see the thread resurrected.

I’ve been reading some darker Japanese fiction recently which I’ve enjoyed
the box man by Kobe abe
anything I can find by seicho matsumoto (pro bono was really good)
My annihilation by fuminori nakamura
no longer human by osamu dazai

some others I really enjoyed
there no such thing as an easy job by kikiko tsumura
the woman in the purple skirt by natsuko imamura
child of fortune by Yukon Tsushima
Tokyo ueno station by yu Miri

@Manicpanicatthedisco

Thanks to you and others who recommended the book Out. It is fantastic! What a page turner! It is my book club book and I am really enjoying it.

The Little House by Kyoko Nakajima is wonderful!

Might be a bit brutal for some but:

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami is an absolute classic and one of the best books I've ever read!