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⭐️ 3/5

Botchan gives a sneak peek into the Japan from it's era. I could not connect to the book though. Excruciatingly slow pace. It would have been wonderful if read in it's original language. Wordplay puns and colloquial references seem to be a tool that the author resorted to often. In conclusion, the book's charm was lost in translation.

My recommendation : Read it in Japanese or find a better translation.

#Botchan #Japan #Natsumesoseki

"...Be that as it may, a mystery is the world, where he to whom one has an instinctive aversion is kind, while those to whom one can open his heart as friends are rascals."

Illustration by Shinsui Ito

I wonder what sasa-ame cakes from Echigo are....

The moment and way it's mentioned in the book made them appear like a delectable treat to me. A quick google search brought forth nothing. Any ideas anyone?

"Imagination is a happy enchantress: she will put up a fine castle in the air."

‘In Japan, Natsume is often considered as the greatest writer in modern Japanese history. So important in fact that from 1984 until 2004, his portrait appeared on the front of the Japanese 1000 yen note. He is best known for his novels Botchan, Kokoro, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness.‘

The tagged book is on my tbr.

#WanderingJune #BigInJapan

I really enjoyed this one - a bit odd, but very funny! It's a kind of coming of age story.

Botchan wanders into a career as a teacher in a provincial school and comes face to face with treachery, hypocrisy and the complexities of human nature. His trials are related with verve, energy and the occasional leavening of lyricism. The characters Soseki paints may not be the deepest but his satire does strike home.

" Indeed , humans are the least reliable in this world ... "

Although the end was bad for me , I liked this novel so much 💖 but I wish the author ended things in a better way . #thelistchallenge
أحببت الرواية كثيرًا 💕 على الرغم من كون النهاية سيئة بالنسبة لي ، تمنيت لو أنهاها الكاتب بطريقة أفضل . #تحدي_القائمة

1st book finished in 2017 and goal set for the year. Increased from last year's goal of 55 books which I surpassed.

So many gorgeous covers of the book over the years! Just a couple with portrait of Soseki.

Impulsive, straightforward, and stubborn Tokyo boy in early 20th century takes first job as math teacher in countryside, finds himself embroiled in sly personal/professional shenanigans with colleagues nicknamed Red Shirt, Porcupine, Madonna...sit back and read with a pot of green tea and rice crackers! Things much simpler then but people still the same.

My stack for this week!