Welcome to Litsy!

This was an odd little book, but I think I liked it. It‘s a fascinating exploration of neurodivergence, societal expectations, and what makes a good life—although the narrator is often frustrating to read. I was also frustrated by a rushed and underdeveloped ending, especially because at just over 160 pages, there certainly was space to flesh out the conclusion a bit more. ⤵️

This is my third by Higashino. So far , so good 👏🏻❤️

The plot flowed so subtly; something so horrible hiding itself behind the the façade of a child being a mere child. The spectrum of glory, on which stood one 13 year old and one 30-something year old, mirroring one another, was beautifully done. The exploration of masculinity, obsession and more, through seemingly two different lenses was so beautifully done. I would love to read a book just on each and every single one of the characters on here.

🎧Audiobook 💗💗

❤️❤️this book! What are your favorites from this author?

Kawabata's novel is a fictionalisation of the real life final tournament of Go master, Hon'inbō Shūsai (photo), which he covered for a newspaper.
Knowing the game would undoubtedly enhance the experience, but it's not necessary (luckily!) as the novel is actually about the characters of the Old Master and the Young Pretender, and how they respond to the stress of a historic match that will define the future of a cultural institution.⬇️

I don‘t even know what to say about this book - I certainly wasn‘t expecting a book with such a sweet cover to send me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Hansen‘s disease and Japanese sanitariums.

All in all, this is a story about mistakes, loneliness, finding connection in places you don‘t expect it and the meaning of life… it did perhaps lose a little in translation but it still packs an emotional punch.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The premise may seem deceptively simple, but each story is a beautiful invitation to reflect. I often felt quite moved while reading; the last three stories especially spoke to me. This is the kind of book that I imagine you could take away something new from it each time you read it, and each reader would have something different resonate - much like the characters themselves make the meaning in the gifts and books from Sayuri Komachi.

"Shūsai, Master of Go, twenty-first in the Honimbō succession, died in Atami, at the Urokaya Inn, on the morning of January 18, 1940."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Me giving up on #flatlayfriday and waiting for #standupsaturday 😅💕