Snakes and Earrings (Originally published in Japan as Hebi ni Piasu)
7 journalers for this copy...
This book won the Akutagawa Prize for it's author - one of the youngest to do so.
From the inside flap:
An underground world.
A murder.
An international phenomenon.
Snakes and earrings...
Enchanted by the snakelike tongue of a stranger called Ama, nineteen-year-old Lui takes a walk into another side of life. On the Tokyo streets, she finds a world where pain bleeds into pleasure. Where day fades into night. And where right turns into wrong.
I found this book to be a quick and somewhat disturbing read. The extreme body modification sub-culture is one that I have difficulty understanding since the idea of doing those sorts of things to myself is disturbing to me on a visceral level. It was also quite explicit, just to warn prospective readers.
From the inside flap:
An underground world.
A murder.
An international phenomenon.
Snakes and earrings...
Enchanted by the snakelike tongue of a stranger called Ama, nineteen-year-old Lui takes a walk into another side of life. On the Tokyo streets, she finds a world where pain bleeds into pleasure. Where day fades into night. And where right turns into wrong.
I found this book to be a quick and somewhat disturbing read. The extreme body modification sub-culture is one that I have difficulty understanding since the idea of doing those sorts of things to myself is disturbing to me on a visceral level. It was also quite explicit, just to warn prospective readers.
Journal Entry 2 by megami-no-ushi at VBB, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Released 13 yrs ago (11/2/2010 UTC) at VBB, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Taking this to the post office at lunch to be sent off to Tsjara in Europe!
Got here safely, thanks megami-no-ushi! And for the beautiful card and Howl's Moving Castle sticky note too! (it's one of my favorite movies) ^_^ The book looks great, looking forward to reading it :)
Not sure what to think of this little book. The story was kind of depressing, strange and disturbing.. but told in a very detached way by the protagonist (Lui). It gave an interesting view into a darker side of Tokyo, though I still don't understand the need or fascination with body modification (just the idea of splitting my tongue makes me shudder.. ugh..). However, the story was well told and kept me reading. The outcome had me rather confused though (how could she be okay with it?).
Seems there is a movie too, but I don't think I would want to see it :p
Thanks for sharing the book megami-no-ushi :)
I think I'll put it in a VBB..
Seems there is a movie too, but I don't think I would want to see it :p
Thanks for sharing the book megami-no-ushi :)
I think I'll put it in a VBB..
Released 12 yrs ago (12/28/2011 UTC) at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to a bookcrosser who won this in a VBB raffle... :)
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
Wow, thanks! Sounds quite interesting - and just a tiny bit scary :)
I agree with the previous journalers: this was a disturbing read. I don't understand why anyone would want to mutilate their body willingly (I don't even like tattoos, never mind splitting your tongue!) and I don't understand S/M either.
I've read a couple of other new(ish) Japanese novels and they've all shared the same, weird feeling of detachment, which is another thing I don't get. The story and the characters seem very shallow to me, things happen to them and they just drift along without showing any feeling. I'm not sure why that is - I don't know Japanese culture nearly well enough to interpret it.
I'm satisfied I managed to finish this book, but I'm not going to seek out Kanehara's other books (if she has published more).
This book will now travel on to soozreader who picked it from a Finnish VBB.
I've read a couple of other new(ish) Japanese novels and they've all shared the same, weird feeling of detachment, which is another thing I don't get. The story and the characters seem very shallow to me, things happen to them and they just drift along without showing any feeling. I'm not sure why that is - I don't know Japanese culture nearly well enough to interpret it.
I'm satisfied I managed to finish this book, but I'm not going to seek out Kanehara's other books (if she has published more).
This book will now travel on to soozreader who picked it from a Finnish VBB.
Journal Entry 8 by 
Soozreader
at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Thank you very much for this book, I look forward to reading it!:)
Journal Entry 9 by Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Wednesday, September 2, 2015
I think this was a strange book about tattoos, piercings, body modifications, violence and dependency... Not really my kind of a read in the end but I did read it:)
This book is reserved for the EU - Already Crossed VBB
Edit 21.09.2015 This was not chosen in the VBB, will release it some other way.
This book is reserved for the EU - Already Crossed VBB
Edit 21.09.2015 This was not chosen in the VBB, will release it some other way.
Released 8 yrs ago (10/31/2015 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
One Book a Month RABCK - October. The book is on its way to China and to the next reader. Happy Bookcrossing!
The book arrived in China, thanks a lot Soozreader for offering it to me!
This is a short book, not for the faint hearted. We have really explicite description of body modification, SM, etc.
But I found fascinating how the author delves into the mind of what we could typically call "disanchanted youth" and Japan counter-culture.
But I found fascinating how the author delves into the mind of what we could typically call "disanchanted youth" and Japan counter-culture.
Journal Entry 13 by BaiLong at Sweepstake, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 4, 2016
Released 8 yrs ago (4/5/2016 UTC) at Sweepstake, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book will be on its way soon to the winner!
Thank you so much, BaiLong, for sending this well-travelled book my way (I enjoyed the previous readers' posts, and it seems certainly intriguing!)
Thanks for the most beautiful and delicate bookmark, and for taking the time to write a friendly note to me, really appreciated.
Thanks for the most beautiful and delicate bookmark, and for taking the time to write a friendly note to me, really appreciated.
Reserved for Meg72's Women Write Well VBB.
EDited to say that it was not chosen and is now available again...
EDited to say that it was not chosen and is now available again...
Sent today as my replacement book for Tanamo's Noah's Ark Bookring.
Happy travels, little book! :)
Happy travels, little book! :)
I took this one out of the box from Tanamo's Noah's Ark Bookring.
It looks intriguing.
Thank you for sharing!
It looks intriguing.
Thank you for sharing!
