Hotel Iris
11 journalers for this copy...
"A tale of twisted love, from the author of The Diving Pool and The Housekeeper and the Professor.
In a crumbling seaside hotel on the coast of Japan, quiet seventeen-year-old Mari works the front desk as her mother tends to the off-season customers. When one night they are forced to expel a middle-aged man and a prostitute from their room, Mari finds herself drawn to the man's voice, in what will become the first gesture of a single long seduction. In spite of her provincial surroundings, and her cool but controlling mother, Mari is a sophisticated observer of human desire, and she sees in this man something she has long been looking for. "
In a crumbling seaside hotel on the coast of Japan, quiet seventeen-year-old Mari works the front desk as her mother tends to the off-season customers. When one night they are forced to expel a middle-aged man and a prostitute from their room, Mari finds herself drawn to the man's voice, in what will become the first gesture of a single long seduction. In spite of her provincial surroundings, and her cool but controlling mother, Mari is a sophisticated observer of human desire, and she sees in this man something she has long been looking for. "
Please PM or post in the forum if you are interested, and include
a) Your location
b) Where you are willing to post the book after you read it
(International, or only within N. America / Asia / Australia / Europe, etc.)
BookRAY participants :
- mafarrimond ( in the United Kingdom - posts anywhere)
- romy86 (in Australia, posts anywhere)
- Icila (in France, posts anywhere)
- chesswally (in Germany, posts anywhere)
- vassilka (in Greece - posts to EU - prefers not to be at beginning of list)
- Tsjara (in the Netherlands - posts to EU - international if needed - prefers not to be at beginning of list)
- lunatum (in Finland - prefers not to be at the beginning - posts international)
- carelaisa (in Canada - posts to Canada/USA) <---book is here
-
~ ~ ~ ~ > Please make a journal entry when you receive the book.
~ ~ ~ ~ > Please read and pass on the book within two months of receipt. If you can't do this for any reason, please PM me to let me know.
~ ~ ~ ~ > When you are done reading, contact the next reader via PM for their address. Also make another journal entry (or edit your first one) to share your comments about the book.
(forum post)
Journal Entry 3 by okyrhoe at book ring/ray, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (2/14/2012 UTC) at book ring/ray, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way by post to mafarrimond. Enjoy!
The book has arrived safely, thank you. I am really looking forward to reading this.
The second book I have read by this author. A strange relationship that develops in strange circumstances but totally believable. Heart wrenching story!
Posted on
Book arrived today. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to reading it!
Very well written but disturbing story. I really didn't like the interpreter character at all. I couldn't understand the attraction to him from Mari, although she was written beautifully and the author got across well that she had low self esteem and a poor relationship with her mother, which is possibly why she seemed to find it acceptable to be treated so badly.
I was glad it ended as it did. It seemed to hold some hope for Mari's future.
Thanks for sharing this book. Will PM the next reader for their address.
I was glad it ended as it did. It seemed to hold some hope for Mari's future.
Thanks for sharing this book. Will PM the next reader for their address.
Released 11 yrs ago (3/15/2012 UTC) at Perth City, Western Australia Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off to next reader tomorrow!
Although this novel is very well written I was absolutely not able to share Mari's fascination for this horrible old man.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Journal Entry 11 by chesswally at Vaihingen (Enz), Baden-Württemberg Germany on Monday, May 21, 2012
I received the book today...thanks for sending it.
I had expected a book about love between an old man and a young girl. But it is not about love. It is about might, authority, violence and abuse. For me the author was not able to reveal the details why the persons act the way they do. I did not like it.
Thanks for the possibility to make that experience.
I had expected a book about love between an old man and a young girl. But it is not about love. It is about might, authority, violence and abuse. For me the author was not able to reveal the details why the persons act the way they do. I did not like it.
Thanks for the possibility to make that experience.
Journal Entry 12 by chesswally at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Friday, June 8, 2012
Released 10 yrs ago (6/8/2012 UTC) at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Baden-Württemberg Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to vassilka. I hope you like it more than I did :-)
Received it and started reading it already.
When I took it in my hands I was curious to read it because of all the negative comments the previous readers made. I had recently read "The Professor and the Housekeeper" by Yoko Ogawa and I liked it very much. However the story of this book was much different from anything else that I've read so far. I really don't understand what the author wanted to say with this book. Mari had low self esteem and her mother couldn't understand her because she was a person interested only in money and the translator was a lonely man mourning for his wife's death but both of them were sick in their minds and they enjoyed an abnormal relationship which I don't approve, I don't understand and I really don't find a reason why someone should read about it. I didn't like it of course, many times I thought I should stop reading it but as it was a small book I finally finished it and I'm glad I did!
The next reader is Tsjara. She told me she has many TBRs but I'm leaving for holidays next week so I have to send it to her before next Wednesday.
The next reader is Tsjara. She told me she has many TBRs but I'm leaving for holidays next week so I have to send it to her before next Wednesday.
Off to Tsjara in the Netherlands...happy reading!
Wow, that was quick (nice stamps)! Thanks vassilka for sending and the lovely bookmark! Well, I only have one other bookring here at the moment (strangely enough), so I'll start with this one soon. :)
Thanks Okyrhoe for organizing the bookring!
Thanks Okyrhoe for organizing the bookring!
This was actually quite a fast read. I'm not sure if enjoy is the right word, but I didn't dislike it. It is a strange story, and I don't understand Mari's fascination with the translator, who I did dislike - and the maid and her mother as well.. She must be very lonely. The only other character that I liked and found interesting was the nephew. However, the writing was beautiful and kept me reading.
Released 10 yrs ago (7/11/2012 UTC) at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling to lunatum now, together with another bookring.
Happy reading! :)
Happy reading! :)
The book arrived today with another book. I guess I'll enjoy the book with a cup of the, thanks.
What a strange story. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't really enjoy it either. Once I started reading, it was hard to put the book down.
I sent the book forward.
Rec'd it today!
I have 2 books waiting to read, including a bookray, but I should get to this one quite soon.
Thanks lunatum for the lovely stamps on the package, the handmade bookmark and the postcard:)
I have 2 books waiting to read, including a bookray, but I should get to this one quite soon.
Thanks lunatum for the lovely stamps on the package, the handmade bookmark and the postcard:)
Finally got around to read it...
What can I say about this book? I liked it though it was slow paced – books from Japanese authors tend to be like that – and yet, I didn’t like too much the “perfection” I felt through out the story, like nothing was out of place. Of course, it’s different from what I usually read but still, that’s the thing that nags me all along the reading, the perfection from each scene, and each action of the characters. But, it’s a good book and one to be read in one evening, with a good cup of tea.
What can I say about this book? I liked it though it was slow paced – books from Japanese authors tend to be like that – and yet, I didn’t like too much the “perfection” I felt through out the story, like nothing was out of place. Of course, it’s different from what I usually read but still, that’s the thing that nags me all along the reading, the perfection from each scene, and each action of the characters. But, it’s a good book and one to be read in one evening, with a good cup of tea.
Journal Entry 24 by carelaisa at RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Hope everything will be like :)
Thanks for the book, which arrived today, with a few goodies. I have never read anything by this author, but it is a short book and worth a shot. I need an author whose name ends in "O" for a challenge I am doing, so this may have come just in time!
A wish list tag. Enjoy.
Girls just want to have fun,
but sometimes they find
someone turns the light off.
but sometimes they find
someone turns the light off.
