Comments on: Manga Appreciation Week: Book Review – Goth by Otsuichi

By: rien

rien — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:41:48 +0000

hi, I was searching GOTH and found your blog here.
I now we’re not know each other but if you don’t mind, could I ask you for help?
I’m rien and now I’m in my last semester at university in Indonesia, majoring japanese literature.
I’m doing my thesis so I can graduate. and my object is this novel.
I already have this novel but it’s in japan’s language.
and believe me, it’s kanji character’s VERY hard to read and understand.
I want to graduate this november so my thesis should be on my teacher’s hands at oct.20th.now, what I want to ask for your help is:
could you scan the chapter TWINS and WRISTCUT here so I can use it as a referense?
because I already search EVERYWHERE in my country and the net for this book and I can’t find it.so I’m really desperate right now.
I’ll be so grateful if you willing to help me but if you’re not it’s okay, but at least please reply this so I know what’s your decision.
thank you so much and I’ll be waiting

By: Kroni

Kroni — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:34:06 +0000

Very good review that touched upon something I never really saw until now; the difference between the protagonists. I had originally believed Morino was just like Mr. Narrator, but now I see the hints that separate her from the quite accurate example of a sociopath that is the narrator.

By: RicG

RicG — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:01:44 +0000

A great review of a surprisingly superb book. I tried to do Goth justice in a short review I left on Amazon, but you’ve managed to capture so many of the levels this book is working on. In spite of the clipped English of the translation, the imagery is truly stunning as is the emotional whiplash of each story’s ending. If you’re easily upset by these kinds of topics, don’t go near this book. But if you’re looking for a brilliant young author who really knows how to mess with your head, this is not a book to miss.

By: Thea

Thea — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:48:05 +0000

Chandra–I can understand your feelings I tried to lend my copy to a friend, who basically read the first few pages and said, “No way.”

JWM–Thank you! And yes, you make an excellent point about the skilled translation. I think [i]Goth[/i] actually benefits from being translated to English–much of the disturbing atmosphere comes from the clipped, blunt tone of the narration, which seems to have been totally intentional on the part of the translator. Instead of embellishing or ‘smoothing over’ some of the passages, I love the raw, detached quality to the narrator’s voice. Truly a brilliant job by Andrew Cunningham.

By: JWM

JWM — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:59:59 +0000

This is probably the first decent review of Goth I’ve seen so far, and it masterfully details the horrific charm in the book. If I had to point out a single criticism of the review, it is simply that there was no comment on the obvious skills of the translator; someone who not only managed to work something from Japanese to a completely different language, but who also managed to capture the original psychology as well.

By: Chandra

Chandra — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:12:58 +0000

GOTH made me feel dirty after I read it. I mean, I think it’s one of the most brilliant things I have ever read, but I couldn’t keep my ARC because I never wanted to read it again.

By: Thea

Thea — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:31:05 +0000

Kris–I completely understand where you are coming from. Ana feels similarly to your position, and I respect that! It all boils down to whether or not you like that unsettling, horrific feeling…and I think I have a little Morino in me, since I love it

Sweet–[i]Audition[/i] totally kicks ass. The bag! The creepy ballet! The wire! I usually don’t get creeped out by these sort of psychological horror films–it’s almost always the Samaras that get under my skin and have me reaching for the lights. But I have to fully agree with you, [i]Audition[/i] absolutely freaked me out. In a wonderful way.

You’re in the mood to be disturbed? Definitely give [i]Goth[/i] a try! I’d be really interested in seeing what you think of this novel. I don’t think I’ve been so unsettled by a book since…hmmm. Honestly, probably not since I read [i]House of Leaves[/i] by Mark Danielewski.

By: Sweet

Sweet — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:18:16 +0000

I loved Audition, I don’t know what made me wince more the vomit or the torture scene. It takes a lot to disturb me and that movie did it.

Great review, I’ll definitely have to check this out. I haven’t read or seen anything disturbing lately.

By: Kris

Kris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:56:56 +0000

This sounds fascinating, Thea, but it also sounds as though it’s the type of thing I could watch but not read. My imagination is way too overactive to read realistic horror without it giving me nightmares for weeks.

By: Thea

Thea — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:11:05 +0000

Aww, thanks dude.

I really, [i]really[/i] loved this book. Completely took me by surprise…but yeah, I’d still warn you to stay away, since I know you don’t like the super dark stuff! And holy crow, this book is as dark as they come.