Astral Season, Beastly Season
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Average rating3.5
Astral Season, Beastly Season is the debut novel by Japanese writer Tahi Saihate. The story follows Morishita and Yamashiro, two high-school boys approaching the age in life when they must choose what kind of people they want to be. When their favourite J-pop idol kills and dismembers her boyfriend, Morishita and Yamashiro unite to convince the police that their idol’s act was in fact by them. This thrilling novel is a meditation on belonging, the objectification of young popstars, and teenage alienation.
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“Youth is a mess of a season, impossible to live through without criticizing both the self and others. But in youth, we criticize both ourselves and others in their full humanity. It's only lonely adults that call others less than human.”
Reading this one made me remember one of the characters in Heaven Mieko Kawaki, nihilism, and obsession toward Idol. The book was divided into two-part, the letter from Yamashiro and the season of righteousness, the pov from two MC from the first part. The first part of the stories really easy to follow and more impactful to the story than the second one. I felt a little confused when reading the second part more emphasizes philosophy the other side character. The book can really capture the dark and psychological obsession toward idols and how the Japanese high schoolers live their youth.
