The Great Passage

Well-written but dull

Well written, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop in the plot and it never did. I didn't find this story terribly compelling or unique, but the writing was quiet and delicate, which I appreciated. Stylistically it reminded me of Murakami, but it was not as interesting as a Murakami story.

Problematic, to the point where I'm almost uncomfortable with having enjoyed it so much nonetheless. It's an ode to obsession and overwork, in which dedication is exalted and where spouses are praised for being understanding of absences and late hours. It's a comedy of misunderstandings; the search-for-the-new-dictionary scene in chapter one was weirdly absurd, clearly trying for comedy but really just irritating. (Spoiler: Majime _does_ turn out to be the right guy after all. And I'd encourage you to forgive this farcical part; the rest of the book is on the whole better). And there are no female characters, a curious omission from a female writer: all women play minor supporting roles. (The case could be made that all men, too, are minor characters in the shadow of The Dictionary. Perhaps, but there's still a strong gender disparity).

And yet: what a lovely book! Tender. Sweet. Awkward and lovable - the characters as well as the book itself. Thoughtful! Informative! Logophiles will appreciate being transported into the world of dictionary crafting. Delicate writing, and an almost imperceptible translation: the best kind, where you realize moments after reading a paragraph (sometimes long after), wow, that must've been hard to translate. Really a remarkable accomplishment in a book so devoted to words. Even laugh-out-loud funny in more than one place, all of them poignant endearing moments of self-recognition. This was an unexpected gem that would probably have escaped my attention; I'm grateful to A. for recommending it.