Gayle Madwin (queerbychoice) wrote,
Gayle Madwin
queerbychoice
  • Mood: blah
  • Music: computer noises

Book Anti-Recommendation: Miri Yu

I would like to recommend that all of you not read the novel Gold Rush by Miri Yu. I bought it in part because it said on the cover "Winner of the Akutagawa Prize," which I took to mean that it was well-written. Unfortunately I have now come to the conclusion that the Akutagawa Prize must be an award for literary sadism rather than literary merit. So far in the book, the 14-year-old boy who is the main character has, in this order:
  • watched, been upset by and avoided participating in, but also didn't intervene in, a gang rape committed by his friends
  • bashed a dog's skull in with a golf club
  • beaten his family's housekeeper half to death
  • stabbed his father to death with a knife
And I'm not even halfway done with the book. And I can't think of the slightest reason whatsoever why I should want to read any more about this kid.
Tags: books
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