I liked this book! My favorite part about this story was how short it was, while still delivering a complete narrative. I didn’t feel as if it was rushed or cut off. I think Murata did an excellent job at crafting a story that was small and easily digestible, while still maintaining character and plot integrity. The characters were well-developed and the plot was simple, but highly effective and creative. I enjoyed it. 

I also liked the peek into Japanese culture. I don’t read a lot of translated fiction (something I am working on), so this was a nice, easy way to see a part of the world that I don’t always get to immerse myself in. The pressures that Keiko faces are immense and the fact that the people who should love her most are so disturbed by her lifestyle was, frankly, alarming. They wanted Keiko to change and adapt so badly, and didn’t seem to care about the fact that Keiko was already happy and satisfied with her life. It was interesting. 

I didn’t have any explicit dislikes for this novel. Perhaps some sections felt a bit rushed or overlooked, but not so noticeably that I would categorize it as a flaw of the book.