The Ghosts of Nagasaki: Book Review

The Ghosts of Nagasaki by Daniel Clausen (Goodreads Author)

Loved this book! Anyone who loves Japanese writers, the loneliness and despair in their writing will love this book. However there is one major difference, Japanese books go down and under and end with tragedy, but Clausen got the protagonist in the book bounce back and become hope himself. 

The book is brilliant, I would have given it 5 stars but held back 1 star for some beginning & middle sections where the story ran in circles. But it does add to the story overall. When I began reading, I found all the characters stereotyped, specially the Japanese and wondered if this will continue. But thankfully Clausen introduced some new characters in the mid. 

The depressed protagonist, a foreigner in Tokyo, who is almost on the verge of loosing his heart (literally) takes us through his surreal life, where we meet a monster, albeit a gentle one, ghosts, spirits... these layers, nothing but the part of us positive and negative, memories etc. I was super impressed with the writing. I would be picking more of Clausen's work. I am a Japanophile and I think - Clausen is too.

Who will like:
If you like Japanese writings
If you like surrealism
If you like stories with complex plots

Who may not like:
Any of above
Character driven books, this not plot driven
If you don't like stories moving back and forth
Dark

If you think, you fit in the 'Like', I promise you will add this author to your to-read shelf.