Yoko Ogawa: Revenge

Hi everyone

Revenge is a collection of Yoko Ogawa's shortstories, they are interconnected and centered around revenge (obviously). I read this on my e-reader.

"Sinister forces draw together a cast of desperate characters in this eerie and absorbing novel from Yoko Ogawa.
An aspiring writer moves into a new apartment and discovers that her landlady has murdered her husband. Years later, the writer’s stepson reflects upon his stepmother and the strange stories she used to tell him. Meanwhile, a surgeon’s lover vows to kill him if he does not leave his wife. Before she can follow-through on her crime of passion, though, the surgeon will cross paths with another remarkable woman, a cabaret singer whose heart beats delicately outside of her body. But when the surgeon promises to repair her condition, he sparks the jealousy of another man who would like to preserve the heart in a custom tailored bag. Murderers and mourners, mothers and children, lovers and innocent bystanders—their fates converge in a darkly beautiful web that they are each powerless to escape." 

Unfortunately, I found Revenge to be really mediocre.

Most of the stories were forgettable and left no impression on me. They felt flat, lacking the depth or emotional punch I was hoping for. There was nothing that stood out; no moment that made me pause, no character that lingered in my mind after I finished reading.
The only bright spots were the little moments where the connections between the stories became clear but they weren’t enough to make the book memorable or impactful.

It’s a shame, because I love the idea of interconnected stories, especially with such a dark and intriguing theme as revenge. But in the end, Revenge just didn’t resonate with me.

Have you read Revenge or anything else by Yoko Ogawa? Did you feel the same way about this book, or did it leave a stronger impression on you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena