Review - 君の膵臓を食べたい / Let Me Eat Your Pancreas

I was in Kinokuniya when I first noticed this book on the display for books that got awards in 2016. But I didn't actually pick it up until 2017. But I really wish I'd picked it up sooner!

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading it either, just that I had a good feeling about it. And I'm glad my feeling was on the mark.

It's an interesting book that starts by telling you what happens at the end, but it's never really about the end. Just like life, it's about the journey. The things the main characters experience and what they learn from them.

The story was incredibly engaging and, despite how long it took me to get to the middle, I stormed through the ending. It's interesting seeing how well fleshed out the characters are and how they grow as people through the story.

I also think that what helped with the flow was the fact that there are almost no character names. The protagonist is always referred to by his relationship to others. I didn't even notice the lack of names until the end the story flowed so smoothly!

I strongly suggest picking up the novel before seeing the movie or the anime that's coming out later this year.

It's a joy to read.

-Jenn

.---.

Despite the recommendation (thanks Jenn) and the hype (in Japan at least) surrounding the movie release, I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I first picked it up. It's not the kind of book I'd read in English, and was quite the departure from a lot of the stuff I'd been reading in Japanese for the last year or so (a lot of Otsuichi and MORI Hiroshi) but I'm glad I took the plunge.

I was expecting the usual simple teen romance but got a lot more than that.

Sumino's prose is light, fun and really accessible, despite the heavy subject matter. And the two main characters, whilst not without their flaws in the beginning, really do grow on you (and each other) as the story develops.

I say as the story develops, but actually, the story isn't littered with a lot of major events or turning points (at least as I remember it, it was a fair while ago). However, what kept me coming back was following the growth of the two main characters whilst they came to grips with what it means to live and to die.

For anyone after a character driven story that gets you really thinking about friendship, mortality and a host of other subjects without being too heavy handed, definitely give this book a go.

-Daniel

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