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Book Review: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, translated by Yuji Oniki
Title: Battle Royale
Author: Koushun Takami
Translator: Yuji Oniki
Published: San Franciso: VIZ Media, 2006 (1999)
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 616
Total Page Count: 85,550
Text Number: 245
Read Because: personal enjoyment, purchased used at a local bookstore
Short Review: Every year, one class of junior high students is selected to participate in a game: isolated on a deserted island, provided with weapons, they must kill each other until just one student survives. When Shuya's class is picked, he must discover who to trust, how to fight, and if it is possible to survive—and perhaps even fight back against the system. A tense and grotesquely violent book, Battle Royale is addictive and boldly confrontational. Some characterization and psychological insight give depth to the violence, making it more than a cheap thrill. Despite a sometimes-awkward writing style, this is an engrossing read and which packs a wallop. Moderately recommended.
With more than 40 students to kill off, Battle Royale is by necessity long and densely packed with brutal violence. The slaughter is often unrelenting; when it does pause, it builds tension that makes subsequent violence all the more intense. A story like that isn't for all readers, but those that come anticipating a thrill will find it: this is a dense, high-adrenaline, violent novel which—despite its length—reads quickly. But the thrill doesn't come cheap: 600 pages also provides time to build characterization, examine psychological motivation, and even do a bit of world building. These aspects occur in moderation, but they give depth and meaning to all the violence and make the book worth reading even for those already familiar with the film.
Unfortunately, Battle Royale's writing style is a little awkward—character thoughts intermix with narration, punctuation is sometimes shady, and it's all stiff and stunted yet at the same time too informal. My problems with this style may be personal; furthermore I'm uncomfortable reviewing translated works because I never know what factors—be they regional differences, poor translation, or the nature of translation itself—may create weaknesses such as this one. But whatever the contributing or mitigating factors, even after 600 pages Battle Royale's writing style felt awkward to the point of distraction. That's my only major complaint, however. Battle Royale may be exceptional only in its premise, but that premise is fascinating and it makes for a dense, tense, quick read; other aspects balanced against the action give the the book enough purpose and depth to be fulfilling and thought-provoking. It's not must-read, but it's an intriguing book and to an interested audience, I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Koushun Takami
Translator: Yuji Oniki
Published: San Franciso: VIZ Media, 2006 (1999)
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 616
Total Page Count: 85,550
Text Number: 245
Read Because: personal enjoyment, purchased used at a local bookstore
Short Review: Every year, one class of junior high students is selected to participate in a game: isolated on a deserted island, provided with weapons, they must kill each other until just one student survives. When Shuya's class is picked, he must discover who to trust, how to fight, and if it is possible to survive—and perhaps even fight back against the system. A tense and grotesquely violent book, Battle Royale is addictive and boldly confrontational. Some characterization and psychological insight give depth to the violence, making it more than a cheap thrill. Despite a sometimes-awkward writing style, this is an engrossing read and which packs a wallop. Moderately recommended.
With more than 40 students to kill off, Battle Royale is by necessity long and densely packed with brutal violence. The slaughter is often unrelenting; when it does pause, it builds tension that makes subsequent violence all the more intense. A story like that isn't for all readers, but those that come anticipating a thrill will find it: this is a dense, high-adrenaline, violent novel which—despite its length—reads quickly. But the thrill doesn't come cheap: 600 pages also provides time to build characterization, examine psychological motivation, and even do a bit of world building. These aspects occur in moderation, but they give depth and meaning to all the violence and make the book worth reading even for those already familiar with the film.
Unfortunately, Battle Royale's writing style is a little awkward—character thoughts intermix with narration, punctuation is sometimes shady, and it's all stiff and stunted yet at the same time too informal. My problems with this style may be personal; furthermore I'm uncomfortable reviewing translated works because I never know what factors—be they regional differences, poor translation, or the nature of translation itself—may create weaknesses such as this one. But whatever the contributing or mitigating factors, even after 600 pages Battle Royale's writing style felt awkward to the point of distraction. That's my only major complaint, however. Battle Royale may be exceptional only in its premise, but that premise is fascinating and it makes for a dense, tense, quick read; other aspects balanced against the action give the the book enough purpose and depth to be fulfilling and thought-provoking. It's not must-read, but it's an intriguing book and to an interested audience, I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.