Yakuza Moon - Shoko Tendo
Watch any gangster movie and there is one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb: virtually no women. Yakuza are Japanese gangster's and I was interested in reading this book as the subtitle is: memoir's of a gangster's daughter. I thought it would offer me a fresh perspective on a well-worn story. Unfortunately Tendo's father was only a successful yakuza early in her childhood and she had limited knowledge of what he did before he had to give up the lifestyle and struggle the rest of his life. In fact the book barely talks about yakuza culture at all (I imagine the attention grabbing title was used to pique interest) but about Tendo's childhood as a juvenile delinquent (most of which was spent estranged from her parents), her addiction to heroine and the string of abusive men in her life.
By her own admission Tendo isn't a great writer (she basically dropped out of school at age 12 to huff paint and party with other wild teenagers). That unfortunately means that despite a wealth of interesting subject matter Tendo writes about her own addictions and abuse almost dispassionately. There is no real meat on the bones of this story only the barest recitation of facts. Someone looking for a quick read will be satisfied but those craving more than a sadly familiar story about abuse, misogyny and drugs will be left disappointed.
By her own admission Tendo isn't a great writer (she basically dropped out of school at age 12 to huff paint and party with other wild teenagers). That unfortunately means that despite a wealth of interesting subject matter Tendo writes about her own addictions and abuse almost dispassionately. There is no real meat on the bones of this story only the barest recitation of facts. Someone looking for a quick read will be satisfied but those craving more than a sadly familiar story about abuse, misogyny and drugs will be left disappointed.