Book review: Battle Royale

[fbajet]

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

In an alternate reality, Japan is no longer Japan but the Republic of Greater East Asia.  As part of its oppressive totalitarian regime, every year groups of ninth grade students are forced to participate in The Program-a brutal, dog-eat-dog competition there can only be one winner.  After witnessing the murder of

Comments

[aurillia]

I love this book - and the movie is definitely on par (I saw the film first). Your comments about the stereotypical portrayal of girls (and boys) is spot-on though - I lived in Japan and it seemed very Japanese to me, so it didn't bother me, but you're right, and I like the description "angel or whore".

I liked the multiple perspectives, though - and considering the plot, I'm not sure you could do away with them. I always feel a bit guilty for liking this book so much though, since it is pretty horrid!

[fbajet]

I thought it was a great thriller of a book; the twists and turns kept me turning the pages! I watched some Japanese anime before so I was sort of prepared for the grisly violence...but certainly not to that extent.

I was struggling with how I reacted to the characters, but I'm glad you also thought their depictions were stereotypical. I didn't want to impose all the female, butt-kicking characters in other books I've read, but at the same time, I really couldn't help rolling my eyes every time a male character was surprised a female one would fight back. It's a competition, why the hell wouldn't she!

[aurillia]

They don't expect women to bite back that's for sure! It's interesting - I don't think this story would work at all for any other culture. You couldn't do an American version or an Australian one or a French one. You can only suspend disbelief and buy into it because it's Japanese. Honestly, they can have the most incredibly imaginations. Have you read any Haruki Murakami? I really loved Natsuo Kirino too.