The Woman in the Dunes
This contemporary Japanese novel combines elements of myth, suspense, and existentialism. In a remote seaside village, Niki Jumpei, a teacher and amateur entomologist, is held captive with a young woman at the bottom of a sand pit, where they must shovel off the ever-advancing sand dunes.
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Community Reviews
As quck as a read The Woman in the Dunes is, it still manages to create a dynamic between characters that feels flushed out and realized, without jeopardizing the simplicity of the story. It’s an interesting take on the Sisyphean tale, which I had completely forgot about until I started reading the novel. It’s an easy read, less philosophical and introspective than The Face of Another, but equally as interesting as the latter. Kōbō Abe has stunned me two novels in a row, so I cannot wait to see what else he has up his sleeve.
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