Hi blog fam! I recently finished Parade by Shuichi Yoshida and really enjoyed the book. I'm also pretty proud of myself for being on my reading game and consistently reading books. I have yet to select my next book, but I am bouncing around a few titles. I would like to read more YA, so I may watch a few vids from a Youtuber I follow that reads a lot of YA titles and see what she recommends.
Parade follows five people that live together by chance in a small apartment. Each character has a chapter dedicated to them from their perspective. The novel explores what happens when people that have no ties to each other live together. The novel explores complex human dynamics within ourselves and our relationships. Spoilers will be under the cut.
Characters
- Ryosuke Sugimoto- 21 year old male college student that is working part time
- Kotomi Okochi- 23 year old unemployed woman dating an idol
- Mirai Somai- 24 year old woman that loves to party
- Satoru Kokubo- an 18 year old that sells his body
- Naoki Ihara- a 28 year old man that works at a film distributor
What I find interesting is that the novel begins innocent enough and then slowly turns darker. I really liked how the author let you inside each of the character's head. It really made their interactions with each other and motives have more life. I felt that every character was being honest with themselves and each other except for Naoki.
I enjoyed all of the chapters except Naoki. He was also my least favorite character and this had nothing to do with the fact that he was committing the attacks. Also, for some reason I found Naoki's section to be my least favorite. Everyone was being candid and brutally honest in their chapters. They were able to understand each other's true natures, but Naoki in my opinion was the only one lying not only to everyone but himself as well.
I had a feeling that Naoki was the one when Mirai mentioned in her chapter that he admitted enjoying standing very close behind women on the train when they had their headphones in and weren't aware he was there. It became even clear when Ryosuke used Naoki's information for the fortune teller and the response the fortune teller gave based off Naoki's information. It's interesting that the reader thinks something sinister is next door when it's actually one of the characters in the apartment.
It's difficult to choose a favorite character because I feel like they were all wonderful and complex, besides Naoki. Each character was in a different point in his or her life and thus had a different outlook on life. Satori was the youngest and really wasn't thinking about his future; Ryosuke really embodied the young adult phase that most people go through where they don't know what to do next and is sort of breezing through. Kotomi and Mirai were both in that mid 20's point where she had something established but something still needed to change.
I enjoyed all of the chapters except Naoki. He was also my least favorite character and this had nothing to do with the fact that he was committing the attacks. Also, for some reason I found Naoki's section to be my least favorite. Everyone was being candid and brutally honest in their chapters. They were able to understand each other's true natures, but Naoki in my opinion was the only one lying not only to everyone but himself as well.
I had a feeling that Naoki was the one when Mirai mentioned in her chapter that he admitted enjoying standing very close behind women on the train when they had their headphones in and weren't aware he was there. It became even clear when Ryosuke used Naoki's information for the fortune teller and the response the fortune teller gave based off Naoki's information. It's interesting that the reader thinks something sinister is next door when it's actually one of the characters in the apartment.
It's difficult to choose a favorite character because I feel like they were all wonderful and complex, besides Naoki. Each character was in a different point in his or her life and thus had a different outlook on life. Satori was the youngest and really wasn't thinking about his future; Ryosuke really embodied the young adult phase that most people go through where they don't know what to do next and is sort of breezing through. Kotomi and Mirai were both in that mid 20's point where she had something established but something still needed to change.
The novel also explores how relationships of convenience can become true bonds and what sides of ourselves we show others. It reflects on the secrets we keep from each other and ourselves. The ending really left me wanting more. If everyone knew Naoki was doing that, I wonder how they could sit by in good conscience and not stop him. I wonder if he continued to attack women after he discovered they knew what he was doing.
Overall, I would love to read another book by this author. I hope everyone is staying warm and having a good start to 2015. Until next time^^
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