
Like most translated Japanese novels, there's a spareness in the text but translator Stephen Snyder manages to utilize concrete words and preserve the lyrical nature of Ogawa's prose--which in my opinion is essential as the author constantly juxtaposes beauty and cruelty, juggling them as if they were opposite sides of a coin.
What's also amazing with Ogawa is how she makes us sympathize with her protagonist, even as we explore the darker side of the human condition. As I said before, the author to a certain point downplays this part in the sense that it's not the dramatic point of the story, but it is a tension that's constant in all three novellas. This balancing act, and that of convincing the reader to remain faithful to the protagonist, is proof of the author's talent.
The literary reader in me highly recommends The Diving Pool: Three Novellas. It's short, concise, and delivers three distinct narratives that will haunt and leave an impression.
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