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A review by violetturtledove
The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The closest comparison I can think of for this book is Twin Peaks - the atmosphere is spot-on, there are lots of little intriguing details, and the mysteries pile up but never get solved.
I'm aware that it's allegory and symbolism relating to modern, corporate life and I'm probably missing some layers of it but it still felt incomplete to me. I loved all the little details like the animals and strange side characters, and I was really intrigued by it all, but when I got close to the end I realised there probably wasn't going to be a satisfactory explanation. And it just.. ends. It's in a sad and symbolic way, but I don't think any of the many mysteries are really explained.
It's also very confusing in the way the story changes point of view - there are three main characters but it's often hard to tell at the start of a chapter who it relates to, and throughout the chapter there are unclear jumps in dialogue, inner monologue and chronology. Again, I understand how this reflects the confusion of the characters, but it doesn't make for an easy read.
I think the ambiguity is very much intentional so I wouldn't say these are faults with the book, it is very successful in creating atmosphere and intrigue, making the reader question things. But at the same time, I know some of these aspects are deal-breakers for some readers so I think it's only fair that they are mentioned.