Week 3: パノラマ島綺譚

Japanese Language Book Clubs
#1

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パノラマ島綺譚 Home Thread

Week 3

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Start Date: November 6th
Previous Part: Week 2
Next Part: Week 4

Reading:

Week Start Date Chapters covered End Page Kindle LOC Kindle % Page Count
Week 3 Nov 06 7-9 51 ? ? 16

Discussion Rules

  • Please use spoiler tags for major events in the current chapter(s) and any content in future chapters.
  • When asking for help, please mention the chapter and page number. Also mention what version of the book you are reading.
  • Don’t be afraid of asking questions, even if they seem embarrassing at first. All of us are here to learn.
  • To you lurkers out there: Join the conversation, it’s fun! :durtle:

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Week 4: パノラマ島綺譚
パノラマ島綺譚 (Advanced Book Club)
#2

Now we’re talking! I found these chapters impressively gross, which I enjoyed!

This paragraph in chapter 8:

彼は、持ち上げても持ち上げても、五本の指の間から、ズルズルとくずれ落ちて行く、菰田の死体を、一文菓子屋のお婆さんが、水の中から心太を持ち上げる様な気持ちで、なるべく死体を傷つけぬ様に注意しながら、やっと墓穴の外へ持ち出しました。でも、その仕事を終った時には、死体の薄皮が、まるでくらげ製の手袋の様に、ピッタリと彼の両の掌に密着して、振り落としても、振り落としても、容易に離れ様とはしないので。平常の廣介であったら、それ丈けの恐怖で、もう十分万事を抛擲して逃出したに相違ありません。が、彼は、さして驚く様子もなく、さて次の段取りにと取りかかるのでした。

… is very disgusting, in a good way. Not one but two weird metaphors for scooping a rotting corpse out of a grave! Magnifique! I don’t know what jellyfish-skin gloves (?) would feel like exactly, but I know I don’t want to find out so I guess I won’t go out and emulate ol’ FKA Hirosuke Hitomi anytime soon.

I also thought there was something nice and evocative about the word 異臭.

I’m also curious how the plan develops from here. The silence gambit surely cannot last for long, so maybe we’ll get some actual dialogue at some point.

2 Likes
#3

Well, I have been warned then :sweat_smile:
Maybe, reading those chapters before bed isn’t such a great idea.

3 Likes
#4

My god it is gross. I was not expecting so much detail.

4 Likes
#5

This can’t end well…に相違ありません。

5 Likes
#6

I hope you didn’t read them while brushing your teeth.

2 Likes
#7

I did not!
At the same time, I have no other time in my day where I can read this book (I usually have something else to read), so I ended up not reading those chapters at all :sweat_smile:

#8

I dunno… it might promote a desire for hygiene!

1 Like
#9

You end up trying to brush your brain as well?

3 Likes