#kaoru takamura
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books read in 2024 - no. 10
lady joker by kaoru takamura (trnsl. Ā marie lida & Ā allison markin powell )
#lady joker#kaoru takamura#litedit#booklr#books#read in 2024#mine#translated#this was SO well translated#the story was interesting and complex. maybe slightly too long#but challenging in a good way#great book
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There was something terrifying about getting old. It couldn't be helped that you started to lose various things, one by one, but aging meant there would be nothing to fill those voids. Exactly a year ago, when he became aware of such hollows opening here and there, a desolate misery had begun to haunt him no matter what he did, and the fiend that writhed within him at those times might have been different from the one that had surfaced fifty years ago in Hachinohe -- perhaps it was a deformation of this old age. Had Lady Joker come about in defiance of his aging, as an attempt to elude it? But as this occurred to him, with signs of his old age setting in and constricting the air around him, he could only conclude that this new fiend had also been a misfire, leaving Monoi slightly bewildered and with no choice but to question himself anew -- Is this how you're going to end up?
- Lady Joker, Kaoru Takamura
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just read: Lady Joker by Kaoru Takamura
This is a complex crime fiction novel loosely based upon the Monster with 21 Faces case. It's also quite lengthy, to me possibly slightly overlong, but still very well plotted and paced.
I'd describe this book as challenging, but rewarding. It's detailed and complex, with a large cast of characters which weave in and out of the narrative. An expansive look at modern Japan, capitalism, greed and crime this novel is thematically rich and immersive.
Some parts were more entertaining then others and yet, I never felt my interest waning. I did find some of the cultural touchpoints and references eluded me - a Japanese person I think would feel more connected to this. And yet I was happy to come along for the ride anyway.
One highlight is the translation - it's excellently done. Meticulous prose that never feels clunky or confusing.
genres: crime
translator: Ā Marie Iida andĀ Allison Markin Powell
rating: no rating
themes: capitalism and greed, corporate corruption, crime and justice, post-war Japan
One of Japanās great modern masters, Kaoru Takamura, makes her English-language debut with this two-volume publication of her magnum opus.
Tokyo, 1995. Five men meet at the racetrack every Sunday to bet on horses. They have little in common except a deep disaffection with their lives, but together they represent the social struggles and griefs of post-War Japan: a poorly socialized genius stuck working as a welder; a demoted detective with a chip on his shoulder; a Zainichi Korean banker sick of being ostracized for his race; a struggling single dad of a teenage girl with Down syndrome. The fifth man bringing them all together is an elderly drugstore owner grieving his grandson, who has died suspiciously after the revelation of a family connection with the segregated buraku community, historically subjected to severe discrimination.
Intent on revenge against a society that values corporate behemoths more than human life, the five conspirators decide to carry out a heist: kidnap the CEO of Japanās largest beer conglomerate and extract blood money from the companyās corrupt financiers.
Inspired by the unsolved true-crime kidnapping case perpetrated by "the Monster with 21 Faces",Ā Lady JokerĀ has become a cultural touchstone since its 1997 publication, acknowledged as the magnum opus by one of Japanās literary masters, twice adapted for film and TV and often taught in high school and college classrooms.
#lady joker#kaoru takamura#world fiction#translated fiction#women in translation#east asian lit#asia#japan
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Lady Joker Book Guide and Review
Read the Lady Joker Book Guide and Review to see if this series is for you!
The Lady Joker volumes by Kaoru Takamura and translated by Allison Markin Powell and Marie Iida are epic mystery novels. They tell the tale of a kidnapping in Japan and what follows once they release the hostage. Find out the what we thought of the books in our Lady Joker book guide and review article! Lady Joker Books Lady Joker Volume One Lady Joker Volume Two Lady Joker Series Summary Theā¦
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#Blog#blogging#book#book guide#Book Recommendations#book review#books#books to read#Fiction#Japan#Kaoru Takamura#Lady Joker#mystery#novel#reading#series#writing
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. . .Ā SARAH [BY ALEX G]! featuring kaoru takamura & kaname nishiruka!
contains! . . . lowercase writing, oc writing, about my two ocs (+ an additional oc), not shipping you weirdos..., uncharacteristically sad kaoru & empathetic kaname, no plot, hurt/comfort(?), only just two lines of dialogue from kaname, mentioned catherine collison. notes! . . .Ā thought about something sad while I was reading something that wasn't even sad and the tiktok audio going "she looks so angry... why does everyone always look at you that way?" with Sarah by Alex G (sped up) playing in the background (currently am listening to Sarah rn-)
āshe looks so angry...ā
a simple comment leaves kaname's mouth as he glances at the seemingly disappointed and frustrated look in his superior'sācatherine'sāface from the small crack between the door and the frame that leads to the main office , then the child look back at kaoru who sat on the stair's steps with a straight posture.
in spite of the bright smile she donned, that never erased the gloominess that ached in her heart even as she denies such thing.
she's undeserving of feeling any emotions with how unhuman she feels and expresses that she can be viewed as simply āapatheticā by others.
staring with an empathetic gaze, a basic question was asked by kanameā āwhy does everyone always look at you that way?...ā
initially, kaoru doesn't say a thing as eyes kaname once but that demeanour shifts as the smile slowly but steadily falls off her face into a upside-down smileāeyelids drooping over her pink irises and eyebrows slightly furrowed, the corners of her reddish-tinited lips forms into a small line but slightly downturned enough that it looks like it's about to bend and crack into a frown.
tucking a small lock of chocolatey brown curls, kaoru softly sighs out through her nose into the silence between her and the young child. kaname quietly walks to her side and sit down beside her while still gazing at the middle-aged woman with a saddened expression, before deciding to lean his head against her body.
the two sat in silence, not daring to disturb the tranquil quietness in the air between them.
Ā© thedemises 2024. all rights reserved. please do not repost, copy, or claim as your own. āāĀ word count: 274.
#actually im now listening to I Love My Body by HWASA bc my phone refuses to let me listen to Sarah by Alex G for some reason š#thedemises; writing#thedemises; ocs#thedemises; (oc) kaoru takamura#thedemises; (oc) catherine collison#<- only mentioned#thedemises; (oc) kaname nishiruka#writing#drabble#bad writing#oc writing#my writing#original characters#original character#own character#own characters#my ocs#oc stuff#ocs#Sarah by Alex G#edit: actually im listening to Take A Slice by Glass Animals now ššš (such a good song!!!)
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Edo no Irokoi Tsuya[ę±ęøć®č²ęč¶å]: Tales of a Flirtatious Edo Love Affair
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Get To Know Me
Thank you for the tag, @fanaticsnail ā¤ļø Sorry Iām late with this one.
Rules: Answer and tag 6 people
Favourite colour: Turquoise & blue, sea blue. Iām a sea kid, what can I say š
Last Song: Rule #34 - Fish in a Birdcage. Everyone was saying itās a Doffy song and yeh, itās a Doffy song. It slaps. I love it. I always play it when I write for Doffy.
Currently reading: (goes to my little book corner) It depends on the day. I really like sci-fi, fantasy and detective/crime thrillers but also classical literature. Right now, Iām reading Lady Joker Volume 2 by Kaoru Takamura . Yeah, I know I know, the title is Doffy coded š¤£. I got it as a beach read and itās very interesting, a crime novel. Iāve been going through it slowly.
Currently watching: Beethoven's Treasure Tail. Yeh, the dog movie, it was on the TV and I like dog movies so, yeh. Otherwise, for TV shows, Lucifer is fun as hell to watch. Funny, too. For anime, most recent one I watched is Skip and Loafer, the mc love interest is a Rosinante look-alike and has a golden retriever personality. Also, Iām planning to put on Lord of the Rings on the TV tonight, I adore those movies. My favourites are Legolas and Gimli, I love their friendship.
Currently craving: Something sweet. A cake. Vanilla and chocolate and biscuits and strawberriesā¦ š¤¤ Fluffy American pancakes, too! I usually slice bananas and put them in there and add caramel syrup and finish it off with Nutella. Also, shredded biscuits atop! Yum.
Coffee or tea: COFFEE! Well, my stomach reacts better to tea but I always drink coffee, so coffee. I drink iced coffee mostly. When it's cold, hot chocolate is my go-to. Macchiato is nice, too.
No pressure tags: @ladycrocy @moonbaby26 @tuquidflamingo @skullfacedlady @ohnomyhooves @flamboyant-vampire @saracrossing02
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Ghosts/Spoiler Names
Death Mark
Masamune Kujou (MC)
Black Rabbit
Hanahiko
Shimi-O/Shinzou Maruo
Hanayome/Seiko Hasegawa
Genta
Miss Zoo/Manabi Zukawa
Kannon Soldier
Red Riding Hood/Sayako Shiina
Death Mark 2
The Departed
Female Doll
Hanako of the toilet/Hanako Akai
Miho Shinji
Slit-Mouth Kashima/Rei Kashima
Pool Spirit
More To Be Added
NG
Momo Kuruse (Kaoru)
Yuri Takamura
Kaguya
Urashima Woman/Himeko Shimezu
Kubitarou of Kintoki/Kaneko Ooishi
Screaming Author/Tsubasa Aoi
Killer Peach/Tomoko Okayama
Yakumo Miroku
D-Man
Demon Tsukuyomi
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First there was his dissatisfaction when Haruko chose Sugihara as her fiance thirty years ago. Haruko, blessed with intelligence, a cheerful personality, and a fairly attractive appearance, had always been much sought after and received plenty of arranged marriage proposals, but the suitor whom Haruko chose herself was someone who worked under Shiroyama when he was sales manager at the Yokohama branch. Shiroyama had never understood the female psychology that led Haruko to select a man who was, in Shiroyama's eyes, the most kind-hearted, the most handsome, and the most mediocre of the men he knew at the company.
- Lady Joker, Kaoru Takamura
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ā 2024 book trackerā
total: 16/52
historical fiction
the vagrants - yiyun li (jan)
oranges are not the only fruit - jeanette winterson (feb)
lady joker - kaoru takamura (mar)
the heiress - rachel hawkins (mar)
contemporary
act your age, eve brown - talia hibbert (jan)
penance - eliza clarke (jan)
we'll meet again in san francisco - duong thuy (feb)
search history - amy taylor (apr)
beartown - frederik backman (apr)
the sunshine court - nora sakavic (apr)
fantasy
divine rivals - rebecca ross (mar)
romance
relay - leyla reyna (mar)
mystery
the reappearance of rachel price - holly jackson (apr)
historical fiction
in memoriam - alice winn (apr)
classics
down and out in paris and london - george orwell (mar)
non-fiction
bad feminist - roxane gay (jan)
among tigers - k. ullas karanth (feb)
how paris became paris - joean dejean (apr)
dnf
bruny - heather rose (jan)
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Lady Joker Volume Two: Book Review
Read our review for Lady Joker Volume Two by Kaoru Takamura!
After reading Lady Joker Volume One it is impossible not to continue and finish the saga. That is why will be reviewing Lady Joker Volume Two by Kaoru Takamura and translated by Allison Markin Powell and Marie Iida. Keep reading to find out what we thought of the book and if you should read it! Lady Joker Volume Two Summary The second novel focuses on the fallout after Lady Joker kidnapsā¦
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#Blog#blogging#book#Book Recommendations#book review#books#books to read#Fiction#Japan#Kaoru Takamura#Lady Joker#literature#mystery#novel#reading#Volume Two#writing
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. . .Ā STRATEGIC TWISTS! featuring kaoru takamura & krystian karmazin!
contains! . . .Ā lowercase writing, use of the word monster (not in an insulting way..? i mean, its kaoru), pretty much none! notes! . . .Ā so... im trying out a new... this, whatever you call itā hope ya enjoy this lil drabble i made abt my two silly ocs :]]
with her back to the mostly monochrome jester, kaoru takamura begins, āso,ā after outlining her strategy in eliminating her archenemy. she knows that her opponent will employ similar unexpected turns and twists as she did, but thanks to her intelligence, kaoru came very prepared for any planned deception going through her path.
with two allies at her side (albeit only one was willing to participate, the other... not so much, but begrudgingly, they had no choice but to accept), kaoru is confident that the plan will be deftly carried out to guarantee her success.
the hot pink-hued woman turns around and smiles expectantly at krystian karmazin with slim intertwined hands in front of her torso.
āyou got it, krystian?ā
grinning resolutelyāshowcasing the two pairs of sharp canines that were different from the rest of his less pointed teethāthe taller individual standing at a freakish 7ā6ā (228 cm) gives the woman of mildly-wavy hair a thumbs up, expressing his delight in flawlessly executing the intellectualās plan.
krystian doesn't exactly to do things precisely wrong, unless it involves anything to do with those cunning clever little rodents called rats and mice.
āgot it!ā he exclaims proudly, well aware of the role he has to play and the tasks he has to do in the plotāquite ironic considering his true thoughts about the plan.
āgot what??ā
of course, it must've been tiring keeping up with kaoru and this nemesis of hers' plots with dozens of turns of events.
because, as told by a majority of others spoken around, kaoru takamura is an absolute monster when it comes to strategy. not one person has been recorded to have figured out or outsmart any plan she made against them.
Ā© thedemises 2024. all rights reserved. please do not repost, copy, or claim as your own.Ā āā word count: 293.
#tbh im too lazy to change the headings of all my previous old works so I'll just leave it likethat#thedemises; writing#thedemises; ocs#thedemises; (oc) kaoru takamura#thedemises; (oc) krystian karmazin#ocs#oc stuff#my ocs#original character#writing#own character#own characters#original characters#oc#writers on tumblr#drabble#strategy#kaoru /is/ a monster actually. just not only in strategy and management in plans up to 300 (does that make sense?)#she's a criminal whose records are hidden- thanks to a government agent she knows well but isn't close with them-#tbh im kinda feeling lazy so i won't elaborate why kaoru is a monster strategist /AND/ a monster manipulator#kaoru is just a littletoo silly than the average silly person ok?? :]]]#drabbles#short writing#this is... a bit too overwritten for a drabble...
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a bit of editorial procedural in Kaoru Takamuraās LADY JOKER tr. Marie Iida & Allison Markin Powell. thereās also i.a. iyi horse racing, betting on; beer pricing, R&D; dentistry https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn3BKosP-SKjuX0CoaeJ3H9QAMCrBpvmeTMJ5M0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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UKIYO-TSUYA-ZOUSHI[ęµ®äøč¶čå]
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Los celos vienen del amor
by LeidyCC
Kaoru no es del tipo celoso, pero Ćŗltimamente la sinverguenzura de Kojiro lo estĆ” irritando mĆ”s de lo que deberĆaā¦ En especial cuando lo ve muy bien acompaƱado de un desconocido hombre de cabello rosado.
ĀæServirĆ” esta intromisiĆ³n para finalmente dejar salir lo que ha callado en su corazĆ³n por tanto tiempo?
Words: 2138, Chapters: 1/1, Language: EspaƱol
Fandoms: SK8 the Infinity (Anime), TsukiPro the Animation
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: M/M
Characters: Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe, Sera Rikka, Takamura Shiki
Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom, Sera Rikka/Takamura Shiki
Additional Tags: One-Shot, Sigue con canon, Romance, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, ShikiRikka establecido, Crossover
source https://archiveofourown.org/works/43298751
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Mystery/Thriller Monday
This is big, and, I guess Kaoru Takamura is really really big in Japan, but, this is the first time perhaps, that her books have been translated into English? At least, this is the first time that this book has been translated into English, and, itās such a monster of a book (in only the best way) that itās actually two volumes (and five parts). Yikes.
It takes place in 1995, and, reading about it after I read it, is based on the 1984 kidnapping of a Japanese executive. The book brings together five very different men with one thing in common, they all bet on horses at the racetrack every Sunday. Theyāre all struggling, and they decide to kidnap the CEO of Japanās largest beer company and get a ransom from the company.
It was an endlessly complex book (because, itās not a simple crime that they want to pull off), touching on capitalism, family, and post-World War II Japan. Amazing.
You may like this book If you Liked: Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, or Macbeth by Jo Nesbo
Lady Joker by Kaoru Takamura
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