"A large, ambitious work about the lives of outcasts in modern Japan and such troubling themes as ecological destruction, old age, violence and nuclear war."
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The New York Times Book Review "As is true of Poe and Kafka–two writers whose influence does seem apparent–Abe creates on the page an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on."
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The New Yorker "Abe's depiction of the deadly game of survival is hilarious but at the same time leaves us with a chilling sense of apprehension about the brave new world that awaits us."
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Los Angeles Times