The First World Joseph O'Neill

The story describes Arty's constant source of worry, that is, Glady's dependence on him. The protagonist "listens" to him, but not so much interested in Arty's worry.
What bothers and disappoints Arty is the cold attitudes of Glady's brothers, former employers, relatives, protagonist's ex-wife, and her "grand-daughters." They would not spend a penny to assist her. The protagonist himself is one of the cold people, who has been uneasy for the loss of his wallet, but not so serious about it. He is an optimistic man: he thinks "the world would return " his wallet.
The contrast between the cold people and the protagonist's "belief" in the goodwill of the people is interesting.

黒南風の海 伊東潤

文禄慶長の役の時に降倭した沙也可（佐屋嘉嘉兵衛）と順倭した金宦と余大男を小説の中で一堂に会させるのは、着想がいいと思うが、あまりにも非現実的で、信憑性がなく、読みながら、最後まで違和感を感じた。
また、秀吉が朝鮮に出兵したのは「朝鮮の民を支配者から救い、秀吉の
徳を明国まで広め、すべての民を苦しみから救うため」と書いてあるが歴史的事実に反する。また加藤清正が民のことを思う情けある名将のように書いてあるが、清正は余大男を朝鮮から拉致している。
「加藤清正『文禄慶長の役』異聞」とあるから、作り話と思えばそれでいいのかもしれないが。
 

Origin by Dan Brown

Dan Brown again fascinated me by his excellent plot development and the surprise ending.

There are about 100 chapters, but each chapter is dramatic and ends with the lines that make the reader want to read further more.

The story takes place in Spain, precisely speaking, at famed tourist spots like Guggenheim Museum, and Casa Milà and Sagrada Família designed by Gawdi

The story centers around two themes: where do we come from and where are we going? Dan Brown skillfully answers the questions utilizing his supercomputer named William.

  The ending part was difficult to comprehend with so many scientific and religious terminologies, but Brown shows harmony between religion and science.

The reader should pay attention to "William."

The Intermediate Class by Sam Allingham

　　This is a story of a man named Kiril, who attends a German intermediate class. Since the students are not allowed to speak English, they try to communicate in simple German. Kiril feels a barrier in communication because of his poor German. The other students feel the same way.

But even if Kiril is away from the class, his English, which is supposed to communicate far better than his broken German, does not convey his true feeling. He feels irritated.

At the end of the last class, the German teacher plays Schubert: Der Erlkonig on the piano. As he plays it, he explains how the story develops by the sound of the music like: now he sounds frightened. And here is the father. You can hear he is strong, in his voice.

  As a whole, Allingham showed how inconvenient a language is. It is sometimes a hindrance for communication, while music is a better tool for communication.

 But a perfect commutation is after all impossible.

The Queen of Spade by Pushkin

　　Very interesting. Excellent description of the situations and Harman’s and Ivanovna’s psychology. A lot of humor and good metaphors. The ending is unexpectedly too simple.
　　Harman breaks his fast not to gamble, but he wants money. So he uses Ivanovna to get the key three cards numbers from old countess, but while he was ordering her to tell the key numbers, she dies. However, in his dream the late countess tells the three numbers. He goes to gamble and wins twice, but at the third game, he makes a mistake and loses all his money.
 

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

　　The ending is moving after all the incidents that have happened to Axl and Beatrice. Axl “wades on” resolutely and sadly. He determines that he can’t live together with Beatrice on the island where their son sleeps. He departs his wife eternally. However, why does Axl wade on ignoring the boatman? Doesn’t he come to terms with him and wait for the boat to fetch him to join with his wife? Just a few moments ago, he so desperately wanted to go to the island with his wife. An unsatisfying ending.

Izhiguro dealt with the advantage and disadvantage of memory. The “mist” the she-dragon gives is good for some people like Axl, but for others like Beatrice bad. Human beings are well made. We forget bad, intolerable, and sad memories when time passes. This is good.

 

Disappointing points:

1. The she-dragon was so feeble and skinny. It was easy for Wistan to kill it.

2. Their son was not alive, but was dead and they intend to visit his grave. Nothing is mentioned about his grave till the end of the story. This is so tricky.

3. I thought the couple would finally meet their son or find him already dead.

4. The development of the story is so slow and too many incidents related to Wistan, Edwin, and Gawain take place. This is not a story where the old couple take painful troubles to meet their son, which every reader expects when they read the first pages. A kind of betrayal.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro presented the reader a huge problem: are human clones inferior to normal human beings? Can we use their organs as substitutes for sick organs, but this is absurd. Who would think they are inferior? His basic premise for the story is wrong.

Several questions and important points:

1. Why are Ruth and Tommy donors and not Kath?

2. Who becomes a carer and who becomes a donor?

3. After finishing the role of a donor, she or he will be a donor?

4. I don’t understand why the Hailsham students were not shocked when they heard from Miss Lucy that they are destined to provide their organs. It is unnatural that they accept without any big surprise or emotional feedbacks. After they heard the truth, Ishiguro describes that some students have sex. This is quite incomprehensive behaviors.

5. Why don’t the Hailsham students run away from the school once they have informed of their role in society. They have a lot of chance to do so. Why do they follow the regulations foolishly and faithfully?

7. I was moved to read the conversation between Madam and Tommy and Kath. I sympathized with the students, who are destined to give organs, yet Madam tried to give good education to them as much as possible. Something is wrong with her. Why does she do that? Why let them live their own ways?

8. The students have sex. Tommy and Kath have sex, but don’t they have babies?

9. Ishiguro is great to have shed light on the problem of clones.

10. Do 16-year-old boys and girls believe that the things they created in art class will tell who and who are in love? They are not infants. They should know better.