Battle Royale by Koushun Takami Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Battle Royale
Book Review: A disturbing parallel to normal high school life...with grenades and a machine gun thrown in
Summary: 4 Stars
Imagine a country run by a totalitarian government in which there exists a program that randomly selects a class of ninth graders every year who must kill each other off until there is only one student left. This is the unsettling premise of Koushun Takami's controversial novel: Battle Royale. It details the trials and exploits, as well as the hopes and fears, of thirty-two teenagers who have been thrust directly into the horrifying program, in which everything they have learned so far about their own nature and that of their classmates becomes irrelevant in the struggle to survive.
Even though Battle Royale is Takami's first novel, he already seems well-versed in how to create a plot that is both compelling and unpredictable. The narrator gives details about what multiple characters are thinking, but he knows when to withhold this information to instill the maximum amount of tension and suspense. However, it is really the characters themselves who are the driving force behind the story. Some of the students kill out of necessity, or from fear and paranoia, while others choose to hide, commit suicide or, in a few cases, try to rally together to take down the guys in charge, but the one thing they all have in common is plausible motivation for their actions. Actually, most of the problems I have with Battle Royale are related to technique and style rather than substance. I partly blame the translator and editor, because I doubt that when Takami wrote the original story in Japanese he frequently left out words and occasionally mixed up character names. He does, however, heavily overuse parentheses. It seems like most of the pages have at least one parenthetical statement, and often the information isn't even useful, only serving to interrupt the flow of the story.
Nevertheless, I recommend Battle Royale because the honest, sympathetic characters, as well as the novel's engaging themes and riveting plot, far overshadow the clumsiness of Takami's writing style. Despite the seemingly far-fetched premise, the thematic parallels to normal high school life are obvious, and teenagers especially should have no trouble finding ways to relate to it.
Book Review: A modern literary classic that is a must-read.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have just received my copy yesterday and I couldn't place the book down. It was that good! I'm already on page 277 and the book is pure genius.At first I thought the translations were going to be boring and lame. I was dead wrong. Instead of being boring like Homer's the Odyssey or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Battle Royale was amazing! It is written with many descriptions of emotions that are in a frenzy! You actually feel what it's like to be stuck on a deserted island killing fellow classmates! Gruesome, I know.
This book is violent... But I think that factor is what makes the book what it is. The kids are my age (I'm 16. But I think they might be 15...) and the emotions are raw and constantly changing! One moment a character is crying; the next moment the character kills a fellow classmate! But that's how the game goes.
I was inspired to buy this novel after watching the movie. I thought the movie was great; but the novel is better! I'm grateful I watched the movie first because the novel takes the story a step higher. (I think I'd be let down if I read the novel first and then watched the movie. Happens in other movies I've seen before.)
I read the back of the book and it said Battle Royale was like a modern "Lord of the Flies". That's so true. I read that book last year for English class, and, man, did I enjoy it!
You won't be let down by this book. Koushun Takami is a brilliant author and Yuji Oniki is an awesome translator! If you purchase this book you'll be mighty happy.
Book Review: A must read
Summary: 5 Stars
While browsing through the local Barnes and Noble I made my treck through the aisles until I stubbled unpon the alluring cover of Battle Royale. The flashy design drew me in, so I read the back cover. Further enticed I opened up the novel and read the first couple pages to make sure it was my "style." I was further engrossed by the writing style and overall story. The book was amazing. So good in fact I unfortunately spent a few nights forgoing needed sleep to keep reading. I loved every second of the book. Please read this book. A word of warning, however, I read this in December of 2003, and have since not read a single book I've enjoyed nearly as much. This book set the bar for me. I loved it, and have become obsessed with the Battle Royale universe. There is not a single thing about this book that I do not love.Book Review: A nice surprise my students led me to!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a high school teacher who noticed a book some of my students were reading when they finished their work in class. I picked up a copy of Battle Royale and got quite a surprise. After some reflection, I think it's the best book I've read in years. But it's probably not for everyone.Battle Royale is very violent. The violence, however, is an integral part of the impact of the book. As someone who works with and cares about young people, my growing sense of outrage at the cruelties being inflicted on the characters propelled me through the book. Also, the romances portrayed in the book are generally immature, but they fit the characters ages. While the book seems to be leading one to a rather dim view of human nature, the plot twist at the end is actually hopeful.
I was impressed enough by the book to go to eBay (BR is not available on DVD in the States as I write this) and buy a copy of the DVD from Hong Kong. I was a bit disappointed by the movie, but probably my hopes were too high. If you've only seen the movie, by all means read the book.
All in all, BR is a nice, fast read, and it is surprisingly thought provoking. The book sticks with you. Thanks to Mohammad and Chris for pointing this book out to me.
Book Review: A piece of work
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was amazing. When I first got it, I thought the translation was going to be bad, but wow, they translated it perfectly. I didn't notice any major errors.
The book was so much better than the movie. Even though the book is quite long, it's definitely worth it. It goes so much more deeper than the movie was ever able to. You actually understand and feel like you're one of the characters.