Book Review: Go: A Coming of Age Novel by Kazuki Kaneshiro

First published in Japan in 2000, Go reminded me a little of Cather in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, and A Separate Peace. There’s that same earnest yearning in the protagonist for things to be different, for the world to change, and the same youthful expectation that he will be the one to change it. There’s also a fatalistic, melancholy undertone that no matter how hard the protagonist tries, he’s not going to win.

But that’s probably my interpretation as someone well past her teens. The youth are fearless. It’s a coming of age novel after all.

The Japanese to English translation by Takami Nieda is good. Go won a Naoki Literature Prize, high praise indeed. It’s a story about racial tensions, belonging, forbidden love, social class, nationality, and generational connections. Everything pointed to a story I’d love, except…

I dunno.

I liked it, but I wasn’t as thrilled as I thought I’d be.

Not all stories speak to all readers. I think I wanted more from this story–more deliberate action and growth in the protagonist and less angst. Maybe a more even tone–something that was consistently funny or serious. But what I wanted might not have been appropriate for this kind of Japanese literature. Given how beloved this book is in its native Japan, I’m sure the fault is in me.

Go: A Coming of Age Novel by Kazuki Kaneshiro and translated by Takami Neida is available from Amazon and other fine retailers.