I can 100% confidently say that I have never been more confused reading a book in my entire life.
This review is going to be spoiler heavy because I just have a lot I need to get off my chest and just so many questions about this book. Do NOT keep reading if you don't want to be spoiled, but honestly, I would just to save your time and read this instead lol.
Before getting into it though, don't be fooled by the cover. The cover's beautiful and gives you the idea that maybe this book will give you a sense of escapism and will have some sort of magic or mystical elements to it (because she's floating). NOPE. Literally none. That's all, enjoy •ﻌ• .
☕︎︎The Reasons Why You Shouldn't Read It☕︎︎
I'm just going to straight up list all the reasons. Remember, this is my opinion. Maybe I'm just too immature to appreciate the literature in this book, but it was just too hella confusing man.
It was boring. You ever in a situation where you're listening to someone and they say a lot of nothing? That's what it felt like reading this book. There were stuff that happened, but even so it felt like it was being dragged out for sooooo long and there was no excitement or even emotion behind any of the characters words.
Mind you, this book is very short with short chapters. The fact that this book took me 2 weeks to read just because of how long and boring it felt, is honestly quite astonishing lol.
The age gap. Listen, I don't have any problem with an age gap between couples and sometimes it's actually more endearing. HOWEVER, this man is literally 30+ years older than the female love interest in this book. She's in her late 30's and he's close to 70. What thee actual fawk.
Mind you again, because of this age gap, the way they view the world is so different. This could have added a cool dynamic, but not when he's constantly talking down to her like she's 5 years old (which we'll get to later don't worry).
Sensei. I-...... Okay, so, pretty much, this man that's 30+ years older than her, was actually her teacher from high school. Again, student teach dynamic can be good, but NOT when the age gap is that big lol.
I kid you not, she only refers to him as sensei throughout the entirety of the book because she can't remember his name. It was just such an icky feeling seeing her fall in-love with this guy that's pretty much 70 years old and still calling him sensei.
The belittling. Like I mentioned before, because the age gap is so wide, it feels like he's constantly talking down to her. Let me give you a couple of examples.
One point in the book it was raining and she was under his umbrella. A raindrop got on her cheek so she wiped it away with the back of her hand. This MFer calls her unladylike and proceeds to say how girls in this generation don't know how to act politely. Like, wtf lol? She wiped a fuckin raindrop off her cheek. HOW is that unladylike?!
The female interest in the book says her "butt hurts" and this man has a conniption fit about how young ladies, in particular, shouldn't be using the word "butt". Like bro you fuckin good or what?
The lack of romance. I was promised romance from this book. This book is so damn short and it was probably the longest slow-burning romance I've ever read (and not in a good way). There's little to nothing that happens between the two of them until the last like, 3 chapters? All they do is drink and eat with each other, which by the way, is never planned and all happens based off the chance that they run into each other.
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☕︎︎Ranting & Questions I Still Have☕︎︎
Again, I'm just gonna start listing things off here and hopefully someone has answers or can at least relate to my confusion.
I don't know if I was tripping out during this one chapter, but I don't know why nobody 's questioning it?! The chapter was called The Tidal Flat- Dream, so I'm going to assume that this whole chapter was a dream? Even so though, they NEVER mention anywhere within that chapter, the chapter before, or the chapter after that it was a dream or anything todo with it besides that chapter title.
Okay so, if it wasn't a dream, why tf are they in an area that only occurs on the shore and is a state between life and death (at least that's what it seems like)? Why is his wife's doppelganger there and why is she pulling out monkeys from under her skirt? Like what? And why is sensei in a headstand for the whole time? This could have led into something so cool like they were both dead the whole time and that's why she's floating on the cover of the book, but haha, nah, it was just maybe a dream.
If it was a dream, why wasn't it more obviously stated? I honestly didn't even know it could've been an option until 2 mins ago when I was searching for the chapter name of this section. Also, why is it just randomly put in here? Like it helps with absolutely nothing and even if it was just for the vibes (because this book has no plot and I honestly LOVE books with no plot, but this one I was so disappointed with) then it was just horribly executed. It made no sense with where the story was at.
I already mentioned I was disappointed with the lack of 0 romance since its dictated as a romance novel, but we gotta talk about the groping scene.
Honestly I was rooting for anything at this point in the book because there was just absolutely nothing going on; and then they go on that island trip. We think things are about to get spicy and finally there's some sort of action. But then, the only thing we're left with is him "groping" her tittas and him saying "my, you have some lovely breasts"; then she falls asleep. Literally. That's it.
We then get hit at the end of the book when they're FINALLY together and she casually throws in that her only concern is that they haven't had any sexual relations given his age. Like ya, well first off no shit he's like 70, but also like come ON man lol. There actually was nothing that happened in this whole book.
I'm so confused with all the good ratings. I'm usually not too picky about things. Maybe it was the translation, maybe I'm just salty because of the lack of romance and any sort of entertaining element; but what?
People are on GoodReads saying how poetic it is, how the literature is beautiful and elegant. Like ya okay I can definitely see elegance in a 70 year old man and former teacher of this girl groping her breasts and constantly teller her she's not ladylike and how she still doesn't know anything just like how she was back when she was his student (lol).
Too much patting on the head. Too much references to when she was his student. Too boring. Too much criticism about her being unladylike. Too much of nothing.
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☕︎︎Conclusion☕︎︎
Someone on GoodReads said "it's essentially a tease for something you don't even want" and nothing can explain this book better than that.
I was honestly going to give Strange Weather in Tokyo a 1 star because I have never enjoyed a book less than this. However, I then thought to myself, I've just started my reading journey and the ones I have read have all been bangers. Therefore, there has to be even worse books out there; so I gave it 2.5/5 stars.
