The Factory

I enjoyed the cultural experience, and I was willing to take a walk with the author down a complicated technique. While some refer to it as similar to Kafka, it seems that it is an attempt that does not rise up to the name, especially with the ending. I went into it anticipating more questions about the reality the characters existed within, but that did not emerge until the last few pages, maybe even the last few paragraphs. I enjoyed some of the character development, but overall I wanted more from the author than she delivered in this book. Part of the blame I put squarely on the shoulders of her publisher, who should have given her more guidance and support for a novel such as this. Unless, of course, she is self published. Then in that case she had the editor she deserved.

Honestly I'm not sure what to make of this yet. There's obviously the direct read - about the rise of contract labor in Japan and how it perpetuates meaningless-feeling lives. But the setting of the book, the factory- feels nonphysical, so everything is potentially a symbol, adding up to, I think - an understanding of how this author felt as she drifted through various part time jobs. You can continue to flow on, repeating labor day after day, being paid well - and end up like the old man on the bus: ignored by kids (who don't know that maybe the same fate awaits then). The way this book portrays work makes it feel inescapable, almost in a "you're fated to live and die like this", but at the same time the characters have serious communication issues and lack of imagination and engagement with the world outside of work. Maybe the sister in this book realizes that, becoming a "bird" and flying away, days after eating with the character who spent 15 years doing nothing but aimlessly studying moss.

The Factory depicts the monotony of corporate work where it feels that your individual position does not serve a purpose. It’s a good commentary on corporate work and how nothing ever happens. For that reason, nothing happens in the book. I enjoyed it for the writing and creating a rich sense of the factory. However, it’s not a book that grips you. It’s what we already know - we are cogs in a wheel. I give it 4 stars for the writing and layering of stories from three perspectives.

This brief novel tells of 3 young Japanese graduates who all get jobs at a mysterious "factory." No one knows what the factory actually makes, and none of the 3 even understand the point of their jobs. With its sprawling size, multitude of restaurants and everything a city holds, the factory reminded me of Microsoft, Apple or similar places that demand sacrifice of employees.The tone of this book alternates between humorous and ominous. The characters are confused internally but polite externally. It's kind of the feeling of being in a dream, where things have their own logic but don't actually make sense.I read the print copy of this book. It alternates among the 3 narrators, but does not identify them. Also, paragraphs run together and conversations are depicted like this:"What is your name?" What does she mean asking my name? "My name is Hiroko." Doesn't she know my name? "Well, Hiroko-san...."It was surprisingly easy to tell who was talking, but some readers may have issues with it. The time frame also shifts, with one paragraph in current time immediately followed by something in the past (no page breaks).Being American, I may have missed some nuances of Japanese culture such as the significance of what they eat when they go out, or types of birds.I am not really sure what happened at the end of this book and it seemed to end suddenly. Overall, I think the author had a lot to say about work, self-worth, isolation and capitalism, but fell a little short. This is her first novel (I think) so I'd be interested to see what is next.

I didn't want to stop reading this book, though it scared me. To put it simply, it is about how work can consume you and companies can own you, but it is told in a beautiful way that shows the contrast between the natural and unnatural parts of life.

I'm not sure what I just read but it wasn't good. Nothing interesting happens. At all. It's sometimes hard to tell what's going on. Then the book abruptly ends for no reason. Stupid.

Gift

Do you like the books of Jeff Vandermeer? How about Helen Phillips's "The Beautiful Bureaucrat"? If you love those, you'll love this too. It's the story of three people who take jobs in a mysterious factory. They're not sure what's happening there, and mysterious animals appear, and weird things with time, and none of the questions raised by the book are ever answered. You can take it as a metaphor for the modern workforce if you like. I did at first, but by the end, contemplating the countless similarities with Vandermeer's books, I decided that this may just be the requirements of the genre.

It was not what I expected, it what anyone could be expected to expect. Some critic called it Kafkaesque and I can see why. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.

Oh wow, what a great little book. For fans of Kafka meeting the Japanese workplace, this is a must. A very interesting piece of contemporary Japanese literature!

This book follows the lives of people who work in this factory, for which the purpose of the factory is unclear. People live in the factory's living quarters, and their lives seem all consumed by this factory. The book has a surprising, unusual ending which leaves you feeling unsure of the future of everyone in the factory. The book arrived when expected and in perfect condition.