I really enjoyed most of the pieces featured in Monkey - and I like how it highlighted the breadth of styles and content on Japanese fiction. As a showcase of the up and coming talent I thought it was incredible.

I did find the formatting slightly difficult on the netgalley app - I can only imagine how the reading experience would dramatically change if reading a physical copy.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I often enjoy longer novels/stories, but these short stories were delightful. Some stand on their own, some are excerpts from books.
Some I like more than other, but this one was my absolute favorite - Hell - translated and with an introduction by Jay Rubin a story by Kikuko Tsumura translated by Polly Barton.
I think Polly is a truly fantastic translator/writer and even though it was a short story it felt very full and detailed.
I recommend this book to people who love short stories, with elements of fantasy/magical realism and are ready to be swept away to another scene.

I have received this ARC in exchange for an honest review

While I have not read Volume 1, I will be judging this as its own thing. A collection of stories of varying degrees of absorbent and thought-provoking quality - this collection of writings makes for an interesting read featuring the likes of Hiroko Oyamada and the legendary Haruki Murakami. I loved the poetry selection in particular as well as Tomaka Shibasaki’s short story. I recommend if you are looking to brush up on your Japanese literature.

This is my first time reading this rather interesting literary magazine actually. The thing is, i chanced upon this magazine one day while i was browsing through Kinokuniya Malaysia's website.

That accidental incident was what prompted me to request for this magazine here from NetGalley which otherwise i might not have known its existence. Anyhow,i am glad that i did read this magazine for i find the contents featured to be rather interesting mix of everything!; from short stories to curated poems to colourful strips cartoon to autobiography!. I loved the beautiful and vibrant paintings and illustrations too!.

Through this magazine, i learned of a lot of new and unfamiliar names which i have never known or heard before,from both the past writers to the most recent and contemporary writers.

Each stories gave different kinds of reading experiences for me,conveys different themes and moods and injected a variety of emotions in me. Some stories were weird (unfortunately too weird and quite nonsensical to my liking especially the stories featured at the front/earlier sections of the magazine,which almost causing me to lose a little bit of interest).

Fortunately, i am glad that i persevere and brace through until the end as i find my interest level heighten as i progressed from the middle sections until the end of the magazine where i came across one interesting stories after another. But at some point towards the middle, my attention spans dwindled down a bit as some stories can get pretty boring,whatmore the tiny,microscopic font sizes is among the factors that dampened my reading speed and made me lose my interest at times since i am reading from my phone screen.

Then, came the story of Murakami's funny as hell jogging in Southern Europe to the rescue which brighten my mood and perks up my interest again and then the sudden surge of more interesting stories after another. Some left me laughing, some made me cried and some just left me in total bewilderment and perplexity. There is one story that hits reality,so close to my own current situation where the character is taking care of an elderly family member which is her grandma, and as for me, which is my own aging and disable mother. So i find the situations faced by the character as the sole caregiver to be totally relatable to my own!.

Long story short, i enjoyed reading this magazine. I enjoyed its travel theme so much as it brought me travelling into various places. Some places were historical or based on legends, some were adventurous, some were surreal and imaginative,some were suspenseful and downright scary and some were sad and lonely. So, i recommend this magazine to anyone who wants to experience all of these various emotions.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to access the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting selection of writing. So interesting that I have bought the printed copy so that I can keep dipping into this fabulous collection.

Stunning, not only for the beautiful collection of diverse writing, but it’s also wonderfully illustrated, which I didn’t expect and it lifts the prose even more.

A gorgeous anthology of new writing from Japan.

#japaninjanuary #januaryinjapan

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

When this collection of Japanese contemporary writing was good, it was excellent, But when it wasn't, it really felt like a slog. A mixture of fiction set in the real world and some more historical looks back into Japanese myths and legends, I found myself more engaged with the more recent content.
The highlights for me were the the graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura, 'The Overcoat', and the short stories from Kikuko Tsumura ('Hell'), Taki Monma ('Cardboard Boxes and Their Uses) and Aoko Matsuda ('The Most Boring Red on Earth'). Additionally, the illustrations throughout are really stunning.
It almost become a DNF for me, but definitely picked up towards the end, ending with Matsuda's memorably stunning short story about a girl and her period, so I'm glad I stuck with it.

This is the first literary journal I've read and I really enjoyed it. The magazine showcases stories and poems by Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami, Mieko Kawakami, Hiromi Kawakami and Aoko Matsuda. The theme of the stories is Travel in the broadest sense of the word.

The layout of the journal is beautiful. I loved the illustrations and I think this magazine would be even better in print.

Highly recommended to readers who like to discover more Japanese literature.

This is my first taste of the Monkey catalogue of stories and it was brilliant. There was a wide variety of submissions and I believe something for every palate. It offers a blend of various writing styles which in my opinion is a great way to expose students to world literature and various formats of writing/prose. Absolutely loved reading and re-reading the stories and would highly recommend this title to my peer groups and book club! Thank you for allowing me access, very much enjoyed my time with this collection!! Will be doing an in depth review on my instagram account, thanks again!!

An entertaining amalgam of essays, poems, and plays to bide one's time when traveling or waiting to get to do so. Some reflect on the current state of the world during the pandemic. Others are timeless pieces that drift between the world of whimsy and reality. This collection has a smattering of just about anyone for whiling away idle hours and at times promote introspection.

This is the second volume of a literary anthology (a 'zine', as some may call it) with works by celebrated contemporary Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami, Mieko Kawakami (Breasts and Eggs), Hiromi Kawakami (Strange Weather in Tokyo) and Aoko Matsuda (Where the Wild Ladies Are).

The theme of the collection was "travel" in the broadest sense of the word - and the end result delivered on its promise. This was everything I expected and more - short stories glimmering of magical realism, curated haiku and tanka poems as well as a section on untranslatable Japanese words, with contributions by some of the most experienced literary translators lamenting the limitations of the English language. Also, the illustrations really made me wish I had a print copy of this to hold in my hand.

It's clear that a lot of care and attention to detail went into the creation of this magazine, and I would love to check out the next edition. Thanks Netgalley for providing this free copy in exchange for my review!

A glorious anthology of stories, poems and non-fiction from a selection of famous and lesser-known Japanese writers (and some non-Japanese authors, too), mostly based around the theme of travel. I suspect this would be even better in a physical copy, with its stunning artwork and just a feeling that this is something to return to again and again, to pick a favourite story or picture and just revel in it.

Top marks to Monkey for this, their 2nd annual collection. I'm already chomping at the bit for next year's. 4.5 stars in ebook format, and because this is probably my last review of 2021, let's go out with a bang and give it 5 stars. A must-read, and must-have, for anyone with an interest in Japanese literature and culture.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title,)

A fascinating annual collection of artistic works from Japan, including short stories, poetry and wonderful illustrations, with a theme of travel.

Some of the tales are very unusual, such as the first story Sea Horse, where a woman craves to go to the sea. Or the tale of being in hell where a dead boy witnesses the Kennedy assassination and the life of Julius Caesar. Haruki Murakami writes about his experiences of jogging in Mykonos and the dogs there, plus a beautiful painting to accompany it...and a graphic story about an overcoat that has lost its owner. Have you ever wondered what happens to lost coats? This story is expressed in a strip cartoon style.

The imagination in these pieces is truly creative and so there is little indication what the story or poem is likely to contain. The paintings are bright and colourful or detailed and atmospheric, but always truly artistic. My favourite section is Five Modern Poets on Travel, which begins with a poem about a car and then takes us through the cherry blossom trails of traditional Japan.

This is a joyous book that the reader can dip in and out of, a whole host of original ideas and vivid imagination brought to the page. An eclectic collection and a memorable journey. Recommended for those open to something different.

If I had known the layout of this book, I wouldn't have requested... it looks like it will be beautiful as a hardcopy or on a big screen but on my phone I got sick of zooming in and out after one story. That story, however, was very good.

An annual anthology that focuses on contemporary Japanese literature, MONKEY New Writing from Japan contains short stories, poetry, essays, novel excerpts, and more that have been translated to English. Paired with these pieces are illustrations created using various mediums, creating a feast for the eyes and mind.

This specific volume of MONKEY focuses on the theme of travel. It kicks off with 'Sea Horse', a gorgeous, magical piece by Hiromi Kawakami whose brilliance shines brighter than ever when she writes short stories. I'm completely in love with the imagery, magical realism, and social commentary woven into the narrative.

Following this strong start is Tomoka Shibasaki's 'A woman hears an announcement on the radio that war has broken out, relatives arrive at her house seeking refuge, when the war ends they leave, then a civil war breaks out'. It's an impressively long title which I admittedly didn't bother reading in its entirely, but the short story has some of the most memorable and thought-provoking lines.

Then, we have 'The Overcoat', a graphic story by Satoshi Kitamura; Kikuko Tsumura's 'Hell' which tells the tale of a women's afterlife; a poem by Mieko Kawakami; excerpts of Hideo Furukawa's novel City of Ears ; and other carefully curated pieces to complete this anthology. Aside from the first two that stood out to me, I greatly enjoyed 'Kurozuka: a Noh Play', 'Five Modern Poets on Travel', Yasunari Kawabata's touching 'From the Northern Sea', and the final section where twelve translators briefly shared their thoughts on words they have difficulties with translating into a different language.

Both the modern rendition of the Noh play and the remarks by the twelve translators were intriguing. I loved the imagery and emotions evoked by the poems in 'Five Modern Poets on Travel' and found the inclusion of the original Japanese poem alongside the translated version a delightful touch that allowed me to enjoy both. As for 'From the Northern Sea', I found it gentle, kind, and empowering. It's a short story I'm sure I will return to constantly to find the strength the narrator did to carry on with her life.

Admittedly, some pieces felt out of place in this anthology, but in overall, MONKEY is an impressive literary journal that any fan of Japanese literature would love to have in their possession.

Thank you to Netgalley and Monkey/Stone Bridge Press for my DRC.

This was such a bizarre but good collection of stories, poetry, essays, and art. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I got through this collection since there was so much in it. The theme for the collection was "travel" and as someone who has rarely travelled, I really enjoyed it for the most part. I loved that there was work from Haruki Murakami too! Murakami's essay "Jogging in Southern Europe" was interesting...as someone who does not exercise often (I get maybe an hour yoga session in maybe twice a week), I didn't love it necessarily, but I can see why someone else might love it.

I really enjoyed “Decline of the Aliens” by Hideo Furukawa and I think one another that I cannot remember unfortunately. All together, this is a fairly solid collection and would recommend it for sure.

This anthology of travel-themed short writings by prominent Japanese authors includes: short stories, essays, poems, excerpts from longer works, and even an illustrated story [i.e. “The Overcoat” by Satoshi Kitamura.] The nature and degree of travel varies considerably with some pieces being travelogues or setting-centric fiction, but other pieces explore travel in a more symbolic sense (e.g. “Hell” by Kikuko Tsumura or “Decline of the Aliens” by Hideo Furukawa.] And one piece, “Cardboard Boxes and Their Uses” by Taki Monma deals more with the topic of being shut in, so it might be considered a study in travel through its absence.

The anthology includes works by literary stars such as Mieko Kawakami, Haruki Murakami, and Yasunari Kawabata, and showcases translation by some of the most well-know translators of Japanese literature. [The edition ends with a dozen brief statements by translators about what they have found particularly daunting to translate -- not necessarily because the literal translation is difficult but because the elegance of the origin language can be lost to clunkiness in the translated language.]

Among my favorite pieces were “The Dugong” (a historical fiction story with a “Journey to the West” feel to it,) Haruki Murakami’s essay entitled “Jogging in Southern Europe” (which anyone who’s ever exercised amid people who don’t exercise will find amusing,) “Five Modern Poets on Travel” [particularly the tanka of Kanoko Okamoto and the haiku of both Hisago Sugita and Dakotsu Iida,] and “Every Reading, Every Sound, Every Sight” by Jun’ichi Konuma. That said, I don’t think there was a clunker in the bunch, each piece was well-composed and translated, and I’d highly recommend reading this book.

I only read the first story and it was great. But I cannot load the .ascm file on my computer or e-reader or tablet, only on the phone, which is very annoying with the zooming. I will probably buy the magazine though because it looks very beautiful and it seems a great way of being introduced to Japanese authors I have not read before.

This was my first time reading MONKEY but I've always been intrigued by the idea of a literary magazine. I was expecting a collection of short stories but the mix of essays, comics, non-fiction and other types of writing was a refreshing surprise.

There were some parts I really liked and some that made my eyes glaze over, but I think that just means there will be something for everyone here. The beautiful thing about having such a mix of voices is that you end up reading things that you wouldn't usually pick up - and learning about fresh authors and opinions in the process.

The theme of 'travel' is a very loose one so rather than something to appease your urge to travel, it is more something to keep in your bag or beside table to dip in and out of. However I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking to expand their horizons, even if you have little interest in Japan as a whole.

Absolutely fabulous volume of short stories, poems and tidbits of new and well-known Japanese authors and translators. The layout is exceptionally well done and the art and illustrations fit each story perfectly. Of course there’ll always be stories you like more than others but I can’t wait for volume 3. My favourite part was when the translators shared little excerpts on difficult to translate Japanese words. Highly interesting 😁
Thank you very much NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This volume is a gem!