Nails and Eyes

The title novella yields a subtle form of unease throughout which seems to be located in what isn't said. Told in that difficult 2nd person form, it raises questions about what can be known as the narrator appears to have access to her stepmother's feelings that, in reality, must be closed to her. In that sense, this raises issues of perception and imagination or fantasy, indicated figuratively through the focus (ha!) on eyes and contact lenses.

A nicely layered tale with some macabre touches (how did the mother get locked out on the balcony?).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review

3.5 stars!

Oo I liked this!! The novella Nails and Eyes really got my attention. I loved how it was written? It was written as if the young girl, Hina, is recalling and telling the story of her 'stepmother'/father's girlfriend to her. I have some questions still about this lol about Hina, her mother, the other woman, the bookseller so many questions

The other two stories are short stories and I also liked these, What Shoko Forgets and Minute Fears, but the latter fell flat for me compared to the other.

But What Shoko Forgets -
I liked how that was written the sublte mention of the number of people in the room n the breathing etc. Really amped up the tension on what was happening and there are also sooooo many questions I have about this one.

Despite really liking these, I wanted something more. Just a smidge lol I have so many questions and wanted some sort of answers just to make more of the story. But they're fantastic!

A collection of three disturbing stories, each is worth reading for its own sake. Labelling them as horror is overstatement - they are grotesque, tense and creepy but definitely not horror. Cool book cover, memorable contents.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an Advance Review Copy.

5/5 for Nails and Eyes by Kaori Fujino, out on the 27th July with @pushkin_press - this is literary horror at its most creepy! #bookstagram
#readmore #readmorebooks #bookclub #reading #amreading #tbrlist#booklist #books #booksofig #booksofinstagram #instabook #bookaddiction #bookworm #newreads #currentlyreading #booksta

AHHHHHHHHHH! That was AMAZING. I just love translated horror. I am so thankful to Kaori Fujino, Pushkin Press, Edelweiss, and Netgalley for granting me digital access to this collection of stories and novellas that convey a slow burn with a lasting, searing scar. Nails and Eyes is set to hit shelves on September 12, 2023, and yall don't want to sleep on this beauty!

In there different tales we get spooked out of her skin, at least I did.

Story #1 depicts a daughter's POV of her father having an affair, her mother tragically dying, and then getting lightly abused and neglected by her new stand-in mother who she gets revenge upon in the most wretched, but somehow justified way.

Story #2 tells us about Shoko, a stubborn elderly woman in a rehab facility that is getting bothered by a much younger patient and nobody seems to believe her.

And Story #3 is a Bloody Mary type of tale that has me thinking back on every word I read, trying to filter through what was real and what was a trick of the lore.

Short and sweet and to the point, this collection is a 5-star read for me, forever and ever.

Fascinating read. I found out out the book through an Overdrive webinar on upcoming fall titles. I don't typically read horror or short stories, but the book talk was intriguing.

Story 1 will haunt me and anyone who wears contacts or who has eye issues.
Story 2 was certainly creepy, I wonder if this is story could be the start of a longer piece
Story 3 was a quick read and the abrupt ending was blah... which may have been the point?

I'm glad I read these! They will stick with me.

I loved this. Very unsettling air throughout the entire titular piece. Especially considering that you do not know what you are supposed to be feeling unsettled by at any given time. Every bit just feels uncomfortable. The shorter stories were fine. I wish that the final story had been placed first in the collection, as placing it last made for a "meh" feeling as I ended this book.

Thank you to NetGalley & Pushkin for the ARC

This book is split up into a collection of short stories, the first story is called nails and eyes and is about 50% of the book. It took a little bit to get into it but I was hooked. It tells the story of a woman who starts a relationship with a married man from the perspective of the married couple's three year old daughter. It relays the trauma she has, after her mother dies from an apparent 'accident'. I wish the story was longer as i felt it ended too abruptly and definitely wanted to know what happens next.
The second story was my least favourite, taking place in a hospital/rehabilitation center, it was boring compared and almost made me stop reading.
The last story was also great, it tells the story from the perspective of a mother who has a child who believes himself to be cursed. I enjoyed this story and I did not see the plot twist coming.
I would definitely keep an eye out for more from the author, Japanese authors just have a way with writing that immediately hooks you into a story, no matter how ordinary it may be.

This is a collection comprised of one novella and two short stories. The title novella is told in the 2nd person form, narrated by a child while speaking to her stepmother. The child, Hina, lost her mother in a very tragic (and strange) accident, and shortly thereafter, this new woman took her place. Her father is barely in the picture, so she is "stuck" with this strange new woman day in and day out, a prison sentence of sorts. It's a very claustrophobic environment. She seems to shut everything inside until she starts reacting, and it's like a volcano that eventually erupts, and the final scene is horrific and very, very disturbing. This tale really stuck with me, although at times it was a bit difficult to follow along with the narration.

The second entry is the short story What Shoko Forgets, about an elderly woman in a medical facility recovering from a stroke which affected her memory, and she "sees" things, but she isn't sure if they're real or not, and she feels trapped in this new reality. A man "visits" her every night, and it's all very unnerving.

The third entry, Minute Fears, is about a boy who is convinced he has been cursed, and his mother, who is torn between her desire to spend time with friends and staying home to tend to her terrified son. It's a tense back and forth that builds up to an ending I was not expecting at all, and it really hit me.

Thanks to Pushkin Press for an ARC via NetGalley.

Okay. I need to gather my thoughts. I've given this book 5 stars because of the title story alone. The other 2 short stories are good but Nails and Eyes actually brought me up short. I had to put the book down then read it again because it absolutely threw me.

Kaori Fujino is a new author to me but if this is a taster of her style then she is clearly of that distinct breed of young Japanese fiction writers who consistently shock and amaze with their storytelling (Hiromi Kawakami, Sayaka Murata and Yoko Ogawa come to mind).

Nails and Eyes is narrated by a child speaking about her step-mother. The death of her own mother is shrouded in some mystery but since the child was barely three when her mother died she remembers few details. The step-mother starts as quite a separate figure who barely engages with the child but after a time she becomes more domestic, enjoying her new life as wife and mother.

The claustrophobic nature of the relationship is paramount in this story. The child always watching and registering changes within her home, the father barely a presence. The tension in the home builds every day as the child bites her nails, refuses to enter certain rooms, is bribed with snacks and becomes barely communicative at home and pre-school.

The conclusion to this creepy story is utterly breathtaking. It was masterful. I'm still reeling from it.

The following two stories - What Shoko Forgets and Minute Fears are both clever, shocking and strange. In any other collection they would be stand out short stories but Nails and Eyes towers over them.

An excellent collection. Loved it. Highly recommend it for any lover of short stories, new Japanese fiction, just plain strange tales.

Thankyou so much to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the advance review copy. I cannot wait for more by this author.

Nails and Eyes by Kaori Fujino had me up at night. It is a haunting and tense collection of short stories told by three female protagonists at different stages in their lives.

Story 1 is narrated in the 2nd person by a preschooler addressing her neglectful stepmother.

Story 2 switches to the first person and is about an elderly woman at the end of her life, stuck in a rehab ward with three (perhaps 4) other patients.

Finally, the third story (which happens to be my favourite) is about a mother and her child. I think it's about loss of self, love, and safety. However, this is the kind of book that might lead to different experiences for each reader. 

The book has a slow start, but the collection builds quickly in suspense and discomfort. I found myself wanting to return to previous points the further I got into the book. It will leave you deep in thought!

Fujino's style of storytelling is something else—quietly sinister, heavy on metaphor, slipping into surrealism, and always ending abruptly. I found myself cut off just a bit too soon with each tale. While this might be frustrating to some, it really works with the subtlety of her storytelling and will leave you haunted... if you let it.

After reading this, I hope that we see more of her work translated for English-speaking audiences!

Thank you, Netgalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC digital copy. My review is my own honest opinion of the collection.

"Nails and Eyes" by Kaori Fujino

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5/5 stars)

"Nails and Eyes" by Kaori Fujino is a masterfully crafted Japanese literary horror that leaves readers on the edge of their seats, perfect for those who enjoy the chilling darkness of a good book. This novella and short story collection introduces a unique and unforgettable new voice in Japanese literature, showcasing Fujino's ability to weave subtly disturbing tales with precision and finesse.

The novella centers around a young girl, reeling from the loss of her mother, who finds herself facing an unsettling reality as her father introduces his secret lover into their home. Fujino's choice of a child narrator adds an extra layer of creepiness and innocence to the narrative, as the girl attempts to maintain a facade of normalcy while silently observing the new interloper's every move. The slow-building tension and psychological depth make "Nails and Eyes" an unforgettably haunting experience.

Fujino's narrative control is exceptional, creating an atmosphere that is both atmospheric and unsettling. The novella's gradual escalation toward a disturbing conclusion is brilliantly executed, leaving readers with a lingering sense of unease long after the final page.

The additional short stories in this collection further showcase Fujino's talent for creating stories of unsettled minds and creeping tension. Each tale is meticulously crafted, delving into the darker corners of the human psyche and painting vivid and macabre portraits of the characters' inner struggles.

I love translated Japanese fiction, however, I’m not always a fan of horror…until now. This collection of stories from Kaori Fujino gripped me from the start. All the stories are well paced, creepy and sinister but Nails and Eyes stood out to me. I was unnerved by the 2nd person narration, which is done so well with a child describing her relationship with her new step mother. It’s more psychological and suggestive but still gruesome enough to stay with you as the tension really builds up to a shocking climax I did not see coming. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

A short, well-written and well-translated collection for those who love Sayaka Murata, Mieko Kawakami and Mieko Kanai. It consists of one novella and two short stories.

In the novella, Nails and Eyes, a daughter directly addresses her negligent stepmother, who has taken the place of her mother who has tragically died under suspicious circumstances. The use of the second person singular works very well here: it is accusatory but it also makes that a lot is left unsaid. Normally I don't like it when body parts are used as symbols, but in this case the girl's nails and the stepmother's eyes are functional and well-integrated in the story.

The other two stories also read very well: quite suspenseful and with a touch of horror.

A good surprise and I would be interested to read more from this author. 3,5

"You thought of me as something of an animal. Yes, I am an animal—the same as you."

I cannot stop thinking about these stories.

The title novella is obviously the main event here, and for good reason; even throughout its slow, unassuming start, the methodical voice of the narrator, Hina, sets an uneasy tone that I was instantly captivated by. The story itself centers gender issues in a way that is both as subtle and as horrific as patriarchal abuses of power and societal gender roles can be and are within our real world. As the daughter of a neglectful mother, I find myself grappling with my mother’s individual personhood more comprehensively as I get older; bad mothers are, after all, still women in a world that is unfailingly anti-woman. Accordingly, the relationship between neglectful mother and powerless daughter featured in “Nails and Eyes” feels as impossibly intimate as it does unavoidably perilous. Seeing myself in Hina’s detached delineation of a traumatic past, I felt represented, and I felt bereaved. This novella also features one of the wildest, most disturbing conclusions to any fiction in my recent memory. I love when a story can make me audibly react, and my hurried reading of those final few pages was full of gasps, what!?s, and disgusted interjections.

The two short stories, “What Shoko Forgets” and “Minute Fears,” address similar real-world issues in a shorter format. Like a lot of contemporary Japanese authors, Fujino is understated in the delivery of her stories’ themes and “morals,” and I know this level of reservation can be hit-or-miss for Western readers. For me, it has always been a hit. The two stories did a lot with few pages, and I highlighted many passages of Fujino’s simple-yet-mesmerizing prose throughout both. I especially loved “Minute Fears” — I need the A24 adaptation of it in theaters yesterday!

Thank you so much to Pushkin Press for providing this ARC through NetGalley.

A collection of tense and unsettling short stories, Fujino presents one novella and two shorts that are claustrophobic insights into the lives of three women at different stages of life, and the creeping horrors that infiltrate their worlds. The eponymous novella is by far the strongest of the three offerings, with the tension that builds in the house and the relationship between child and stepmother culminating in a shocking conclusion that is so visceral to read, it is a perfect example of the new wave of Japanese fiction that has begun to rise to prominence globally.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC

Comprised of a novella (the titular tale, which won Japan’s Akutagawa Prize) and two short stories, this collection, while not quite horror, explores feminist themes of women’s lives and roles in modern Japanese society; a position seemingly pulsing with dread and danger. Kaori Fujino’s writing (in translation by Kendall Heitzmann) is crisp and allusive, and despite frequent whiffs of the supernatural, I absolutely believed the lives and characters she has created here. A short read that I found totally satisfying.

Rating: 3.5/5

This collection features a novella and two short stories. In the title novella, a young girl confronts the complexities of an evolving family dynamics when a stepmother enters her life. The second story revolves around an elderly woman plagued by an inexplicable nocturnal amnesia. The last entwines the lives of a mother and her child with a cursed playground.

The subtle horror is what makes this collection stand out. Fujino’s writing style imbues the stories with a lingering sense of disquiet that incrementally builds an unnerving narrative. It is not so much the plot that makes these stories frightening but rather the silences in the plot that leaves readers in a state of obsessive interpretation. Did the daughter leave her mother in the balcony to die? Is the mother the ghost of the story? The horror interestingly, lies in the circumstances of the story, and Fujino leverages the power of the unsaid to push the readers' imagination to disturbing possibilities.

Themes of knowledge and perception, as well as gender roles are explored here, though not as pronounced as in other feminist texts (like Mieko Kawakami's works for instance).

While the first and third stories left a strong impression, the second story fell slightly short for me, with certain parts of the writing feeling somewhat labored. The novellas, in their pursuit of ambiguity, may also leave readers yearning for more definitive resolutions.

Despite this, the unsettling and violent scenes, combined with touches of surrealism, make "Nails and Eyes" a thrilling read. It was also nice to see the familiar indicia of contemporary Japanese lit, with its sparse prose and a minimalist economy of words.

A recommended read for lovers of subtle horror and gore, and for fans of authors like Sayaka Murata.

Nails and Eyes by Kaori Fujino was such a great discovery! I love horror and I am always interested in translated fiction, so when I saw this available on NetGalley I was immediately excited.
This edition includes one novella and two short stories: while reading them, you will feel uncomfortable, creeped out, charmed but uneasy. I love this kind of horror, because it's subtle, elegant, and in my case very effective (kudos to Kendall Heitzmann who did a great job in transmitting the anxiety and the creeping tension in his translation).

The stories included are:
- Nails and Eyes (novella): a woman recalls her childhood memories around the sudden death of her mother and the acceptance of her father's girlfriend. While the story was incredibly fascinating and disturbing, I found a bit difficult to get into it because of 2nd person POV narration (I'm not a fan).
- What Shoko Forgets: a short story about an old woman in a medical facility, who's visited by a mysterious man during the night, but it's unclear if she is imagining things, recalling memories and remembering her present. Very creepy and sad.
- Minute Fears: a child believes to have been cursed and his mother tries to reassure him with evidence that it's not real. Because of this story, I decided to remove 1 star from my rating: I liked the plot, but because of the lack of tension and the abrupt ending I couldn't enjoy it fully.

Still this book remains a very interesting and original read, I loved the darkness around these macabre tales and the beautiful writing. I would like to read more by this author, hopefully her other books will be translated as well!

* I'd like to thank Kaori Fujino, Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. * Nails and Eyes is out on September 12th, 2023.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for a copy of this eARC.

Before seeing this book on NetGalley I’d never heard of it. I can honestly say that this book of three short stories amazed me.

The perspective of the first story was refreshing and perfect, I got completely lost in the story and the ending was perfectly creepy.

The second story made me so uncomfortable; which was obviously the point. It was my least favourite of the three stories due to its theme.

The third story was a perfect balance between childhood fear & adult distractedness. I adored the characters.

I would recommend this book to anyone, 5 perfect stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this ARC! I found all 3 of these stories to be creepy and unsettling. I enjoyed the writing and the pacing with the stories. I’d say my favorite was the title story, Nails and Eyes, it made my skin crawl!

This is my first Kaori Fujino read and now I have high expectations for this author’s other work. What amazed me the most wasn’t even the story, but the storytelling. Mind blowing. The words used in each scenario was carefully chosen. I guess another literary motive was nail polish.

The cover of the book is so calming and attention grabbing too. I am convinced that this will be a good english release of the book.

Nails and Eyes is a slow-burning, atmospheric work of literary horror. The story is told from Hina's perspective, and her unreliable narration adds to the sense of unease. Fujino does an excellent job of creating a sense of dread and suspense, and the story builds to a shocking and disturbing conclusion.

The novella is also notable for its exploration of themes of grief, loss, and female identity. Hina's mother's death is a central event in the story, and her grief is palpable. She also struggles to come to terms with her father's remarriage and her new stepmother's presence in her life. As Hina grows older, she begins to question her own identity and place in the world.

Nails and Eyes is a well-written and unsettling novella that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is a must-read for fans of literary horror and psychological suspense.

Horror short stories seem to hit me the hardest rather than full length novels. I really really enjoyed this and can't wait to buy a physical copy of it.

These stories creep and crawl beneath your skin, settling within and worming their way into your brain long after you've finished them. They teem with malice and dread, but there's a delicate restraint in the writing which saves it from veering into gorehound melodrama. Highly reccomended.

💅"Nails and Eyes" is the title of the main novella in this book, telling a story of family tension with a dark twist. Told through the eyes of a young girl, the book is mostly in the second person directed towards her father's lover, who moves into the family house after the death of the girl's mother. Nothing ever feels right, however, with the new woman showing complete indifference to the girl whilst trying to replicate the clean, immaculate world that the mother left behind. The unease builds, as it's clear that our narrator is not completely as she seems, and things take a creepy and horrifying turn. No spoilers, but the clue is in the title...

🔎 I'm not usually a horror fan, but went into it unaware of the genre and came away with a good impression. It's a well-plotted, psychological story full of tension and disquieting moments. It reminded me in many ways of Ryu Murakami's "Audition", or the film at least.

🛝 What's more, the book also comes with two similarly unsettling short stories, of which I preferred the latter, "Minute Fears", a tale of motherly protection and fears warped into an almost fairy tale like story.

💜 Very quick, dark read, like everything I'm reviewing right now! Well worth a look if you're into dark, mysterious fiction bordering on body horror.

Good small novella with three unnerving stories. I liked them all, though the last one is my favourite, the ending simply sent shivers down my spine.

Nails and Eyes is the collection of short horror stories ('Nails and Eyes', 'What Shoko Forgets', and 'Minute Fears'). The titular novella narrates in second person the story of Hina and her recollection of her childhood, with specific focus on the presence of her stepmother. This story uses intense imagery to almost probe the thoughts and behaviours of the stepmother through detailed scrutiny. It culminates in a detail of image of the two that ends with a chilling bang.

The next story follows an elder by the name Shoko who resides within a rehabilitation center after suffering a stroke. She receives visits from multiple individuals but the intentions of their visits are muddled because Shoko's short term memory has been affected. The uncertainty and confusion of this story is well conveyed, possibly representing Shoko's uncertainty and confusion throughout.

Minute Fears contains the most horror out of the three stories. It collocates the desires of a mother to have a night off to her terrified child's nightmare of a playground experience. The themes of maternal obligation were apparent here but personally could have used a bit more refining, especially with respect to the note of parental indifference. However, on the level of horror, it did an amazing job.

Overall, 'Nails and Eyes' achieves the goal of unsettling readers, to the point of eliciting similar feelings experienced by the characters. I'm interested to see if Fujino delves into something like this again.

"Nails and Eyes" was my first book of this wonderful diverse selection. I really liked it but I also realized that I am not able to get a grip on every level of story telling. One reason more to get more into japanese and asian horror and other literature!

The main story was from the start very creepy. Kaori Fujino has a soft way of transporting the things that are a little bit ... off. And this is the main reason for the horror in this stories. Everything is slightly off and if you are a women (or at least not a cis male) you will get a totally different level of horror: that of a child that may have seen and might be responsible for the death of her mother. Kaori Fujino is a master of those litte details that give the story its strangeness. I really loved it and at the same time I felt so sick for the situation and the child and how her step-mother got a unhealthy obsession with the diseased mother.
With the subject of nails and eyes Kaori Fujino chose body parts were I am really sensible with descriptions of pain and so that story was really unsettling for me.
The end of the story was very brutal and that is the only point were it lost me a little bit because it was in such a contrast to the rest of the story.

The other two stories were also good. Reading about Shokos experiences was gut wrenching because ugh, nobody wants to get assaulted. It is really well done how that kind of horror unravelled. The third one was the least strong for me but I will definitely keep an eye out for other literature by Kaori Fujino!

I finished this in one day and one breath. Immaculate, fluid narration, so tense and atmospheric, I couldn’t put it down.

The titular novella is told in second person by a child to her stepmother. The details of her life are laid out in eerie detail, and we get a masterful exploration of themes of power and gender roles that concludes in a way that’ll give you whiplash. I’m still reeling from this story.

The following two short stories, “What Shoko Forgets” and “Minute Fears” I actually didn’t realize were included, so I spent some time trying to figure out how “What Shoko Forgets” ties in with the characters from “Nails and Eyes”. Nevertheless, the narration lost nothing of its brilliance and I was left absolutely obsessed with this author.

The translation by Kendall Heitzmann flowed very well and I hope to see more of it.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this one! The horror is subtle but extremely tense and atmospheric. The stories had an unsettling and interesting approach and I really liked the writing style and flow.

Nail and Eyes uses the unconventional narration style of a young daughter talking to the new girlfriend of her father as we follow a story of her youth. It creates a strange but very characteristic of separation between our narrator and her own story she is telling as tragedy in her youth leads her to move in with her dad and his new girlfriend, neither of whom seem to pay her much mind at any point. The lack of consideration for the child as she watches life unfold around her, and her lack of discussion about her feelings, creates a question of how much children feel and understand that they aren’t given credit for and the ending of the book definitely brings this feeling full circle with a vengeance.

The absence of the father figure from so much of the story itself also serves as a sort of cultural critique, whether intentional or not I’m not sure, of the different expectations of women and men in raising a child as we watch the girlfriend be handed much of the responsibility for the child and feel her gave much of the blame for ignoring her, while the dad is absent without being villanized as clearly for his absence. The connection between the girlfriend's house decorating and the child's mother also raises an interesting relationship question, though I’m not entirely clear to what end and to what extent this was purposeful.

**Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Disturbing, weird and difficult at times. Horror fans should be happy with this one too, but it will definitely appeal the most to those who look for creepy literary fiction. Recommended.

It would be naive to think that the titular novella, Nails and Eyes, would end without succumbing to violence. When clear as day, it would be nothing close to the words gentle and tender. Through the eyes of a little girl, one would expect an innocent narrative, but we're surprised by the depth of what she knows. Truly a nail-biting and eye-bulging read.
 
Two other short stories accompanied the unsettling atmosphere set by the first one. What Shoko Forgets brushes over topics such as sexual abuse and trauma. But I wish it were broadened and not just hinted at. Nevertheless, I think it really was intended for readers to never feel the closure they're seeking.
 
The last one, Minute Fears, reminded me of a silly ghost story the adults around me would tell just so I would be scared and go to bed early when I was young. "A monster is inside the cabinet; it will get you if you're still awake by..." But their good intentions, instead of being beneficial, actually do more harm to children. It's distressing.

ARC was provided by Pushkin Press under NetGalley! Many thanks!

A collection of three excellent short stories. All are tense and hard to look away from as they build to their conclusions.

Unsettling, disturbing & beautifully written and translated, Nails and Eyes is a small collection of Japanese literary horror short stories. Kaori Fujino's ability to paint the story all around the reader, and envelope us in such a chilling and unnerving way - was truly mind-blowing. From the turn of the first page, I was instantly hooked and only put the book down to take a break between stories, because I was so jarred. In Nails and Eyes, the young girl addresses the stepmother directly, with an eerie amount of obsession, observation, and knowledge. The perspective was unique and highly intriguing, and incredibly well done. From a book called Nails and Eyes, it was everything I could have wanted and so much more. The imagery and symbolism was intense and impactful. I found myself hanging on every word and highlighting nearly every page. Each story led me on their journey and successfully thrilled and creeped the absolute heck out of me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC in exchange for a review!

A delightfully creepy little Japanese horror novella (+ two short stories!) that would be a good pick if you’re looking to include some women in translation in your October TBR! 👻
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The titular novella really steals the show here. It’s about a young woman who becomes a stepmother to a little girl who is decidedly unnerving. There was an incident with the girl’s mother which she may or may not, accidentally or intentionally, had a hand in, resulting in her death. I loved how Kaori Fujino explored these timorous dynamics - the woman never knowing how much authority she has, how much she should discipline the child, where the boundaries lie. This becomes all the more complicated when she becomes obsessed with the deceased mother’s interiors blog. There are also themes of infidelity and revenge explored, with some scenes that will definitely make you squirm!
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I did have some questions about the ending though. The child is supposed to be three years old, and based on my own niece when she was three, I’m not sure she’d have had the fine motor skills to pull that off?? 😂 But either way it was creepy and made me cringe in a good psychological-horror-y way!
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The two short stories were also pretty good. One features an old woman in physical therapy who’s convinced she’s being harassed by a malevolent spirit, and the other has more of an urban legend vibe, where a young boy is traumatised by the ‘curse’ supposedly placed on him by the ghost of a playground he visits 👻
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Quick read, good thrills, interesting themes, would recommend!
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Translated by Kendall Heitzman

A collection of three stories, Nails and Eyes by Kaori Fujino is a thrilling work. I found the titular story extremely gripping, there's a certain choking feeling I had as I read through it.
The other two stories although were good, didn't compare to the titular story. Overall I'm glad I read it. Some of the great writing that will leave you spooked.
Thank you to the Netgalley and the publishers for the earc.

Nails and Eyes by Kaori Fujino is a collection of short horror stories and I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars

The storytelling was well written and the imagery used was indeed chilling and creepy with just the right amount of scare. The stories are creative with unique ideas that kept me wondering what will happen next. The length of each story was just right with cliffhangers placed in the right spots. The editing of this book was flawless and I see no grammatical error or typing errors throughout the book.

Fujino's Nails and Eyes is a good read and the right amount of horror with so much less the morbity. I will definitely read more of Kaori Fujino's books in the future.

This collection has three stories, novella "Nails and Eyes", "What Shoko Forgets" and "Minute Fears".

In "Nails and Eyes", a young girl tracks the progress of her mostly absent father's relationship with her new stepmum. The young girl is constantly on edge, biting her nails and not really engaging with others, while her stepmum attempts to bribe the girl with junk food. The conclusion seemingly comes out of nowhere, but not really. Every step in the relationship, and the shocking act that culminates it, is carefully shown. It's masterful.

In "What Shoko Forgets", a grandmother suffering from a stroke is in a rehabilitation facility. She watches the other patients, feels frustrated with everyone around her, including her daughter and what she perceives as her insufficiently dutiful granddaughter. I will admit to wondering exactly what happened at the end.

In "Minute Fears", a young mother looks forward to getting together with her school friends after years, but her young son is having a meltdown about something that happened earlier in the afternoon at the playground. It all feels like a totally normal thing that could happen, and then the ending is shocking and eerie.

Each story beautifully creates the lives of the families it portrays, while also handily building dread and suspense with its tightly written prose. There is also a pervasive, claustrophobic atmosphere in each tale, which leaves one constantly wondering both what will happen next and, what the heck happened? This was a creepy collection of stories, particularly the novella for which the collection was named. It's dark, disturbing stuff, and it's great.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Pushkin Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A novella + two short stories, all enjoyably disconcerting and quietly creepy.

The titular novella was particularly well-developed. A young woman who has been coasting through her life with poor vision but good luck has been having an affair with a married man; when his wife dies in a shocking accident, they move in together with his three-year-old daughter, the only witness to the original wife's death. The narration style here is the real winner: it's narrated by the daughter, in first-person direct address POV (not second-person!), and the style snowballs into something legitimately terrifying.

Intensi, inquietanti, disturbanti, questi racconti si aggiungono a letture che dipingono un Giappone ben lontano dall'incantevole, equilibrato, raffinato Paese che ci immaginiamo in Occidente. Tutte le distorsioni della società, incarnate nei singoli individui, nutrono una narrativa che difficilmente arriva in Italia, impegnata a importare romanzi ben più leggeri e incoraggianti, lontani dall'inquietante profondità di questa raccolta.

This was a collection of short but eery and disturbing stories that I couldn't put down. Nothing else to say other than read it you won't be disappointed if you are a fan of creepy insidious horror that you think about long after you've finished the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book. A quick and very disturbing read, also superbly clever, it had me questioning characters in the book when I'd finished. And also going back and rereading bits to confirm that my suspicions were correct.

I loved the way it was written, and how the short stories left you guessing and theorizing what was the reason or meaning behind them. I particularly liked the last short story which played on the 'monster is in the house's trope.

Highly recommend picking up for an October Halloween read!

This was definitely a very different read. I was very impressed with the way the author made these stories so subtle, yet so ominous at the same time. I think that this was a great read for people that really enjoy nuance and are drawn to the details. There was a novella and two short stories in this book and I was impressed. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley,

The title story is worth getting the book alone - the 2 other short(er) stories are good, but the main event is what makes this a wonderfully creepy book. Told in the notoriously difficult 2nd-person the title story builds up such a sense of creepiness that it unsettles and surprises. And then you have to go back and read it again because you have just gone 'what?!?'.

A new author to me, but I will definitely be on the lookout for more in the future.

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

I loved the quiet yet unsettling tension in these short stories, especially Nails and Eyes which sat with me long after I finished reading it.

Nails and Eyes might just be one of the best collections of short stories I have ever had the pleasure to read.

Admittedly, the first story was a little hard to read and would be for anyone squeamish about eye injuries!! But as a glasses wearer, I appreciated this story all the more for its relatability - thisbwroter truly gets what it's like to have vision problems, and expertly crafts a story to play on these fears but also entertain and satisfy the reader.

The rest of the collection are equally intriguing and the writing is strong throughout- I think the only negative is that I wished there were more ! I think there were only 3 stories in total but they were so riveting, I wanted more!

Nails and Eyes provokes the uncanny and unease in the form of several short novels that are loosely tied to the other. The story which matches that of the title leaves the reader in my view questioning just what happened to Hina's birth mother, and if how she appears to be the narrator how truthful her perspective of her new step-mum is in regards to the perceived relationship with the bookseller. Fujino definitely plays with the notion of the unreliable narrator in a manner that drives a thriller, horror aspect. I would consider this an ideal autumnal season read - in the run up to Halloween as it has all the hallmarks of a good suspenseful tale, I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of other books within this genre for example - Sayaka Murata's Earthlings. You won't be disappointed!

I like this one! I'm a scaredy cat, so horror novels are not for me, but this one wasn't creepy or scary, but more on the EERIE side. The three short stories cover diverse topics like gender or the bond between a mother and a daughter. I liked the writing style and will be keeping my eyes peeled for more from the author.

Really loved this paring of stories. Following the ‘girlfriend’ through her experience integrating/losing herself was creepy and touching.

My favourite Japanese author's best work translated into English. I enjoyed the exquisite translation and the splendidness of this novel was not lost at all.

"Nails and Eyes" by Kaori Fujino is a spine-tingling journey into the depths of psychological horror. Set against the backdrop of family secrets and loss, Fujino crafts a chilling tale of obsession and indifference. As the young girl grapples with her new stepmother's eerie presence, the narrative grips you with its masterful control and builds to a conclusion of haunting power. With two additional stories adding to the tension, "Nails and Eyes" introduces a bold new voice in Japanese literature that will leave you breathless and unsettled.