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I Want to Kick You in the Back Hardcover – April 14, 2015

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

A winner of Japan's prestigious Aktugawa Prize for rising literary talent, "I Want to Kick You in the Back" follows Hatsu, who is in her first year of high school and having a hard time fitting in with her classmates. She meets Ninagawa, an outcast who is obsessed with a model/pop idol but who has no interest in the actual girls around him. Gradually, Hatsu develops an impulse towards Ninagawa, not of love or infatuation, but one that can best be described as a desire to kick him in the back.This novella does a great job of exploring the ambivalent feelings of a teenager in search of a meaningful relationship.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Risa Wataya was born in 1984 in Kyoto, Japan. At the age of 17, her debut novel, "Install," received the Bungei Prize. Her second novel, "I Want to Kick You in the Back," has sold 1.3 million copies in Japan and received the Akutagawa Prize for rising literary talent, making Ms. Wataya the youngest recipient of this prestigious prize. In 2008, she was selected as a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ One Peace Books; Translation edition (April 14, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1935548883
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1935548881
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

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Risa Wataya
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
12 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2016
The relationship dynamics between the two main characters must be one of the most unique relationships I've ever encountered in literature, something I can't put a name to. Is it friendship, or is it some sort of twisted adolescent romantic feelings? It is probably neither, but the connection between two kids having a difficult time connecting with anybody else in the world. Wataya Riisa's writing is deceptively simple, so much that on the first read it took me just 2-3 hours to finish; I tossed it aside and didn't think too much about the content. However, as I finished reading, I found myself pondering back on it more and more, and finally read it again and again. For those who have always felt a sense of being an outsider, the characters may very well resonate with your experience. Afterall, one can feel the loneliest when they are, well, not alone.
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2017
Risa Wataya wrote this short novel when she was 19 years old, and took home the Akutagawa Prize for her effort, making her the youngest ever recipient. And she definitely deserved it. It's a unique, original work that is both hilarious and filled with painful truths. Whoever edited this, however, should be shot. Heinous typos and grammatical errors abound. SHAME. Read it anyway.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2016
Wataya has a certain voice, and a certain attitude to storytelling, that is compelling and worth reading. The interest mostly comes down to how she characterizes her schoolchildren protagonists; she has a knack for complex teen emotions and motivations. This English translation carries more than a few typos, but it's still a nice edition. A quick read. Recommended.

Top reviews from other countries

Amazun
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2017
Good quality, nice story