A while back, my brother gave me a book to read. I think I had been lamenting the state of my love life at the time and probably making disparaging remarks about the fairer sex. At any rate, into my hands he thrust a small paperback with the picture of a, to me, not very attractive lady on the front. Inside the cover, he had placed a note, written on some torn notebook paper, which said, "Read this and learn the ways of women!" True to form, I placed the book on my shelf and promptly set about forgetting to read it. That is, until last week, when discovering this foreign book in my possession and the strange note inside, I decided to finally read Junichiro Tanizaki's Naomi.

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If you have any interest in Japanese literature, especially modern, I really think you should read Naomi. It has so much to offer from the cultural commentary to the intriguing and heartrending way a man sacrifices his personhood to the woman he loves which doesn't always work out in his favor. ( )

Nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed the story. I really liked the writing, but I didn't like the characters. They were complex, but I don't think as a reader I was suppose to like them. I would say this was almost like the Japanese version of Lolita, but less disturbing. At times this reminded me of Osamu Tezuka's Ayako as well. A lot of this book as to to do with Westernization in Japan as well. I don't know much about Junichiro Tanizaki to talk more about the book, but found out about him watching interviews with Henry Miller, figured if I'd check out this guy and I'm glad I discovered someone new for myself. ( )

In many ways this novel was painful to read. A love story, the love evolves from a pure, idealized love to a masochistic, obsessional love. Each stage is horrifying on some level. The man is willing to be completely dominated by a manipulative, dishonest, cruel woman. Normally, I may have set this book aside, but as was the case with "Lolita" by Nabokov, the prose is exquisite, and it drew me on to end. Perhaps Tanizaki appealed to some thread of masochism which exists in all who love. ( )

This is a bit like a Japanese 'Lolita'. Very cinematic. The story of a man - Jōji - and his infatuation with a Eurasian looking teenage girl, Naomi. Upon meeting and getting to know one another, both characters bond over their mutual fascination with the West. Soon, Naomi becomes Jōji's protégé and she moves in with him. He is intent on nurturing her into a 'respectable young lady'. His adoration takes form in lavishing her with clothes and expensive meals. Naomi quickly becomes spoiled and distasteful traits begin to show. We discover her mischievousness and unfaithfulness - the bane and ruin of Jōji's life. His love (however unhealthy the reader may deem it) for Naomi, is unwavering. This novel was very atmospheric and transported me to another culture and climate. It was, however, rather stifling to read - both in terms of the circumstances at hand and also in terms of the writing style. I felt myself trying to rush through and get to the point of a few scenes. The whole relationship is unhealthy and weird and I didn't find myself rooting for anyone. A feminist and PC attitude would obviously sympathise with Naomi - a young woman groomed and made subject to an older man's overpowering and constricting infatuation. However, I couldn't help but ever so slightly sympathise with Jōji - who I imagine to be a meek and rather pathetic brown-suited man - a man who subsequently has to resort to 'buying' his love from women through supplying their addiction to materialism. Naomi clearly walks all over him and he allows it because he is so hopelessly in love with her (or merely obsessed?). ( )

If you enjoy reading about men gradually emasculating themselves through male egotism, adoration and submission to a woman capable of employing both guile and seduction fully as a weapon, then you'll enjoy Naomi.

Joji Kawai, a twenty something office worker, chances upon Naomi, a sullen teenage waitress with an unusual "Western looking" appearance. After hearing about her nonchalant upbringing and taking pity upon her, he decides to settle with her, and cultivate her into a cultured modern, young woman and his image of an ideal wife. He harbours dream about living simply with her, wanting to do away with the rigid structures and hierachy of traditional Japanese households.

Little does he know that his fantasies become pear-shaped, when he manages instead to bring out the worst of Naomi's self-indulgence and coquettry towards other men. He is soon disgusted by Naomi's coarse behaviour and tendency to fling herself at other men freely, but can't quite control himself when Naomi employs her techniques on him.

Naomi eventually becomes ruthlessly efficient at her seduction of Joji, and metaphorically cuts off Joji's balls at the end.

One can't help but feel very sorry for him, although one also can't help but feel that Joji's weaknesses and ego meant that he simply got what he wanted, but without the admittance of his own selfishness, disguised as niceness. ( )