Liou (6th time)

YEEEEAHHH I finally, finally finished reading Liou for the 6th time!
It took me nearly 5 months to finish (I started around April), this is definitely the longest it's taken me. I had my own ritual going these last few years where I'd read Liou in April, but this year school and stuff happened (whereas in the past I'd be in summer vacation), so I read bit by bit when I had the time.

So. Yeah. 6th time.
It amazes me every time how I have a different reaction to different scenes with each read-through. I guess it comes with age.
I first read the book in the autumn of 2009, and it's been 4 years. Strange to say, but I've come a long way since then and I definitely have different perspectives on things. Like the book's treatment of family, women, and racial tensions - compared to when I first read the book, I sure react differently now.

For example, the female characters - at first, I was not very responsive to them. But now (and also in the last few read-throughs), I feel much more sympathetic and close to these extremely flawed, complex, real women. I'm at the point where I feel these women were not treated well - as much as I know she's (the author's) making a point in the story, it's still kinda sad.

But despite all that I may think and react, it was still a wonderful read.
I have a lot of YA and middle-grade books I have on my bookshelf that I want to read, but I'm still in that Japanese phase right now. I feel like starting Chouhei Kambayashi's Good Luck - Sentou Yousei Yukikaze. However it's been over a year since I finished the first book (Sentou Yousei Yukikaze) and I've forgotten a huge chunk of it. Maybe a re-read?
So many books, so little time...