《一次远行》"远行经历：不值得一去"

芥川奖-winning works are not something I have read much of, but out of the few that I have (such as "Almost Transparent Blue," "Good Weather," and "Convenience Store Woman"), this book is by far the weakest. It's hard to imagine a writer who has been around for over a decade producing such an ordinary work that still manages to win the prestigious prize. Can I also get a chance to win the Akutagawa Prize? Additionally, the Chinese version of the book title is translated very abstractly – "The Journey to the Netherworld" is rendered as "A Journey." The original title was much more attractive. The book contains two pieces, the first being "A Journey". The story is about a wife taking her husband to a health resort for a two-day, one-night trip. During the trip, the husband constantly recalls his pathetic upbringing and memories of his past, and finally manages to mentally escape from his traumatic family background. The theme is not bad, but it is written in a very lukewarm manner and in the third person, which is jarring when reading a personal narrative. Wouldn't it be better to use the first-person point of view? The entire trip is bland and boring, basically just a journey through reminiscences and musings. The eventual catharsis lacks any impact – "Ah, I have finally walked out of the nightmare that has haunted me for so long." Too dull. The second piece, "Ninety-Nine Kisses," left me wondering why the title was chosen. It tells of a younger sister in love with her three elder sisters. The first-person perspective is somewhat amusing, but the entire tale is rather inexplicable, as if nothing has been said. It can only be summarized as a coming-of-age story for young women, but even this growth lacks positive meaning. Overall, the first piece is pure literature with a clear beginning, middle, and end, while the second story is somewhat nonsensical. In conclusion, I do not recommend it.