I read through it two chapters a day and everything but then forgot about posting in this thread. I've actually read it before, and thought it was great, but this time I didn't like it much. I have a feeling I was just drunk the first time.

I started realising I didn't like it because the dialogue was annoying me - a lot of it felt false and over-dramatic. I guess it's intentional to a degree, especially with Taneda, but I don't think it's all due to a deliberate portrayal of the characters acting that way. Then that feeling extended beyond the dialogue. Based on my bad memory and the reviews I'd read I'd pictured a subtle, sensitive, and realistic story, but it felt more like a particularly subdued but still shallow and melodramatic j-drama or soap opera. It also has a lot of Japanese pop culture tropes that I don't like, in particular the obsession with how being young and innocent is good and growing up sucks and somehow corrupts you (since this is what it's based around I suppose I should have realised I wouldn't like it, even if it is about overcoming the supposed problem), and the bittersweet "life goes on" ending.

If the whole thing was meant to be viewed negatively as a criticism of this kind of (particularly Japanese?) story and attitude I would like it but I don't think that's the case, although I suppose I can just call death of the author and read it that way regardless.