Red Roofs and Other Stories

Four disparate short stories by one of Japan’s greatest writers make up this collection. Written between 1917 and 1926, they’re told with a blend of realism and fabulism, and in all four Junichiro Tanizaki explores, from different angles, the pursuits and pitfalls of pleasure.

The first story, “The Story of Tomoda and Matsunaga,” is in some ways reminiscent of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and is well crafted. Next is “A Night in Qinhuai,” which reads almost like a personal essay and takes us on a late-night search for a suitable brothel. Once again, a craving for the exotic drives the narrative, and it’s rather disturbing in its descriptions of endless, dismal backstreets and a man’s urge to satisfy his desires.

Then, in “The Magician,” things get strange. I liked this one for how bizarre and intense it becomes, unlike anything else I’ve read by Tanizaki. The final story, “Red Roofs,” returns to realism and is notable for centering on a woman, whereas much of Tanizaki’s work focuses on male characters. It feels somewhat aimless at first, but comes together by the end. It also reminded me a bit of Haruki Murakami, or of Tanizaki’s novel Quicksand.