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How current graduate student book reviewer Awaiyuki got hooked on reading, horse racing, and idols.

2023.8.16

#BOOK

A circle of friends connected by goof-touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.

On July 18, current graduate student and book reviewer, Awaiyuki, appeared on the show. We asked her about how she became a book reviewer, her predictions for winning the Akutagawa and Naoki Prizes, and how she got hooked on idols.

From tweeting book impressions and thoughts on Twitter to becoming a book reviewer

Celeina (MC): First of all, let me introduce you to my profile. Yuki Awayi was born in 2000. She is currently studying art at a graduate school in Tokyo. She reads a wide range of books, mainly the latest Japanese pure literature, popular literature, science fiction, mystery, light novels, and children’s novels, and publishes book reviews and articles related to the Akutagawa Prize, Naoki Prize, and other literary awards through her series and SNS.

Takano (MC): You are not in the literature department?

Awai: What we do is similar to that of the Faculty of Literature, but we also have an “Arts” course, so we study creative writing, and conversely, we also study criticism. I think it is rather broader than the Faculty of Letters.

Takano: I have read your twitter and notebook. Your thoughts are very deep.

Celeina: How did you start writing book reviews?

Awai: Originally, I wanted to have a place to output my thoughts on books, so I started tweeting my impressions and thoughts about books on Twitter. Then I was approached by a publisher, and I started writing various kinds of articles.

Takano: That’s amazing. I didn’t know there was such a pattern.

Awai: I am very grateful for that.

Takano: Have you liked books since you were a child?

Awai: I read novels rather a lot since I was a child, with periods when I stopped reading, but after choosing my current university, I started to read a lot.

Celeina: Did you start reading a lot of books when you became a college student?

Awai: I didn’t read much when I was in junior high school, and I started reading a lot in the middle of high school.

Celeina: What was the trigger for you? I have liked books since I became an adult, but I couldn’t get into them when I was a student.

Awai: I had pretty impure motives. When I asked myself, “What shall we do in class? I decided to read a book. That’s how I got into it, and that’s how I got into it now.

Takano: During class! But now you are active as a book reviewer. You never know what will lead you to where you are now.

Awai: Really, you’re right.

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