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The Woman in the Dunes

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The Woman in the Dunes

By: Kobo Abe
Narrated by: Julian Cihi
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About this listen

 The Woman in the Dunes, by celebrated writer and thinker Kobo Abe, combines the essence of myth, suspense and the existential novel.

After missing the last bus home following a day trip to the seashore, an amateur entomologist is offered lodging for the night at the bottom of a vast sand pit. But when he attempts to leave the next morning, he quickly discovers that the locals have other plans. Held captive with seemingly no chance of escape, he is tasked with shoveling back the ever-advancing sand dunes that threaten to destroy the village. His only companion is an odd young woman. Together their fates become intertwined as they work side by side at this Sisyphean task. Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism Psychological

Critic reviews

“Devious, addictive. . . . Never less than compulsive. . . . Abe is an accomplished stylist.”
—David Mitchell

“Abe follows with meticulous precision his hero's constantly shifting physical, emotional and psychological states.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“As is true of Poe and Kafka . . . Abe creates on the page an unexpected impulsion. One continues reading, on and on.”
—The New Yorker
All stars
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Profound and allegorical, clearly drawing deeply on Camus. Lots to think about with this book. But separately from the intellectual, Kobo Abe crafts a haunting tone within his nightmarish narrative that is both surreal and starkly visceral. Great performance, too. Strongly recommend for nighttime listening.

Existential meditation with a haunting style

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loved it, since im english i woulda liked an english narrator since when i read it thats what it sounded like in my head but overall good reading and amazing story

book👏🏽review👏🏽

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I was looking forward to reading this as I really enjoyed The Box Man but unfortunately I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. I loved the setting and the concept of this eternal struggle against the all-consuming sand. The begining had me pulled in but my interest dwindled a little in the middle. The protagonist got on my nerves but I think that's the point. I didn't feel sorry for him and I took much pleasure in his downfall.

Overall it's a decent book with a strong story but it wasn't really a "page turner" for me. There was some sexist remarks in the book and I'm not sure if this was to make you dislike the main character even more or because it was written by a man in 1962. Anyway, I think it deserves a read.

Underwhelmed

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The narrator's performance truly brought this haunting novel to life. His ability to shift voices between characters and read the story as if he were living it himself made the experience vivid and immersive.

The novel itself is quietly unsettling and deeply philosophical. It explores what happens when a man, trapped in an absurd and repetitive existence, begins to let go of the struggle for escape and instead embraces his situation. It challenges the idea that happiness comes from freedom or progress, and instead suggests that even in repetition and confinement, a strange kind of peace is possible.

Unsettling, thought-provoking, and lingers long after it ends.

Unsettling, philosophical, and unforgettable

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have seen the movie numerous times, the book is of course excellent as well. sometimes I wish the narrator was japanese and had a bit more varied intonation (it isn't always clear which character speaks) but overall a very good, immersive, emotional experience.

poignant book

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