This book is a late birthday present; therefore, after finishing it, I decided to write down something so as not to forget what I have just read and understood the message delivered in the book.
Frankly, the book left confusing thoughts on me since I find myself unable to think about it as a romantic novel nor a self-help book. Personally, it is better to enjoy the story than to have any expectation or judgment. In general, STARTLINE does not put the stress on romantic elements but thoughts about one’s career path, ideal, and hope. Unlike many works trying to make drama out of things, this book just has a simple plot, no intense climax and mundane characters. Literature components are simplified to save more room for the ardent encouragements on achieving one’s own dream.
In my opinion, the distinctive feature of this book lies in the author’s effort to make his work honest to daily life, even though it will possibly be judged as hideous. This book is for ordinary individuals, whose life may not as glittering as the main character in soap or movies broadcasted via the media, and currently struggling with identifying self-values as well as find a way to get out of the generation Y’s dilemmas. However, every life has its own value, and likewise, every person is the protagonist of their own story, which is different from anyone else’s. Thus, inside the theme of love and dream, Yasushi Kitagawa hopes the young have more attempts on understanding themselves, spending time on self-development rather than grow up under social traits.
Overall: 2.5/5
