星の王子さま

Everyone Should Read This Book (Also, check your translator!)

There's nothing I can say about The Little Prince that hasn't already been said. It's a very well-known and beloved story for a good reason. Please don't discount the book because it's labeled as a children's book, it has entertainment value for adults as well. Some people debate whether or not it should be considered a children's book in the first place. I won't talk about the events of the story because I think it's best to come in blind.

Before I continue with this review, I would like to clarify that there are numerous Japanese versions of this book. The Little Prince is the world's second-most translated book after all! This page is for the version translated by 浅岡 夢二. Please make sure you select the correct version when reviewing and grading this book. The version for free on 青空文庫 is translated by 大久保ゆう and is much harder to read.

I don't think most readers would have difficulties. Most of the language used is standard. Some characters have slightly unique speaking styles, but nothing that can't be easily understood from the context. There is also light Keigo use, but it is almost exclusively おる being used instead of いる.

One thing you should be aware of is how dialogue is formatted. The prince does not use the standard 「quotation marks」that all other characters use. Instead, he uses a long dash to represent speaking. Because of this, there is no visual signifier for the end of his dialogue. I was a bit confused when I started reading because of this. Make sure to be aware of when his speech starts and stops.

The story is short, and further divided into 27 chapters (many are only a few paragraphs). Because of this, there are plenty of opportunities to take a break from reading without having to come back in the middle of something important. The events of the story are also very straightforward which can aid in comprehension.

I would be tempted to recommend this to anyone, but I think I would advise people who have already read the book in their native language. Not because the book is unapproachable or difficult, but because some of the beauty will be lost if you read it for study. I don't want people who haven't read the story to get a bad impression of it. If you have already read The Little Prince, I would recommend using it as a study tool. Rereading the book might have even been more emotional than when I read it the first time.