Reviews

The Book of Form & Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

samsearle's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Bullying, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

boxcar's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A masterpiece. I love Ruth Ozeki. Her characters are so uniquely flawed in that startlingly human way. They are lovable, I empathize with them so easily, and they are flawed. flawed flawed flawed. They'll do something and you're reading it going no.... no honey nooooooooo

A book dealing with intricate systems of living in America: housing, healthcare, mental health, the election, riots, homelessness, drug abuse, school/truancy, public transit: a sort of compilation of our country's failures. Yet, at the same time, it is a picture of hope and change in a society, of people living in a flawed system doing their damn best to make it better, one person at a time. 

Like a Tale for the Time Being, this book starts and is sad sad sad for like 95% of the book, but it resolves so satisfyingly, so hopefully. And it doesn't feel forced, like wait no we gotta have a happy ending, it feels natural, uplifting. 

Good stuff. 

mmauze's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jamie_whiting's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

johanna_st_john's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My least favourite parts were the bits with the B Man and the Aleph, I always wanted to return to Annabelle. 

leishsword's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

florinereads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

melodys_library's review against another edition

3.0

Another Ozeki novel that I enjoyed reading, but also wished I’d read with others to discuss it because I don’t think I really understood what was happening. Even though I was unsure what was real vs. what was imagined and the meaning behind it all, the struggles felt real, and I really cared about the characters (especially Annabelle), and their journeys in grief, trauma, and healing.

raspberrythriller's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

longdaysandpleasantnights_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0