Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

51 reviews

glorytowers05's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Torture, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicide and Abortion

blau_elmo's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

This book, to me, is Murakami at his best. Minimal weird, contrived sex scenes that are uncomfortable to sit through. Instead, there is a focus on the story line, which is filled with that magical realism mysticism, in which the quirky, memorable characters act together cohesively to drive the plot forward.

The book uses subtle occurrences, like the disappearance/reappearance of the main character's pet cat Noboru, as a catalyst for other stranger occurrences in the book. Everything is tied together in this convoluted but enthralling web, and Murakami keeps pulling his signature twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.

I would describe this more as a collection of character stories bound together to form one cohesive novel. Every story, from the Lieutenant's war story to Nutmeg's disability, to Okada and May and Creta's unique personalities, creates the blend of adventure and introspection that Murakami does so well.

The comparison between the main character and

the actual Noboru Wataya

is particularly interesting; especially in the framing of "goodness" and "evil" as something shared between the two characters, their similarities driving their rivalry. 

An adventure through and through; my favourite Murakami book for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Gun violence

evetoi's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Gore, Sexual content, and Torture

risemini's review

dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, Blood, Rape, Violence, Gore, Child death, Death, Infidelity, and War

meghanc's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Violence

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

Just too literary. The MC was beige personified, stuff just happened to him. There was no real core plot, just random mysterious events. And the nature of all the female characters and their relationships to the MC made me uncomfortable, something which I understand to potentially be part of a wider trend in Murakami's works. Not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol

kaitlyn_avecado's review

slow-paced

1.5

I just...So many people said this book was 10 out of 10. I've read one other of his books, but after reading this.....I'm never reading Murakami again. I hate how his books focus on an uninteresting, unemployed male character who never seems to care about anything happening around him. Murakami's portrayal of female characters is the kicker for me. He only writes about eccentric women who float about the protagonist and have sex with him. It feels like he adds trauma to the female characters to make them "deeper/more interesting". I slogged through this book hoping it would get better. Finally, some plot unfolds in the last 50 pages. Not worth it. SKIP

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Gore, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: War

Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Infidelity

shannanigans's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Torture, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, War, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Body horror, Rape, Self harm, and Violence

ninthwave's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

It feels too soon to review this book. I'm giving it three and 1/2 stars for now, but may change that later. I believe I'll have a better understanding after it has had some time to sink in.

As far as basic enjoyment goes, I didn't realize it would be quite so violent. I understand the necessity of it in the narrative, I just didn't expect it going in. If you haven't read it and are considering doing so, it is very graphic.

It's interesting that readers spend so much intimate time with the main character in his head, yet very few of the other characters with whom he interacts ever address him by his first name; indeed, only one character ever addresses him by his first name alone, and only once, as I recall. This decision by the author is an effective technique that increases the sense of distance between the protagonist and his world.

This was well-written, but I preferred 1Q84's story.

It's difficult to assign a star rating. There's plenty of symbolism and some of the prose is beautiful. However, the pacing dragged for me at certain points, and I didn't find the tale as a whole consistently compelling, particularly some of Mamiya's recollections. Comparing Murakami to Murakami, I think 1Q84 is the stronger work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, War, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

hello_lovely13's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, War, Suicide attempt, and Torture

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Rape, Sexual assault, and Car accident

Minor: Incest and Suicide