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geminimoon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The protagonist is so autistic that I thought I was reading the dsm5 instead. One of his prominent symptoms is his masking. He also has issues socializing. His chronic people pleasing might also be a symptom. Yozo is also deeply traumatized from his sexual abuse as a child and from growing up undiagnosed. Sad that he never got the help he needed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse
fluoirine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
classic. wouldve loved it more if it was fiction
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Medical content, Drug abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Self harm, Addiction, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Drug use
aishaslittlelife's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oh wow this book. this book is a treasure, it gave me so many words to describe so much of myself. for anyone struggling with life and the world we live in this book is like a precious companion.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
diaday333's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Poor Yoshiko is all I have to say. I don’t really find this book dark, but I can see what it would be said. Some parts were good at appealing to my emotions, but overall, the book is quite forgettable to me. The misogyny is wild tho, if it wasn’t for that, I might give this book a higher rating. Also it’s hard to feel bad for Yozo, mostly, I think it’s his characterization. When you see how he acts and what he thinks when he’s not talking about how miserable he is, it’s a yikes. It’s possible to right unlovable characters well and while I think he’s written well, he’s not interesting, at least in the way he should be. He doesn’t have to redeeming qualities to be interesting, but his whole character is unsavory in a way that isn’t interesting to read. The only people I feel bad for are particularly the women he meets. But I will say some parts are written very well where I can feel his despair, it’s just not enough. I guess the most emotional part for me is when he tried to drown himself and no one cared and he even got disowned and tried for a crime. That was actually sad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Rape
Minor: Suicide
_taylor23_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Addiction
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
biscuitisnice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Suicide, Misogyny, Addiction, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
strahinja's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Suicide
lblackburn04's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
it’s a beautifully written book, and thematically quite moving; however the main character is unbelievably off-putting and you stop sympathising with him maybe halfway through which makes getting to the end of the book quite difficult
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wanted to read this book out of interest in psychology and in the end I learnt more about a person in my life than I thought I will.
I lack empathy and the same sense of emotions and feelings like others. So I find psychology really interest, as everything is new to me and it is so complex and makes no sense for me that it is actually astonishing again. I thought I just learn a bit more about depression and that's it, but I also learnt a bit more about a person in my life. I always had a feeling like they experienced some kind of trauma, but now I am certain with this book.
The book isn't long, as it is also written in notebooks by a person who experienced depression throughout their life. I learnt a lot from this book and it was informative, but it was too depressing on the long run. I wasn't sad when I read it, but I can't possibly imagine to be born with depression. It's a psychological issue that happens over time, due to trauma or other factors. And reading that this character Yozo always had depression and was NEVER joyful in his life and never experienced happiness, seems for me unlogical.
I am also not quite certain if that is the 100% true version of the notebooks and if there weren't things added or removed to it. This book is a translation, I am aware, but I am talking about the original. The translation didn't seem off, it was good, but sometimes I just thought 'would someone really write this in their own notebook?'. 'Cause there were a bit too many things quoted from other persons in his life, that it was too accurate and that he never forgot any name of the people that I started to think that perhaps a few things were added to the notebook. Just like the prologue and epilogue.
As it was informative for me, I learnt more than expected and it was interesting I will give it 4 stars. Reducing 1 star from my rating due to it's overly unrealistic unhappiness that the person experienced. The suspicion that things were added or left out are not influencing my rating as there is no proof of such.
I lack empathy and the same sense of emotions and feelings like others. So I find psychology really interest, as everything is new to me and it is so complex and makes no sense for me that it is actually astonishing again. I thought I just learn a bit more about depression and that's it, but I also learnt a bit more about a person in my life. I always had a feeling like they experienced some kind of trauma, but now I am certain with this book.
The book isn't long, as it is also written in notebooks by a person who experienced depression throughout their life. I learnt a lot from this book and it was informative, but it was too depressing on the long run. I wasn't sad when I read it, but I can't possibly imagine to be born with depression. It's a psychological issue that happens over time, due to trauma or other factors. And reading that this character Yozo always had depression and was NEVER joyful in his life and never experienced happiness, seems for me unlogical.
I am also not quite certain if that is the 100% true version of the notebooks and if there weren't things added or removed to it. This book is a translation, I am aware, but I am talking about the original. The translation didn't seem off, it was good, but sometimes I just thought 'would someone really write this in their own notebook?'. 'Cause there were a bit too many things quoted from other persons in his life, that it was too accurate and that he never forgot any name of the people that I started to think that perhaps a few things were added to the notebook. Just like the prologue and epilogue.
As it was informative for me, I learnt more than expected and it was interesting I will give it 4 stars. Reducing 1 star from my rating due to it's overly unrealistic unhappiness that the person experienced. The suspicion that things were added or left out are not influencing my rating as there is no proof of such.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
lizbeththesimp's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Suicide attempt, and Drug abuse