Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

627 reviews

nathanflores01's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Rape

nyky's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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

A dark look at trauma and the negative impacts it can have. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

ajabatz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

masq's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

lfera8's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

finch_26's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Don’t read in a bad headspace please it’s a story about an extremely depressed man and can make you feel worse

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

aspiring_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Grief and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

justann33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

b33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

Speculated to be written as Osamu Dazai’s suicide note, No Longer Human centres around a protagonist, Yozo Oba, that feels subhuman. He spends his life searching to fill the void and in return, finds drugs, women, and alcohol. 

Dazai is one of my favourite authors. He manages to capture sadness and isolation in a way no author I’ve read has before. I’ve read No Longer Human 4 times and in each read, I manage to find another element that stands out. I’ve probably got a note on each page of the book. Half of the book is just my writing, at this point. 

While the book undeniably has its less savoury aspects, like the visceral misogyny Yozo displays towards women characters, they still manage to fit into the plot and make sense in relation to the character. Not to say Yozo or Dazai should be excused for any prejudice. 

Dazai’s writing style is quick and fluid. The poetics are exaggerated enough that I enjoyed reading them and it didn’t feel like a textbook, but subtle enough that it didn’t feel like I was reading a thesaurus. He’s able to capture a wide range of emotions, showing the beauty and suffering Yozo experienced. 

Overall, I understand the criticisms of No Longer Human. It’s a miserable book, to put it simply. But I enjoyed the way Dazai was able to write the misery of Yozo, and No Longer Human remains one of my favourite book to date. Beautifully written and emotional. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, and Suicide

n3verm0r3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault