Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro

57 reviews

threeundertwopnw's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

A maddening read at times, as the characters talk a lot without really saying anything. Yet a lot of life in post-war Japan is covered through their stories. Includes a big plot twist that I guessed early on. Fascinating immersive read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Child death, Classism, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Death, Suicide, and War

anna_catherine73's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Suicide

wajihjaroudi's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

lindcherry's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

kitten_nuisance's review against another edition

reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Suicide, Child death, Animal cruelty, and Grief

Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, War, and Pregnancy

justinlewry's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-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

3.5

Mrs Fujiwara always tells me how important it is to keep looking forward. And she’s right. If people didn’t do that,  all of this-I pointed again at the view-all this would still be rubble.

This story is quite deceptive. I questioned the purpose of the narrative for much of the book. On its surface it appears that we are moving between two unrelated periods in our protagonist's life, however in a brief but revelatory moment, it becomes clear that much of what we have been presented has not been entirely true. I believe that Etsuko and her friend Sachiko are one and the same, and that the present day Etsuko has inserted herself into her memories to be the voice of reason and challenge her rationale of the past. Etsuko feels responsible for her daughter's suicide, and the enormity of this weighs heavily in such subtle ways- like it is always bubbling under the surface. 
I found the writing style to extremely atmospheric and enjoyed my time with this book very much. I feel that it would be even better upon repeat readings as I would notice more of the breadcrumbs which first seemed insignificant. I am very curious to read more from this author, particularly as I've heard that his other books are all wildly different. 
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and War

a_epistemological_crisis's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Suicide

Minor: Death, Suicide, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, and Animal cruelty

ivulikkivulik's review against another edition

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Child death

Moderate: Blood

rimd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Suicide

cordeliamartin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Grief, Violence, and War

Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, Abandonment, and Alcohol