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abmochapman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Kazuo Ishiguro’s talent is making the most disturbing reality feel almost normal — but what is even more terrifying than that is the thought that if it was our reality, it would probably feel normal to us, too.
Graphic: Infertility, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Death, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Bullying
grapefruitjuice's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Medical content, Death, Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Infertility
Minor: Confinement and Terminal illness
mlewis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Medical content, Death, Bullying, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Cancer
notthatcosta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There is so much about the world this is set in that remains unsaid, which is the most disturbing aspect of it. There's a reverberating, dull dread that gets more and more intense as more is revealed. And yet, once the pieces come together, there's a strange beauty beneath it all.
It is this conflicting tone that makes it such a beguiling read, even by dystopian standards. I'm thrilled to know there is a film adaptation, and if it's even a bit of the level of the book, I'll be in for a treat.
Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Death, Grief, and Medical content
marissasa's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Bullying, and Infertility
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Stalking, Death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Bullying
Minor: Cancer
gia0203's review against another edition
2.0
The writing style got tiring after a while. There were so many “and that was when” “and this is why”, it started to feel unnatural and it really started to take me out of the book. I also didn’t enjoy that conversation near the end that revealed a lot of plot points - after such a slow pace throughout the book, it just felt rushed and wrong.
Despite the fact we were constantly in these characters heads, I struggled to connect with them. There was a lot of repetition in their conversations and interactions. I didn’t particularly mind what happened to them. Again, this was in part due to the rushed ending. It was a very “show not tell” style, where I was Told about intimate conversations or important moments, but they never actually happened in the book. Some of the most significant moments in this book are described in a single paragraph.
Tommy was the strongest character here, as well as Ruth. Our narrator was sometimes interesting, and sometimes irritating. I liked that they all had flaws. I also quite enjoyed the unravelling mystery and the journey through time, though it worked far better in the first half than in the second.
I think the author’s style really just isn’t for me.
Graphic: Bullying and Death
klutzy347's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Infertility, Bullying, and Sexual content
issyd23's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Medical content, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Terminal illness
frannyrdclark's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Infertility