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madi_oasis's review against another edition
dark
tense
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
3.5
Suspenseful and tense throughout, the world-building of this small, sleepy town in Japan was second to the sickening downward spiral of the MC as he grapples with grandiose ideas of masculinity and aggression. However, the level of gore and cruelty hits you like a freight train and felt way too gratuitous to find palatable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
vilena's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Blood
luzina's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Death and Violence
stllyltc's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's bizarre yet the world building and descriptions used to convey the story are inclined metaphorically to have its realistic aspects, though too much can be a bit distracting and makes readers lose focus even though it's a short novel. The chief seemed like some kind of a cult master, though it was small-scaled in a sense, as the factor was—he was an avid reader, even at the age of thirteen. It was the kind of character honed that could attract and entice people with its persuasiveness or it may have been in career-orientation like a lawyer because you knew too much at some point, you played around with the law, but once again, small-scaled. It was horrifying to read. It took advantage of how adults see children—purely innocent and in this I don't know if it had a bit of that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Hate crime, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
frida_funk's review against another edition
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Blood, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
april_anya's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
An already dark and disturbing story made downright creepy when contextualised with Mishima's views and actions. Beautifully and lyrically descriptive language, if somewhat drawn-out at times. Overall, really interesting, but I sometimes felt the plot seemed slightly shallow?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Murder, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Violence
noahhare's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Murder
mushyneedles's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The language itself was lyrical and captivating, which only made the unsettling story even more so. The subject matter is bleak and creepy and terrifying as a stand alone piece but especially in the context of Mishima’s ideologies and life.
I went into this thinking Noburo as the allegorical representation of traditional Japan would be Mishima’s fictional counterpart in this story, as Fusako is of the west. But I realise Mishima seems to have represented himself or perhaps the general ‘self’ of agency in Ryuji, the sailor torn between worlds. I find it interesting he’s dissected himself and his ideologies into two conflicting characters in that way and can only begin to imagine how much of this actually reflects the violence of the conflicts and resolve that existed in his own sense of self.
I went into this thinking Noburo as the allegorical representation of traditional Japan would be Mishima’s fictional counterpart in this story, as Fusako is of the west. But I realise Mishima seems to have represented himself or perhaps the general ‘self’ of agency in Ryuji, the sailor torn between worlds. I find it interesting he’s dissected himself and his ideologies into two conflicting characters in that way and can only begin to imagine how much of this actually reflects the violence of the conflicts and resolve that existed in his own sense of self.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Sexual content
guadao's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
So beautifully written. Poetic and lyrical even in the darkest, most twisted scenes. Gut-wrenching.
I know very little about the author or the historical context, and I feel some things might escape me in afterthought.
I know very little about the author or the historical context, and I feel some things might escape me in afterthought.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
fruitysaz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
1.75
you know what? i actually don’t care that this was well written. at all. the merits of the writing absolutely do noT make up for the sheer amount of misogyny, how contrived and sinister some of the characters came across, and how? gruesome it was? i understand the points it tried to make, and i appreciate how sometimes stories about disturbing people have to be told. but honestly? there are far better ways to tell them than this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Death, Incest, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence