Reviews tagging 'War'

Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri

9 reviews

zac_housedownbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and War

squidknees's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Murder, Suicide, Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Violence, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and War

jennieb27's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Suicide, War, Grief, Abandonment, Child death, and Car accident

hapikohw's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

This was unfortunately underwhelming. I felt like a ghost to the story, or it was to me. Something felt vacant and missing. The premise was very appetizing, but the reality of the book for me was that I was gnawing on bones and left with no meat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Classism, Death, and War

darciepatterson's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Minor: War

zoiejanelle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

some words other reviewers used to describe this book that i find accurate:

• melancholy
• meandering
• solemn
• poetic

this was a fascinating look into japanese culture and gave a simultaneously realistic and depressing view of the religious, class, and economic issues japanese people still deal with today. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Child death, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol and Classism

Minor: War and Violence

savvylit's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-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

5.0

My favorite books lately have been short in length while still packing a massive punch, and Tokyo Ueno Station is no exception. This novel is a masterpiece examination of class, despair, migrant labor, grief, poverty, generational trauma, cultural attitudes towards the homeless, globalism, and mortality. The story is nonlinear; a perfect fit for the way one would imagine a spirit experiencing memory.

This is the first book I have ever read that not only has a homeless narrator, Kazu, but also heavily features a community of folks who live in temporary dwellings. Yu Miri has created an unflinching and empathetic glimpse into the margins of modern Japanese society.

Lastly, Kazu's descriptions of the scenery and historical anecdotes grant readers a clear image of the physical setting. Thus, Ueno Park essentially becomes as real of a character as Kazu himself.

I can't stop thinking about this powerful book. I hope you'll read it, too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Violence

Minor: War and Hate crime

b_caligari's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Pregnancy, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol and War

arinowasabi's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence and War