Reviews

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

tonia0000's review

challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.25

amsosa's review

reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

brice_mo's review

3.0

I appreciate Mieko Kawakami's thematic concerns, and I think she addresses them thoroughly and thoughtfully, but like Heaven, the story just seems to lumber clumsily around. It alternates between near plotlessness and moments where everything happens at once. This is a fairly lengthy novel with the sensibilities of a short story.

Like many other reviewers, I think the original novella embedded in Breasts and Eggs is a lot stronger than the rest of book, so I wonder if these are editorial and translation issues more than an authorial weaknesses.

alexzu's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

emmagoldblum's review

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-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

aliagresti's review

emotional reflective medium-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

3.75

hmrick's review

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

If not for the fact that it was a very very slow burn, I would have given this book a perfect score. The final chapter was such a phenomenal conclusion to the deep reflection done through the story. It almost feels good knowing the despite acknowledging all the negative facets of her decision, she takes a chance on herself and on the positive. Some might say it’s selfish but I would say it’s a burst of confidence she needed to find. Lovely. 

riane327's review

emotional tense 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? No

4.5

melancholicus's review

4.0

i’d be lying if i said this was an easy book to read. it wasn’t. i had to digest it, slowly and carefully. i’d also be lying if i said that, many times, i didn’t think about putting it aside for a little while and pick up something else to read, foolishly, not knowing what i’d be missing if i did so. kawakami did it. this was brilliantly written. definitely a book that will remain within my mind for a long time.

cjw06's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.75