Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

15 reviews

theportalmaster's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

I really enjoyed this story. The beginning was so captivating and made me put the other book I was reading on hold to pick this one up. I liked Kawakami’s writing and the topics she choose to bring up here; birth/found family, friends, the choice to have children, sex, relationships, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Cancer, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Death, and Pregnancy

mayalien's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Sexual harassment

Minor: Physical abuse and Violence

ophelia's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

lettersinthemargins's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Kawakami deflty deals with issues like women's bodies, sexuality and the choice to have children. She wheedles information and provides a commentary on women's experiences through conversations. Seasons and character emotions also seem to have a close reflective relationship. There is the definite sadness that abusive and traumatic childhoods create, throughout the novel. 
The first section is mostly about the way social spaces place an imposition on women's bodies to look and perform a certain way. The second section follows Natsuko as she deliberates on whether to have a child through assistive reproductive methods, the ethical and moral dilemmas involved and her own journey as a single adult woman. The text doesn't delve into the social manifestations of sex and gender discrimination, as much as I would have liked. Yet the lives of the central women characters are explored sensitively through multiple perspectives. Besides Natsuko, the novel provides a poignant look into Midoriko's thoughts on her mother's wish to have breast enhancement surgery and on the woman's egg producing body. Riko, Sengawa and Yuriko's perspectives reinforce and influence the protagonists thought and empathy. 
The book sort of follows Natsuko in and out of daily moments. It skims through some surreal parts as Natsuko's emotions fluctuate. While these add to the flavour of the text, I really disliked how some intense moments were left incomplete, and sort of abruptly. I'm not sure if this is a result of the translation - which severly does injustice to the prose in some parts. It's excessively americanised and the Asian perspective doesn't come through. Which is another issue I had with the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

sygritte's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Cancer

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt