Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

45 reviews

shannanigans's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

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ninthwave's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

It feels too soon to review this book. I'm giving it three and 1/2 stars for now, but may change that later. I believe I'll have a better understanding after it has had some time to sink in.

As far as basic enjoyment goes, I didn't realize it would be quite so violent. I understand the necessity of it in the narrative, I just didn't expect it going in. If you haven't read it and are considering doing so, it is very graphic.

It's interesting that readers spend so much intimate time with the main character in his head, yet very few of the other characters with whom he interacts ever address him by his first name; indeed, only one character ever addresses him by his first name alone, and only once, as I recall. This decision by the author is an effective technique that increases the sense of distance between the protagonist and his world.

This was well-written, but I preferred 1Q84's story.

It's difficult to assign a star rating. There's plenty of symbolism and some of the prose is beautiful. However, the pacing dragged for me at certain points, and I didn't find the tale as a whole consistently compelling, particularly some of Mamiya's recollections. Comparing Murakami to Murakami, I think 1Q84 is the stronger work.

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rubym55's review against another edition

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reflective slow-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? Yes

4.5

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

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toves's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

As someone in-between jobs & on a wild goose chase for an indefinable something that is trapped somewhere in an incomprehensible psychic labyrinth--this book really resonated with me. Sometimes you have to go down into the deepest well you can find and just sit there.

This is my second time reading this book--I read it in high school and remembered it being 'dreamlike and chill'. Was very surprised at the level of graphic content. You'd think I would have remembered That One Part in Lt. Mamiya's Long Story, at the very least! Wow!

Thanks to this book I: cooked pasta while listening to the overture to 'The Thieving Magpie' (& I agree with Mr. Wind-up Bird; it's a good time), took photos of my ears, now refer to the ducks at my local park as 'the duck people'. I still want to: write a description of the alley behind my house, spend a day at the mall staring at people's faces.

LISTEN, TLDR: IS THE CAT OK?:

Yes!

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geonox's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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natattack17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow something about this book really hit. I can completely understand how some readers may not enjoy that story but the writing is beautiful. I almost always enjoy magical realism and this was such a complex story with so many turns, flashbacks, and tales from others but it is a worthwhile reading experience. The only aspect that I did not fully enjoy of understand was the main character, Toru Okada's relationship with a 16 year old girl named May. Aspects of this relationship didn't sit right with me. The character of May herself also toed the line of of being realistic and making me question her sanity. It felt as though the questions she asked and points she brought up although plausible for a 16 year went too far in her obsession with death and direful topics. Also for being described as an undeveloped teen her character felt overly sexualized.

ex. when Toru Okada comments on how she looked good in a bikini or her in a letter to Toru she speaks about feeling the urge to be naked and undressing when thinking about Toru.

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