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Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
16 reviews
whitne_ey's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Minor: Sexism
This book is VERY similar in tone and structure to the “Before The Coffee Gets Cold” series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and could be good for someone looking for more of that. The 5 short stories are meant to be inspiring, but I found the endings to be predictable and flat. It was also quite repetitious, over describing the details that repeat in the stories, such as the appearance of the librarians, the characters’ love for a certain brand of cookies, the characters’ confusion over felting, etc. The concept is good, and I definitely enjoyed some moments and found them relatable, but overall it was an underwhelming experience for me. This could be because I read “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” first, and this wasn’t as whimsical as that (not saying it needs to be! It just might have impacted my experience of this book!) I do wish those cookies were real though, I’d like to try them.kestrel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I actively disliked the third story, the one about a woman grappling with her career and motherhood. What we won't do is blame a woman for a man's false incompetence. He's an adult and can put the dots together and realize how he can help his wife.
Also, I would rather not have read fatphobic commentary from five different POVs. The librarian was compared to a polar bear, the Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters, and Genma Saotome. Like, come on!
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Sexism and Body shaming
royalwaves's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Fatphobia, and Sexism
readingsponsoredbybts's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
lucylou's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
skeltzer's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, and Fatphobia
vaykay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The translator needed an editor though; there were over a dozen typos in the English copy. It was especially disappointing during #3, where you are connecting to a former magazine editor (lol!).
Graphic: Bullying and Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol and Pedophilia
carojust's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The common theme is about those who are lost, finding themselves. Some of us may feel behind, less successful than our peers. Some may feel we've been dealt a bad hand, and exhausted by unfair circumstances. And many of us want to be seen and appreciated. Michiko Aoyama replaces these insecurities with courage and hope, in a way that's not overbearing, but charming and creative.
I felt that the women in these stories were portrayed as being capable, inspiring and passionate, and yet succumbing to the gender inequalities of imbalanced household responsibilities, sexist professional practices, body image issues (lots of focus on how large the librarian is, in a kinda weird way that's disguised as magical realism?). These situations were illustrated lightly, and still went unaddressed, leaving me rather dejected.
Still, you'll enjoy this read if you love Japanese fiction and themes about work-life balance, finding purpose, and the transition to new life stages.
Minor: Body shaming and Pedophilia
daniellekat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Sexism and Body shaming
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
heather_renae's review
- 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
5.0
Minor: Body shaming