Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

9 reviews

k_pelowk's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Goodness gracious, this book is so beautiful. I just finished it and think I may pick it up and read it again right away.  Like a poem, rhythm, word choice and simplicity build effortless images and character sketches. It broadened my understanding of my American History and heritage. I loved every moment, even the frequent painful ones. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Pregnancy, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Suicide, Infertility, Grief, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Rape, Death, Child death, War, and Sexual assault

Most are very brief as the book is a series of vignettes.

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

the point of view for this book was SO effective

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, War, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Violence, Child death, Classism, Genocide, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Murder, Racism, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Child abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide

mekrasts's review

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

This book covers the experiences of women who are transported from Japan to America in order to get married, and follows them in their journeys of change all the way to World War II. It is written in such a way that seems to be in the first person, but describes experiences from all of the women at once. It is mostly a sad story, about loss and longing, but it doesn't lack hopefulness and contentment. I think the main thing that I took away from it is that change is hard, and that the only thing you can do in the face of it is adapt. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, War, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence

bluebrooks's review

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

The style in which this book is written is excessively repetitive, but it reinforces the themes and mood of what Otsuka is trying to convey. Definitely gave me a lot of insight into how Japanese immigrants we're treated in the early/mid 20th century. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Grief, Pregnancy, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Child death, Colonisation, Infidelity, Racism, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual content

laurenipsum's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Trafficking, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Child death, Alcohol, War, Violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Death, Confinement, and Classism

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Rape, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, and Death

Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, War, Slavery, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Infertility, Hate crime, Excrement, and Adult/minor relationship

ayammaya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Otsuka’s ability to deeply inform a reader and force them to not only empathize with the characters but bring readers as close to experience their hardships as possible is nothing short of masterful.  I don’t often enjoy historical novels, but Otsuka has made me discover a passion for it that I didn’t think I could have.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Death, War, Racism, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

greenteadragon's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, and Infertility

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Suicide

ha1yan's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Hate crime, Grief, Death, Child death, and Rape

Minor: Infertility