Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

17 reviews

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

andreathrs_'s review

emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Infertility, and Miscarriage

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

sarahofstories's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

Minor: Abortion, Addiction, and Alcoholism

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