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qstew's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Misogyny, Murder, Stalking, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Kidnapping, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Body shaming, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Suicide attempt, Confinement, and Torture
k_pelowk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Death of parent
bites_of_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Murakami can write really beautiful passages but this 1000+ book was just way too long and about 40% of it was just boring descriptions of mundane things. I do enjoy it when an author takes care to describe certain details but this was just too much.
We follow Aomame, a young woman who climbs down a staircase off a freeway and finds herself in a seemingly different world from her own. On the other hand we also follow Tengo, a young man who is tasked with ghostwriting a novel for a teenage girl by his editor. Aomame and Tengo live different lives and the first Book in this novel is spent trying to figure out how they fit together.
The themes explored in this book go from loneliness, religion, the power of literature, broken family dynamics, and more. Some of it did feel visceral and real, but others were just explored over repetitive and overdone writing.
Then there are all the descriptions of women and anyone who isn't perfectly attractive in the author's eyes... it was just awful. The mysoginy was rampant throughout as well as deeply uncomfortable descriptions of certain intimate encounters that left me feeling like chucking the book in a corner and going for a walk.
I do not recommend this novel, it's not magical realism in my eyes, it's fantasy/sci-fi. It's entirely way too long for what it is and it's not enjoyable in the least.
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Rape, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Animal death, Confinement, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, and Lesbophobia
mxpringle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Death, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Gore
kailey_reads's review
- 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? No
2.75
Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Torture
delekelll's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Dementia, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death, Rape, Animal death, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry
Definitely unsettling, when it is not outright morally reprehensible. However, it was a very fascinating book and some of the triggering materials related to the above content warnings were justified in being included in the novel.isaospina's review
- 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? Yes
3.25
It took me a while, the beginning is tough, Murakami female characters are... Sexist at best but once you go through the first book you learn to swallow it.
The second book was my favorite, it's where the plot thickens and the entire cult-murder deal is right down my alley. It's also the book that took me less time to read as I didn't have to deal with countless descriptions of boobs.
Third book was Ok, I guess. It did feel like Aomame's character took some steps backwards. But the ending made me smile, so I'll give it that.
Not gonna lie, s my first Murakami read I don't feel excited for more, nor feel the need to blacklist him from authors I read or will read. Still this book is a little over the place, with too much repetition and plot holes, also sexism and flat as tortilla female characters. If you can power through that, it's an entertaining read.
I know he doesn't get better with female characters but I believe there must be better books that give him the reputation he has, this one isn't one of them.
Graphic: Death, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, and Torture
ihoneymustard'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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Rape, Torture, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence
aurorarory's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, and Murder
maia313'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ENDING
The final book spoke about Chekhov's gun being unfired, which is true both metaphorically and literally- Aomame never shoots the Heckler & Kock, and there is no 'final showdown' between the characters and Sakigake, or any shocking revelation. Although some of this would have been good, I find that the strange nature of his books excuses this, and it works very well.
Graphic: Death of parent, Torture, Sexual assault, and Death
Moderate: Rape