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careinthelibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Did I remember all ~50 characters? No! But the reading pace kept me flying through it and the 20ish that were most important were definitely memorable. The size of the book flew by with the pacing of the short, intense chapters.
This new translation is more action-packed than the original (I compared line by line with the audiobook of the original English translation). You can tell this translator has worked on manga and video games before because the fight scenes are so much smother. But whichever version you have, read it.
What a thrilling, unexpectedly emotionally charged, bloody, anti-fascist roller coaster. This is the inspiration behind Hunger Games and battle royale style video games, but way more politically incendiary.
Graphic: Classism, Child death, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Blood, and Gun violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexism, Medical content, Classism, Grief, Suicide, Rape, and Mental illness
Minor: Car accident
mysteryspouse's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Death, Physical abuse, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, and Pedophilia
day_m18's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Rape
vvabecca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Mental illness, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Genocide, Medical trauma, Bullying, Car accident, Addiction, Grief, Gore, Body horror, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
hath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was worried this book would just be violence for the sake of it, but the thought experiments and human relationships and friendships shown throughout gave it so much to digest.
It's got everything you could want and more! If you're not faint of heart and love a dystopia then I'd highly recommend it!
Graphic: Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, Violence, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
rightwhrleftme's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Blood, Self harm, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Rape, and Gore
diane_matcha'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: Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Body horror, Gore, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Child abuse
seventhcr0w's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Torture, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content, Stalking, Homophobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
perthalus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I’ve seen the film adapt more than once before, and reading the original book provided so many pieces of context and extra character bits that made reading it entirely worth it. Koushun Takami absolutely nails the action. Even knowing what happens doesn’t remove from the intensity and suspense provided by each encounter, and god, what a premise.
I especially love Kazuo Kiriyama’s gang, though I wish Kazuo himself got a little more background towards the end, but that may just be my bias talking. And I also love Shogo Kawada because… I don’t know, I just love him, okay? 🫶🏻 Now that I think about it, there isn’t a character I don’t really like, maybe besides Shinji, though even he has his moments. But Mitsuko, Kazuo, Shogo, Shuya, Hiroki, Chigusa, and Noriko are all characters I absolutely love.
I will say that the action can ride the edge between believable and ridiculous, especially when characters do somersaults mid-fight. And on top of that, Shinji’s computer jargon and his exposition on pre-established information made his chapters a little repetitive, but other than that I can’t pick out any glaring problems with the book or it’s story.
Overall, it’s a book that is still incredibly entertaining, shocking, and politically powerful as it was when it was first released, and it only made my appreciation grow for the story and the film adaptation.
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death, Gore, Violence, Suicide, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Bullying, Cursing, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
Minor: Suicide, Trafficking, Classism, and Homophobia
katndrsn'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide