Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Ring by Kōji Suzuki

3 reviews

saldre's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, Child death, Murder, Rape, Suicide, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Death

pimmles's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death, and Rape

Minor: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Murder, Medical content, Transphobia, Violence, and Drug use

Regarding the "minor" transphobia tag, not 100% accurate, more intersex-phobia details ahead:

During the story it is revealed that Sadako is intersex. I put it as minor because the author, to his credit, never seems to actually treat that as a negative thing in any regard. It is talked about as a medical curiosity but no more, though it is ofcourse on the infamous horror villain and does have some problematic elements to it.

emmsiej95's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

A decent book. I've seen the American and Japanese adaptations, and I feel they both have better characterisations, but still. 

The discussion of Ryuji being a rapist and Asakawa being fine with it? That was so off-putting. At the end, when Ryuji is dead and Mai claims he was a virgin? Am I supposed to be forgive him? It was weird and I hated it. 
Sadako's hatred fusing with smallpox's hatred is hilarious,aand I will be thinking about it forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Medical content and Infertility