Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

28 reviews

atomicsushi's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Misogyny, Abandonment, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse, Suicide, and Cancer

jonwood's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

I thought this was a brilliant character study taking serious, thoughtful stab on psychological issues that should be thought about more, from how culture expectations on appearance and sexuality effect self-esteem to questions about deciding to have a child and how to go about it. Being moving book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcohol, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Cursing

Minor: Terminal illness and Cancer

anh_read's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

4.75

Definitely, a “no plot, just vibes” book. However, I enjoyed the themes that are discussed in this book. In general, the book reflects the struggles of being woman in modern times. 

The first part “Breasts” centers around poverty and changes in your body. The second part of the book, “Eggs” focuses on motherhood and being a single parent. This part often got me reflecting on the struggles on becoming and being a parent. It also made me question to have children. This part is much longer, even more slow-paced. Some points were kind of repetitive. Nonetheless, it was still a wonderful and very informative read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, Infertility, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Cancer, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Body shaming

caroisreading's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Mieko Kawakami is becoming one of my favorite, most relatable authors. I read "All The Lovers In The Night" before this, and fell in love with her storytelling and main character. "Breast and Eggs" follows a similar formula of a lost and lonely woman, trying to find meaning. 

This is divided in two parts. Book One was my favorite by far, and as a standalone work, pretty much perfect, a 5.0. I cried at the beauty of her descriptions of the older sister's simple and sweet devotion to her little sister, as well as the strained relationship with her teen daughter. 

Book Two is primarily focused on the younger sister, and I had trouble getting through its density -- beautiful writing, though overwhelmingly verbose. The prose doesn't have the back and forth dynamic that Book One does, switching from the teen's journal entries to the narrator's POV. Maybe that switch made Book Two feel more plain. Still very meaningful.

As a whole, this book delivers on what it means to be a woman in this world, the pressures and injustices, sexuality, the obsession with fertility, youth and appearances. The female characters sort through these themes in a heartbreaking, yet brave and honest way. I loved them, related wholeheartedly with them, and rooted for them.

You'll like this if you're interested in female perspectives, solitary main characters, thoughtful and intelligent writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Cancer, Pedophilia, Rape, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Infertility, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Suicide, Incest, and Misogyny

cgdppl's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is probably one of the best Japanese books I have read so far. It defiently showcases some of the challenges women face in Japanese society (and probably to some extent in other western countries as well). The plot consists of what can be essentially divided into two stories - Breasts ,and Eggs. 
The first one focusses on the relationships between mothers and their daughters in the main characters family. The main motives in this one are the struggles of low class women in Japan, relationships between mother and daughters, as well as reflections about the female body.
The second one is centered around the carrier of the main character and her struggles with pregnancy, having children and sustaining relationships with men in her life. The second story goes mainly into antinatalist motives and the morality of having children. 

The ending did leave me quite bitter and wondering if the main character has made the right choice about having the child by herself. We do sympathize with her through her story, but in the end it felt a bit odd and unease when reading the final chapter. It definetly left me with something to think about through some time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Misogyny

Minor: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape

knupselmaus's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Rape

Minor: Violence and Infertility

u_0's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Beautiful, intense, and profoundly human. I'm at a loss for words. It was real.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

cecilialau_'s review against another edition

4.5

Really enjoyed the time I got to spent with Natsuko. The different relationships she has with the ppl in her life and how she navigates it all. I’m glad I took my time reading this rather than rushing through. Although, it all depends on your circumstance of course.
Just saying that I liked that I ended up savouring it bc I really became invested in her life, and it was just absolutely worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Misogyny

pandorasirens's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Mental illness, Grief, and Misogyny

Moderate: Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Rape, Death, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Cancer

Minor: Body shaming, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Pedophilia

sofiacazares's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny