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bella613'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
4.5
I didn't love this book the way I loved Killing Commendatore. It was not quite what I expected, especially after hearing it was this book that exploded Murakami into fame. But I did connect with it. As it is with Murakami, there are some uncomfortable sections of the book. But there are some uncomfortable moments in life, so... it's sort of beautiful that he captures it so intensely?
I found myself most drawn to Naoko in this story. Midori as a character is someone I would probably not enjoy spending time with in real life, but added to the story in a mostly positive way. I didn't like Toru much in the same way that one might not like oneself. Listening from his pov felt like looking back on one's own life and seeing all the flaws and mistakes and self-centered choices that were made. But he was very real. That's one thing I also love about Murakami: all of his characters feel undeniably real.
My favorite part of the book was probably the long letter describing the sanatorium and the following visit to the sanatorium.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Rape, Alcohol, Sexual content, Suicide, Death, and Grief
yeahnaar'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
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, and Suicide
abril6'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
1.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Rape, and Death
esv_'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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Car accident, Chronic illness, and Sexism
countdraculahimself'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? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Death, and Cancer
disgustingmeg_reads83's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Rape, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Misogyny
annahollamby'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? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Grief, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse
emmaanoble'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
3.25
Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Mental illness, and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape and Death of parent
Minor: Lesbophobia
jonahksmith'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I bought this in a book store in Kentucky two years ago and finally started reading it. I finished the book in less than a week. I’m not usually one to underline text in a novel, but I happened to have a pencil on my coffee table while reading this and there are a few lines that stood out to me as exceptional prose. I look forward to rereading this in the future.
Many of the women in this story are well ideated but poorly written characters. I think it is particularly annoying that the narrator has sex with all but one named female character; even then I was worried that Toru would turn his moment of chivalry with Hatsumi into an excuse to bed her.
Graphic: Rape and Pedophilia
Moderate: Suicide
soyboysimon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This one is much less bad. The misogyny is still there, but it feels more like its on purpose because of the nature of the main character. And its not like every woman he meets is just a pair of breasts with legs this time. Because I was expecting it, it was less of a problem for me.
It sure doesn't sound like I'm describing a good book, does it? Let me tell you what this book got right! Unlike his other works, there is no magic in this book. The writing is whats magical about it. It has that japanese way of storytelling, much like a Studio Ghibli movie, where you're following a character through their daily life, living the slow moments with them.
The main character grapples with the dilemma of loving more than one person at a time and having to choose and wondering if he's making the right choice. And you really feel his love for both women and get to see such tender but different moments between them and could see him being happy either way. And its told from the perspective of him looking back on his life and wondering if theres anything he could have done differently.
Its reflective, its charming, its mundane. This books makes me want to live.
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, Alcohol, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual content