Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi

5 reviews

azalya01's review

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emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • 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

4.25

I thought this book was a very beautiful exploration of loneliness and discontent, and how human connection is a lot more precious than we may realize in our day-to-day lives. I found the slow and detailed narration of this story to be comforting and it endeared me quite a lot to the main character. I felt myself resonating with her feelings, and I appreciated the expression of her complex heartache framed in such relatable moments in time. I'm glad I read this book, and recommend it highly.

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abbieh95's review against another edition

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4.0


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rieviolet's review against another edition

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funny mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • 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? It's complicated

3.0

I appreciated the themes that the author tried to explore (mainly commonplace sexism, with a particular focus on the workplace, and stifling social expectations put on women to balance a job, child rearing, and home management) but I think that the actual execution on the page left me a bit underwhelmed. 

The premise is interesting but the story does not really go anywhere. I found the ending quite disappointing, especially because it was a bit abrupt and left too much unresolved after all of the previous build-up (which, to be honest, was a bit baffling at times and too surreal for me).

It is a quick read, the writing style is not bad and there are some poignant reflections and also some funny moments (the bits talking about the Virgin Mary were hilarious), but I did not really get drawn into the narration. 

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nialiversuch's review

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emotional funny mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • 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

3.5


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srm's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Another excellent entry in the genre of odd Japanese woman deals in her own unique way with society, misogyny, and trouble in the workplace. 

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