Reviews

Dandelions by Yasunari Kawabata

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tiffanyfu's review

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reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.75

thrillerbingergirl's review

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reflective sad

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰 is a young woman in love, affected by a strange condition: «𝘤𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰». 𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘰, her boyfriend, wants to marry her to be by her side and take care of her, but 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰's mother believes that it is better for the young woman to be cured first and decides to hospitalize her.

𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰 experiences episodes where he cannot see his partner's body. She is aware that he is there in front of her but she cannot see him. This novel compiles an extensive dialogue between 𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘰 and 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰's mother, after admitting her to an asylum. And the weight of that decision. His mother fears that 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰 will one day stop seeing everyone around him. 𝘒𝘶𝘯𝘰 is convinced that his love can help her and is willing to take care of her. But love is not enough for 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘬𝘰's mother. After leaving her in the asylum, together they question this decision and the fragile border between sanity and madness.

jcampbell's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Strange and beautiful, the book feels like it happens in a world somewhere between awake and asleep. The images painted are vivid and you can only imagine how great the novel would have been had it been finished.

issywelsby's review against another edition

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2.0

I probably should have DNFed this because I don’t think it was for me but I persevered in the hopes that it would turn around. I found it very dry and forgettable even as I was reading it