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sienneis'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
3.5
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
angela_iseli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
emmagreenwood's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Animal death, Cancer, and Terminal illness
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, and Terminal illness
chazaiya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
revisiting this was good though. no doubt a flawed book, it starts slow and oftentimes overuses exposition. on occasion it felt like it was a book written for middle schoolers with its diction but with the themes i know that wasn't its intention. i could chalk it up to poor translation but there's a part in the first chapter(?) where he explains the book of genesis and then some of the story of jesus like it was everyone's first time reading this, and it's like who was the target audience when this was being written? i guess it makes sense though considering christianity isn't as widespread in japan as in the west, but it just led to clunkier writing (which was an issue throughout the book, which i'm gonna say is due to translation). there's also just some corny moments here, like when two characters bid eachother farewell by reciting popular movie quotes? come on.
regardless, as the story went on and it got heavier into its themes, Kawamura's writing became more convicted and personal. naturally this led to me getting way more into the book. the final stages of the book are truly where the book is strongest, which is of course about where i stopped reading initially lol. i don't want to get into it rn but it gets heavy and incredibly sad. it's tied up nicely with a lovely message, and while some things are left up in the air i don't mind it like that.
all-in-all this was a nice sentimental book that you could probably finish in like a day if you wanted lmao. naturally not gonna be for everyone but i enjoyed it. good with a cup of tea and some melancholy ambient music, like ruins by grouper or some shit.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
cereads's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Animal death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Medical content
aqtbenz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
there were some reflections that i liked though, like how the meaning of one's life is the difference between this universe and a parallel universe in which one never existed. maybe you haven't changed the world but your friends and family's lives would all be very different; you may be insignificant to the universe at large but you're important to so many individuals.
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Medical content and Sexual content
maren_hemsath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal death
cianarae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death