Scan barcode
rosalux's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
This book is a brilliant depiction of the loneliness that encapsulates life in modernity.
How difficult it is to not be a zombie; how hard it is to make friends and keep them; how excruciating to be vulnerable and expose your soft underside to a cold and uncaring world.
Yet, it’s worth it (in brief random spurts).
How difficult it is to not be a zombie; how hard it is to make friends and keep them; how excruciating to be vulnerable and expose your soft underside to a cold and uncaring world.
Yet, it’s worth it (in brief random spurts).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Mental illness and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming and Cancer
chris_reads's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Rape
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Bullying and Gaslighting
its_j's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“…when it comes to emotions, feelings, moods, all those things, I can never figure out where mine end and other people’s begin.”
Maybe this was just what I needed. I might not be in my thirties yet, but I do know loneliness. This book has kept me company, I think that’s the best way to put it. Maybe a hand to help pull you out from drowning, more like it comes to sit with you bringing no judgment. Insightful conversations and storytelling that hits close to home, Kawakami is an insane writer. Positive.
I used to despise it when people say they have nothing interesting about them— thinking that nothing about the things that fill their days, their hobbies, their feelings is “nothing interesting.” I hated it because I used to be the same. This book hits close to home. I live in a bubble of my own making because that’s what was expected of me. That in living a good life, I needed to study well, get into college, find a job. Sure, that’s what it generally means. That’s the recipe, the path to said good life. I am boring. I am bored. Boring and bored. Bored and boring.
Gorgeous, gorgeous writing with a deeply relatable main character. It also offered insights through the conversations between characters and it unpacks some difficult truths. It’s realistic. It’s comforting.
Love this book, it was exactly what I needed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, and Alcohol
furu_ya'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? Yes
4.5
Irie's experiences, her thoughts and actions are so relatable and feel so realistic, it's almost painful. And yet I didn't finish this novel with a void in my chest, but a warm, comforting feeling, as if the light she was talking about found its way from the pages to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Rape
There is a sexual assault scene in chapter 6 that can be comfortably skipped. It does come back into play later whensallyrooneystanclub's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Bleakmaggiezz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Mental illness
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was very atmospheric; it wrapped you up so that you were immersed into the narrative. The loneliness of the main character is palpable through the writing style. I enjoyed my time reading this, but it didn't quite have that spark, and I haven't spent much time thinking about it since I finished reading. It is not quite memorable, apart from the atmosphere, but it is definitely rereadable. The discussions the main character has with both her editor and the man she befriends (as well as others) are relatable and insightful, and I often found myself annotating/underlining passages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Car accident
ellieangel05's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I thought the language was quite repetitive and for me this made most of the book feel quite slow. But the last 30 pages really brought it all together for me and made me adore the book. I think it encapsulates human experience very well as someone who struggles a lot with mental health. The character of Hijiri specifically is flawed but her flaws for me didn’t make me end up hating her nonetheless. The ending was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism and Mental illness
lizetteratura's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All the Lovers in the Night is a frigid yet powerful novel that delves into loneliness, connection, and self-discovery, but it also describes work and the close connection of friendship and love, as well as a thought-provoking perspective on social and gendered expectations. The main character, Fuyuko Irie, is easily relatable, and Kawakami does an excellent job at conveying her emotions through the story. The novel moves at a bit slow-ish to medium pace, which may not appeal to everyone, but it allows you to really immerse yourself in the plot. If you appreciate stories that focus on characters and emotions, this one is absolutely worth reading. I wish Kawakami had developed and examined the characters further, but I enjoyed her writing approach of contrasting them, as with Fuyuko and Hijiri. It's a story that sticks with you and makes you wonder long after you've finished reading (endings tend to do this to me).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Rape
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Car accident
laurenleannereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship