Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Tokio blues (Norwegian Wood) by Haruki Murakami

193 reviews

claukv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Stalking, Alcohol, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Minor: Lesbophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Body shaming

sakurachiyou's review against another edition

sad medium-paced

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

0.25

 

Whether you believe it or not, Murakami got me out of a 1.5-year-long reading slump, and not for the reasons one might expect. It's because I wholeheartedly detest his writing. If I am certain about two things regarding my relationship with literature, it's that I love hating on books and that I am dedicated to hating Murakami's books. Hating his books gives me life. That's it; that's who I am. Now that I have established myself and my views, let's talk about the book on a surface level. 

 

"Norwegian Wood," Murakami's undoubtedly most popular book. What a train wreck, what a mess! C'est un vrai gâchis! (Pardon my French; I wanted to swear, but I settled for a more civilized approach.) 

 

For lack of a better word, the main viewpoint of the book follows the male gaze; it's the male experience in a strictly male world. Every problem a woman is facing can be solved by a man, and that man can only be Toru. Every problem or insecurity is forgotten once they have sexual interactions with him, and boy oh boy, do the women in Murakami's world exist just to be sexual beings? 

 

I don't understand the appeal of Murakami's world or his characters. The melancholic and depressive state that looms around every page doesn't seem well executed in my perspective. Need I go through the reasons why I believe that mental illness matters are handled very immaturely and messily? Because they are, and it's very evident. 

 

I was under the impression that people like this book because of the atmosphere that the author creates, the vibes, the mood. There was no such thing as a melancholic atmosphere. I could not get in the mood because the writing style does nothing for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Rape

kaylanoellesims's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Self harm

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity

pagesandplanets's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Terminal illness

dqueen's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

Hated this book and the depiction of women. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that it was written in a different time, but the descriptions were awful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Suicide

zarajackson's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Murakami’s writing style is beautiful and easy to read. The content of this novel, however, is not for anyone who is depressed or just can’t stand reading deeply disturbing thoughts from deeply disturbed characters. There isn’t much growth in these characters and it’s just hard to read sometimes, and it makes you wonder why you’re reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Sexual assault

stuckduck's review against another edition

dark sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Mental illness

cheskann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? N/A

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault

maidinnah's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-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

4.5

Even though Murakami’s infamous male gaze is prevalent, Norwegian Wood was so devastating and tragic that after I finished reading it, I just sort of checked out of reality for a bit to process the book. The novel’s melancholic and breathtaking prose captures the feeling of being trapped in the forests of your own despair, the rest of the world spins and burns around you, and you must choose whether or not you spin and burn with it. This story is more than a romance, it’s about the most important, life-or-death decision of all — how we cope in the face of grief. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny

bluecat97's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts