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arrianne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Rape
darkmattersoybean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Murder, Violence, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Death, and Blood
rinnavv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Torture, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
shosh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Murder
antonebooks's review
1.75
Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, Sexual violence, and Rape
jan_coco_day's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gore, Torture, Blood, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexism
natyourusual_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Torture, Rape, Misogyny, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Mental illness, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Addiction, Body horror, Vomit, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
cabrerajackey's review
4.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Misogyny, Gore, Torture, Stalking, Rape, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Trafficking
reading_for_the_dopamine's review
- 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
3.5
I read "Out" as part of a reading challenge with the prompt "A thriller or crime novel in translation." This book is outside my comfort zone, as I primarily read romance. However, reading it has inspired me to read more dark mysteries and thrillers.
The author, Natsuo Kirino, is a Japanese novelist who started writing romance. However, she has been criticised for now writing crime novels with strong female protagonists. As a feminist romance reader, I found her emphasis on women, relationships, and psychology to be the most engaging elements. From the start, Kirino drew me in with her compelling portrayal of four ordinary, flawed, yet resilient women navigating the challenges of disenfranchised underclass women in Tokyo. Each woman's voice was distinct and benefited from Kirino's choice of multiple narratives. Despite these women being morally grey, I celebrated their efforts to support each other, even in particularly gruesome ways.
This book was less compelling from the mid-section when the secondary male characters were introduced in the middle. These men, perhaps deliberately on Kirino's part, contrastingly feel flat and one-dimensional. The men's perspective slowed the pace and shifted me from the intense world she created. This may not be the experience of other readers who respond to the very explicit horror scenes that then occur. I appreciated that while the violence was frequent and described in explicit detail, it did not feel gratuitous. I enjoyed how Kirino wove the multiple characters' inner world perspectives around the plot's events. Startlingly, this approach reminded me of the plots for a favourite movie, "Love Actually." I would have liked this aspect of her writing to continue to the end.
Overall, I have likely underestimated the rating of this book. I would recommend this book, no matter what genre of books you usually read. It will appeal to readers who like books that focus on the psychological aspects of intense, gritty women and the intersectionality of the damage of patriarchal oppression.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Gore, Domestic abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence
thisguyreads's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Gore, Domestic abuse, and Rape