Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

88 reviews

linguaphile412's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, and Death

Moderate: Rape and Death of parent

_rowan_'s review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Death, Police brutality, and Terminal illness

annorabrady's review

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

The book was an interesting premise but I had more questions than answers at the end. I expected some kind of explanation for what was happening, why the police were there enforcing it, why certain people were immune, etc. But instead it ended with just as much, if not less, knowledge of the events as it started. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Confinement, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, and Police brutality

phantomgecko's review

mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm not smart enough to adequately review this.

I enjoy a novel that leaves the ending entirely up to you. What will happen to R, is a good question to ponder. But I do wish there were more answers as to what caused the forgetting and who the memory police even came from. A lot to think about with only a vague sense of ending.

I enjoyed the creepy short story written throughout. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

abiofpellinor's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Police brutality, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

Minor: Rape and Animal death

thebookpaiges's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Deportation

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Animal death and Rape

greenrequiem's review

challenging reflective 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? No

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Minor: Death of parent

While not explicitly mentioned within the novel, the premise could be triggering for people sensitive to the topics of dementia/amnesia. Additionally

the main character hiding a man in her house

is very reminiscent of real-world events in World War II (particularly the diary of Anne Frank which is a stated inspiration for the novel). This could be triggering to people sensitive to material surrounding the holocaust/world War ii/antisemitism.

lpdx's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail

theliteraryhooker's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• 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? No

4.25

While this is a very slow burn of a novel, the emotional impact it conveys is next level. Multiple times I had to set this book aside because it was just breaking my heart. A very non-traditional dystopian novel that is all the more effective for its unique approach to topics like fascism, humanity, society and love. Highly recommend giving this a read, but be prepared for the emotional toll it will take.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Minor: Police brutality, Death of parent, and Animal death