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whoischels's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Good bits: This book is beautifully written. I always hear people complaining that Murakami writes women terribly and I actually disagree with that in this case. The women in this book feel like people, and are like-able people, even filtered through the eyes of the narrator Watanabe and through the romanticized distance of the memories he is recounting. The story really beautifully demonstrates how a young person can focus on fixing the suffering of others in order to avoid thinking about their own grief. It shows how a typically male-leaning stoic handling emotions can fail. It has incredibly vivid imagery and the aesthetic of Murakami's stories is always really engrossing.
Bad bits: Unfortunately, all of this is overshadowed by the
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
sinfell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have read several of Murakami’s stories, but I feel his more realistic works have their own sort of surrealism to it that any fantastical plot points feels completely unnecessary.
Plus Midori is in this book, so that should be reason enough to give it 5 stars.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts
janainthebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexism, Grief, Suicide, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism
thebookwasb3tter's review against another edition
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Suicide, Bullying, Mental illness, and Self harm
mmari's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Toxic relationship
vermiglio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
en0mad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
katanarin'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? It's complicated
4.25
The plot and fantasy aspect differs to other Murakami books, this book is a romance novel and got nothing surreal to it.
There is like always one thing that annoys me about this book or about Murakami in general.
The way he writes woman lol
Again - every woman is at one point in this book just an sexual lust-object for the protagonist or another male. In Kafka on the shore it somehow made sense to me but in this book it seemed really unnecessary and at some point it was so annoying that it really ruined the moment. It's just sad :,)
Graphic: Sexual violence, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexism and Toxic relationship
froggoz13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The writing style is good and descriptive in a pleasant way but the dialogues are often quite direct. Overall I did want to continue reading the vook and find out what would happen next but I did not particularly enjoy reading it.
Graphic: Suicide, Alcohol, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Minor: Lesbophobia and Adult/minor relationship
claukv's review against another edition
- 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
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