Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Black Box: The Memoir That Sparked Japan's #metoo Movement by Shiori Ito

8 reviews

joshuahc's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

aus10england's review

challenging dark medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Misogyny and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide and Vomit

lilybear3's review

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I can only imagine the pain and frustration she has experienced.  I was enraged and sad throughout this book with how her case was handled.  I certainly learned a lot about Japan's justice system and how it needs to be improved.  The translation seemed well-done (I only know English).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Bullying, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

mondovertigo's review

challenging dark sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Alcohol

platlinum's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

The author covers important themes of victim shaming, the structure that makes it hard to report these cases, speaking out, reclaiming one’s narrative, gaslighting, etc. I almost DNF the book multiple times because I was SO angry but the way the story unfolded and how the book came to be was SO necessary. I will think of the author’s story often. The translation is very seamless! I forgot I was reading a translated work until I saw Japan mentioned at times to remind the reader of the context.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide

mushielei's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Shiori Ito’s memoir is beautifully translated and informative. Shiori Ito, on top of recalling her traumatic rape, educates about the Japanese legal system and her experience prosecuting her rapist. It’s emotionally raw and captivating. I read it in two days. Her words have sparked a movement against sexual assault in Japan and inspired countless women to stand up for themselves and fight against the stigma of sexual assault victims. This book is a riveting experience that I highly recommend for anyone interested in feminism, sexual assault and law and social issues concerning gender. Honestly, I think everyone should read this book. For those who may be sensitive to those topics, take caution, because Shiori Ito describes the circumstances and discloses a few graphic details of her rape.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

futurama's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring tense fast-paced

5.0

I read this book in three hours. The whole time I was sweating and frustrated and sad and angry. Ito painstakingly details her assault in chronological order along with notes from the present day. It's an intense read but a necessary one. I still need more time to process. I do hope more of Ito's investigative work gets translated. Not only is this an expose on Japan's legal system and treatment of sexual assault in culture and law, it's also a fine work of investigative journalism. Ito mentions other projects she worked on in the book and hopefully we can read that as well. 

Ito's case started and finished the entire time I lived in Japan and I remember seeing the original Japanese book selling out at bookstores. Thank you Shiori for your bravery. 

On another note, the translation by Allison Markin Powell was seamless. Powell also translates Hiromi Kawakami's books (The Nakano Thrift Shop and others) amongst other themmy Japanese authors. 

This is one of those rare books I think is a true 5/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Self harm, and Misogyny

keegan_leech's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

3.75

In a word, Black Box is harrowing.

Ito is clearly an excellent journalist. Black Box is extremely specific in its scope and aims, and the book weaves its personal elements very effectively into more general facts about rape and sexual assault in Japan. The result is a book that's informative and direct yet simultaneously personal and deeply empathetic. It's this brilliance which makes for difficult reading.

Although it's barely longer than 200 pages, Black Box felt like it took me a very long time to read. This is entirely appropriate given that the book deals with the trauma of not just rape and assault, but the seemingly impassable barriers to legal retribution. It is impossible not to feel something of Ito's own fatigue and frustration in the writing.

I wouldn't recommend the book if you aren't prepared for an emotionally exhausting experience, but if you are in the right mindset for it, it's a powerful and immensely valuable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide