Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - A Tale for the Time Being

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

89 reviews

saarahrust's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

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

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kaylacope's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved Nao and Jiko, together and separate. Ruth’s side I cared less about, but my main question: were we supposed to like Oliver? I assume yes because he’s based off of the author’s husband, but I felt like she made him kinda unlikeable with all the memory jabs and acting like a knowitall 24/7. I think mainly he was used as a plot device to explain

the quantum physics and any parts of the journal that the audience may not have picked up on (like when he explained that the dad was bidding and Ruth hadn’t realized)

.

Overall I think I will go 4/5 rather than 3.75 mainly because I did care about Nao and Jiko and Harukis #1&#2 to continue to read.

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valjeanval's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of the best books I've read in a long time. Theres's not one moment (or fingersnap of 65 moments) that hasn't been carefully thought through to create this beautiful exploration of time, entanglement, and a life (or a death) with meaning. The research that went into this book must have been incredible. Everything from the daily life of a Japanese high school student in Tokyo to neighborly mechanisms that keep a British Columbian island functionings to the realities of life as a WWII kamikaze pilot and the magical realism that is quantum mechanics. I care deeply for the characters. I feel like I've lived in the setting, and I savored the prose. I don't know what else you could ask for in a novel. It's my first Ruth Ozeki book, but definitely not my last.

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sestout's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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nie_fertig's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I feel like this is one of those books that everyone needs to read, unless any of the content warnings below are too much for the reader (particularly suicide, as two characters contemplate it throughout the book) - I will admit, there were a few times I had to stop reading because the abuse and bullying that one of the main characters, Nao, goes through is very graphic, intense, and extremely heartbreaking.
But I adore how the story goes back and forth from the reader / the present with the author herself, Ruth, to the writer / the past, Nao, and how both stories influence one another. As a writer myself, it really made me think of my relationship with my audience, or whoever is reading my works in the potential future.
And another theme is about the now and how important and incredible now is within time. I'm definitely going to think about this book for quite a while...

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