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autumnwhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Cannibalism, Violence, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Incest, Death, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Domestic abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Misogyny, Gore, and Sexual assault
frenchkey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Addiction, Blood, and Drug use
stardustdreamer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Incest, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Excrement and Suicide
emilyandthewhippet's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
mariisun'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Gore, Sexual content, Abandonment, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Mental illness
amanda_bristol's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Incest, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Death, Misogyny, Murder, and Body horror
Minor: Vomit and Toxic friendship
erebus53's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is a book I read as part of book club. I seem to have been the first to finish it, probably because I started it before the month technically started (and my timezone favours me too). Set in Japan, it tells the story of a woman who approaches life quite differently from other people. She is traumatised as a child and this also affects how she interprets things happening around her as she grows to womanhood. The story is told in 2 timelines, childhood and adulthood.
The story starts out as though it's a serious critique of culture but by the end of the book has devolved into a complete mess of horror and depravity that seems deliberately contrived to unsettle the reading audience. It also seems to have less of a grip on reality at the end and disappointingly bibbles off into impossibilities. I was prepared to suspend disbelief and I would have been very happy for things to have become some fluffy candy fantasy, but instead it veered in a much more darkly destructive direction.
Three main characters each seem to have lived scarred lives, and it seems like the author blames most of those woes on their mothers. I don't know if this is just misogynistic internalisation, or a critique of the treatment of women in Japanese society. There is a lot of critique... some of which is valid, and some which is pretty much destructive nonsense.
I'm not sure if the messy disaster that is the end of the book is supposed to be a reinforcement of the necessity of social controls, or just a flight of dark fancy given gory wings and teeth. I tend to think that it's mostly the latter, and if this is supposed to be a sensible discussion about the oppressive nature of a coercive culture that demands that people force themselves to marry and procreate to meet the needs of the societal Factory, then there are better ways to have that conversation.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Physical abuse, Vomit, Sexism, Violence, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Death, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
jasperkelley2015's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Pedophilia, Murder, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Cannibalism, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Sexual assault, Violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Incest, Gore, and Body horror
fedelikeslego's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m so confused I feel like I’m high. That’s what it feels like at the end of the “experience ”. I felt so high that their discussions had perfectly made sense.
I think that the book could be divided in two parts:
- The first ⅓ of the book. Here incest and rape/pedophilia were extremely explicit and I’m not sure I liked that. Even if the love story between the kids was so cute (they were so innocent it didn’t “bothered me that much”), I don’t think that it was necessary to explicitly write for pages about all the sexual intercourses that the protagonist had. It was too much.
- The last ⅔ of the book. This part was a bit more enjoyable, and it’s more centred about what it means to live in this world and in particular in Japan. Murata definitely makes a perfect description of the Japanese society (it would probably make sense only if you lived in Japan or a similar asian country), it’s just so sad and frustrating. In the last chapter, as i said, I felt like I was high. I’m still trying to process what I red. I’m just confused, nothing else.
Movie reccomendation: The Holy mountain (1973), I felt the same way reading the book and watching the movie. Different plot, different settings, same vibes.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Gore, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility, Vomit, Body shaming, Bullying, and Death of parent
akira_outofthegravity'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? It's complicated
3.5
Honestly I need to gather my thoughts a little. That was such a clusterfuck that I’m having trouble processing it. On the outside this is a quirky story about two kids discovering themselves. In reality it’s about two abused children leaving reality, and liberating themselves at any cost.
I did skip a few bits in this book. But I loved the end, the fire was impeccable, and I also loved the bond that grew between the trio. I really wanted Natsuki to thrive, and I guess in a way she did.
She did nothing wrong, and I will defend her until I die.
After the halfway mark it becomes more funny than the first half, but it’s still a deeply sad book. I enjoyed it! Not everyone’s cup of tea tho.
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Body horror, Gore, Cannibalism, and Incest
Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, Eating disorder, Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide