Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

276 reviews

winxclbs's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

2.75

the book successfully achieved its purpose in portraying a troubled character. he IS a very strong anti-hero because at many points i found myself disgusted by him while also relating to him.. there was no point to it though! it was so shallow because nothing profoundly meaningful or valuable came out of the “i dont feel like human so i will dehumanise others” schtick. 

i also thought it was too indulgent in his misogyny.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

sunfishya's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

It's not for everyone, that's for sure. It's a book that is highly layered and would definitely reveal more with multiple readings. There is content, such as the misogyny and constant detachment from trauma, that surrounds Yozo, but although it is a hard read because of those reasons, I find Dazai's exploration of the ideas of meaning, existence, and connection are very worth the read. There is a bit of sexual abuse that happens to Yozo both as a child and as an adult that seems to be glossed over afyer its mentioned, so if you are sensitive to such topics or treatment of such topics, be warned. I wanted to warn in the content warnings but couldn'  find out how. If you check the content warnings for this novel and want to proceed, it's a slow, meandering read but I find Dazai's exploration in the novel to be nuanced and highly open to connection from an audience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Suicide, Misogyny, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

Minor: Drug use, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

literatureboysmelancholy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Suicide, Alcohol, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, and Addiction

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Death of parent and War

mcrespo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

when dazai isn’t writing about women, his writing is raw, poignant and nothing short of incredible, and when he is writing about women, i yearn to punch him in the jaw. i rarely pick up books written by men because men can hardly ever resist the urge to be misogynistic, and dazai is not exempt from this, however, he writes this stream of consciousness ramblings of a depressed, anxious, and addiction-ridden person very well. the novel is reflective and, unfortunately, excruciatingly relatable. being in your twenties truly is the trenches, and dazai encapsulated that perfectly in “no longer human.” anyone who struggles with depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, addiction, and navigating the world as someone neurodivergent might see themselves in dazai's main character yozo, so please mind the trigger warnings. <3 if you're like me, this book will spark some intense internal dialogue, reflection, and perhaps an existential crisis or two, and for that this book gets 5 stars, but for the demeaning, degrading, and disparaging women, i take away a star. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts

ilsabelle's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Infidelity

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

cherrychess's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

pilfering's review against another edition

dark emotional

4.0

its a depressing novel exploring the main character Yozos emotional turmoil and alienation in 1940s Japan as he grapples with his suicidal tendencies and his inability to feel human connection as he manages to further isolate himself through his 'clowning', his lack of genuineness only alienating him further. its really good and its very clear why its one of the best selling novels in Japan to date.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

demonyuki's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

mions's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Having struggled with a sense of disconnection from humanity since childhood, the relatable parts of No Longer Human, ironically enough, helped me feel a lot more human. All the content not included in that statement served as a reminder of why that should be held onto, and how lucky I am to get to feel that way. Though the subject matters are heavy, this book left me with a sense of gratitude. Even with all its raw depictions of the harshness of reality, to me, this is a beautifully written novel.

I did not find the book as soul-crushing as it is often described. The overall tone is typically surprisingly neutral, and at times humorous. It’s much more than a monotone angst-dump, but the story and characters are nothing if not tragic.

Yozo as a main character divides people for a reason, and I can’t exactly blame the people who do not like him. By the end of the book, he is undoubtedly not a great person, but even if his actions aren’t great, they do come across as understandable with all the context provided. To those who have struggled with similar issues with mental health, at times his thoughts can be shockingly relatable. At the beginning of the book, there were parts where Dazai touches on some deeply relatable themes, despite being deeply relatable.

I can only hope that the actual plot points aren’t too reminiscent of many readers’ personal experiences, but it is no wonder that the themes present in No Longer Human resonated with many so strongly that the book became Japan’s 2nd best-selling novel.

While not happy, I find a lot of beauty in aspects of the worldview depicted. There is a sense of quiet appreciation for the significance in what is normally deemed as mundane. It doesn’t turn Yozo’s life into a happy one; it made me appreciate the meaning in some of the less exciting aspects of life as well.

Even if thinking of No Longer Human has at times filled me with dread, I’m grateful for its existence, and happy that I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Death, Grief, and Sexual assault

Minor: Misogyny, Violence, and Sexism

gh0st_f1sh's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, Bullying, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use