Reviews with content warning for Sexism - No Longer Human

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

126 reviews

diaday333's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Poor Yoshiko is all I have to say. I don’t really find this book dark, but I can see what it would be said. Some parts were good at appealing to my emotions, but overall, the book is quite forgettable to me. The misogyny is wild tho, if it wasn’t for that, I might give this book a higher rating. Also it’s hard to feel bad for Yozo, mostly, I think it’s his characterization. When you see how he acts and what he thinks when he’s not talking about how miserable he is, it’s a yikes. It’s possible to right unlovable characters well and while I think he’s written well, he’s not interesting, at least in the way he should be. He doesn’t have to redeeming qualities to be interesting, but his whole character is unsavory in a way that isn’t interesting to read. The only people I feel bad for are particularly the women he meets. But I will say some parts are written very well where I can feel his despair, it’s just not enough. I guess the most emotional part for me is when he

tried to drown himself and no one cared and he even got disowned and tried for a crime. That was actually sad.

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winxclbs's review against another edition

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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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evakarolina's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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demonyuki's review against another edition

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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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p0tat0es_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love this book, but be warned that it deals with a lot of serious topics and is not for the faint of heart. Also the history behind this book is insane; it's semi-autobiographical but in the eyes of someone who is likely schizophrenic and bipolar, which adds a layer of mystery that's confusing in the best way possible. If your ok with darker books then I 100% recommend No Longer Human.

Content Warnings

mions's review against another edition

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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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