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mions's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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
- 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
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
hamna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, and Suicide
sp0okysandwich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Minor: Grief, Mental illness, Drug use, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Addiction, Death, Gore, Rape, and Toxic relationship
tagrap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, and Sexual assault
golpesar818's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
he’s a patriarchal misogynist. his hatred of women is overt. he experiences multiple overlapping dependencies and isolations, he is not very likeable, but what’s even scarier, he is dangerously recognizable in SOME specific ways. namely his social anxiety. it’s all very banality of evil. overall though, by the end of the book i felt that the title “no longer human” or “disqualified as human” suggests to me that his loss of humanity (attributed to his psychiatric institutionalization), much like his many desires to unalive himself, is systemic. i don’t normally read “classic” literature but appreciated the vibe shift even though this book medium key fucked me up. major tw that i listed below.
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Mental illness, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Misogyny
kifimia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Alcoholism
ake_alis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Infidelity, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
janayc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Alcohol, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
squidknees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Minor: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Ableism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Rape, War, Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Misogyny, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Drug use, and Death of parent