You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not what I expected after my first murakami book and the themes were very dark. However despite this I enjoyed the writing style and was really curious about the characters and the experiences of each.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Rape
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
challenging
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
One of those books where if there was an accidental fire in a library and this was the only book that was burnt, the library would actually become better.
This book was mostly a bunch of nonsensical drivel built up to look like a well put together castle meant to give you the impression that it is actually grand and outstanding.
Reading this was a huge waste of time. The writing itself was mediocre with no nuance or any type of impressive prose.
The only mildly interesting plot points were the initial interviews of the children fainting and following Nakata's journey and his dynamic with Hoshino, though even that turned quite insipid towards the end.
I can definitely see why Murakami is said to be the Colleen Hoover of Japan. Bad pacing, bad storytelling, flat characters, no real character to the story itself just an air of pretentiousness to the story made to make you think "this is so intellectual I could never understand it".
I always try finding any type of positivity from books I read, even those I hate with a passion like Prince Harry's "Spare" which was so bad to the point of hilarity, at least. I can't even say that for this book, just relies on a bunch of shock value one after the other to make it memorable in some way because God knows its writing isn't enough to be remarkable. Only time I've read Murakami and I wish for anyone else to spare themselves and not make the same mistake
This book was mostly a bunch of nonsensical drivel built up to look like a well put together castle meant to give you the impression that it is actually grand and outstanding.
Reading this was a huge waste of time. The writing itself was mediocre with no nuance or any type of impressive prose.
The only mildly interesting plot points were the initial interviews of the children fainting and following Nakata's journey and his dynamic with Hoshino, though even that turned quite insipid towards the end.
I can definitely see why Murakami is said to be the Colleen Hoover of Japan. Bad pacing, bad storytelling, flat characters, no real character to the story itself just an air of pretentiousness to the story made to make you think "this is so intellectual I could never understand it".
I always try finding any type of positivity from books I read, even those I hate with a passion like Prince Harry's "Spare" which was so bad to the point of hilarity, at least. I can't even say that for this book, just relies on a bunch of shock value one after the other to make it memorable in some way because God knows its writing isn't enough to be remarkable. Only time I've read Murakami and I wish for anyone else to spare themselves and not make the same mistake
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have no idea how to rate this book, explain it, or even how to feel after finishing it.
Magical realism was a new genre for me but I think I enjoyed that aspect of it.
There were parts of this book that made me laugh, cry, scream “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK”, and parts that had me questioning my own sanity.
I think I really liked it.
I have no idea if I would recommend this book.
But I am so glad I read it.
Magical realism was a new genre for me but I think I enjoyed that aspect of it.
There were parts of this book that made me laugh, cry, scream “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK”, and parts that had me questioning my own sanity.
I think I really liked it.
I have no idea if I would recommend this book.
But I am so glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death
Moderate: Rape, Sexual content
Minor: Death, Incest, Murder, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This isn’t my usual kind of book. Most of the time I felt like I wasn’t intellectual enough to understand but it got to a point where I accepted everything that was happening and I just got pulled into whatever was happening. It was very thought provoking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest
Minor: War
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
from the incel intersex/trans masc oshima to the entirely too detailed portrayal of incest and rape, the winding narrative and seemingly disjointed actions of the characters were just not for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Transphobia, Murder