Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Norwegian qood by Haruki Murakami

211 reviews

reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I think Murakami might be my favorite author. I read Kafka on the Shore about a year ago and had conflicting emotions. The misogyny was shocking and horrifying, but I can't stop thinking about it. So i decided so give him another try.

This one is much less bad. The misogyny is still there, but it feels more like its on purpose because of the nature of the main character. And its not like every woman he meets is just a pair of breasts with legs this time. Because I was expecting it, it was less of a problem for me.

It sure doesn't sound like I'm describing a good book, does it? Let me tell you what this book got right! Unlike his other works, there is no magic in this book. The writing is whats magical about it. It has that japanese way of storytelling, much like a Studio Ghibli movie, where you're following a character through their daily life, living the slow moments with them.

The main character grapples with the dilemma of loving more than one person at a time and having to choose and wondering if he's making the right choice. And you really feel his love for both women and get to see such tender but different moments between them and could see him being happy either way. And its told from the perspective of him looking back on his life and wondering if theres anything he could have done differently.

Its reflective, its charming, its mundane. This books makes me want to live.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

thebookwasb3tter's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 75%

It was maddeningly slow, I found the main character to be  awful and self absorbed, the women were written as sex caricatures, and the dialogue made me cringe. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective sad slow-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Un llibre amb una atmòsfera molt trista. Tots els personatges estan atravessats per la desgràcia. Segurament no l’hauria d’haver llegit tenint en compte com estic últimament, tot i que potser sí.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional 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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings