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clemrain's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
It’s simply a beautiful book. I really savoured it. Enjoyed every page.
Characters are a delicious soup. So deep and yet so simple.
The writing is so dreamy. And I’ve never read a structure like this. I loved reading what was practically Kazuko and Naoji’s diaries and collection of letters. It was intimate and I felt for and understood the characters deeply.
A whole story revolving the love you feel for a mother and how a child is always just a child. The identity and connection and ties to a mother. I appreciated it.
I saw a lot of typos in the translation. And thought some of it was awkwardly written. I wonder how true to the original these typos or awkwardness was.
I’m not sure if I could read through this again. But I do feel an urge to. Looking forward to reading more Dazai.
Characters are a delicious soup. So deep and yet so simple.
The writing is so dreamy. And I’ve never read a structure like this. I loved reading what was practically Kazuko and Naoji’s diaries and collection of letters. It was intimate and I felt for and understood the characters deeply.
A whole story revolving the love you feel for a mother and how a child is always just a child. The identity and connection and ties to a mother. I appreciated it.
I saw a lot of typos in the translation. And thought some of it was awkwardly written. I wonder how true to the original these typos or awkwardness was.
I’m not sure if I could read through this again. But I do feel an urge to. Looking forward to reading more Dazai.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Terminal illness, Sexism, Medical content, and Drug abuse
Minor: War, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
octavia_58's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Mental illness, Drug use, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Miscarriage and War
emelie0_0sofia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcoholism, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, and War
dyingotters's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I read No Longer Human a few years back and while I enjoyed it, it was nothing like the super soul-crushing depressing story everyone told me it was gonna be. The Setting Sun provided a much more empathizable main character for me which made her story much more tragic and despairing. I liked the way Dazai wrote her character’s position in society as a (former) aristocratic woman, her relationship with her family, love and how she sees the world made the story take a stance on class, society, gender dynamics, etc., something that I felt No Longer Human was lacking from its overly cynical and self-absorbed main character even if it was a better reflection of Dazai himself
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, and Grief
badtimes's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
it made me feel a lot of things, mostly unbearable sadness lol
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Death, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
toffishay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I am glad to have read this classic of Japanese literature. The representation of a post-war Japan and the death of the aristocracy was something that I had not read about before and I think that this book brings that time to life in a really interesting way. Kazuko is a really interesting character and her struggles to carve out a life were very compelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Drug abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness
Minor: Antisemitism, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Animal death, Vomit, and War
jimenagarcia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Toxic relationship, War, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicide
zakcebulski's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It is always a lovely feeling when you realize that you have discovered a new favorite author. That is exactly what happened when I was reading Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and I picked up the name "Dozai" within.
That led me to reading No Longer Human earlier this year and then picking up and reading this novel- The Setting Sun .
Holy fucking hell. Dozai does something within these books that is absolutely amazing.
This book takes place from the point of view of Kazuko, who is a 29 year old woman and member of an aristocratic family. However, the setting of this book takes place in post- war Tokyo, in the time shortly after the second World War, which is also when the book was originally written- published in 1947.
I thought that this was a fascinating exploration of the experiences of people who come from hifalutin society and are forced to live in ways which run in direct contradiction to the way that they were accustomed to before and even during the war.
Kazuko has a brother named Naoji who was a soldier, who she and her mother thought to be deceased. However, about a third of the way through the book Naoji returns as a cruel opium addict.
He is frequently off in Tokyo's literary circles where he also indulges in alcohol as a substitution for his opium habit.
The story, what little there is to speak of, I think is enough of a framing device to explain character's actions. However, the story and the characters are mainly there as a means of exploring the impact that the radical shift in the sociopolitical landscape of Japan had on people. This is a fascinating lenses to view the world through as it shows aspects of Japan which are sorely missing from many history lessons of the subject. The discussion of revolutionary ideas and lifestyles is something that beforehand would never have been even an option for women in Japan, but, this book ends with Kazuko extolling the desires of raising a child conceived of wedlock on her own which runs in direct contradiction to the traditional values of Japan at the time- or so I have read.
I also appreciated the ways in which the personal struggles with Naoji are written- they are exceedingly raw with nothing left to imagination. He struggles with his history of being an aristocrat to the point where he feels genuinely inadequate and weak in his upbringing. These feelings are what leads him to drink and use opium as a means of numbing out these feelings. You get the feeling that throughout the writing of this book that Dozai was pulling from deep in his own personal feelings of isolation, inadequacy, desperation, malcontent and hopelessness, as he would very unfortunately go on to commit suicide the year following this novel's publication. I fully admit that I do not have anywhere near the understanding necessary to comment on the socioeconomic aspects of Marxism and socialism in Japan, but, I would be interested in reading further about this topic and the potential impact that it could have, should it be available.
One thing that I know that I am going to get from Dozai's work is a heaping load of symbolism. This book is no different as there is the frequent discussion of snakes, specifically snakes in this book. Snakes are seen as an omen, which is fascinating as in many cultures they reflect and represent this same idea.
I like the implementation of the karmic process wherein Kazuko attempts to burn some snake eggs of a snake that she perceives to be dangerous. This can later be seen as putting negative energy or karma in to the world- which is then repaid to her by the deaths of her mother, the suicide of her brother and the loss of her lover.
What I like is that this is just an interpretation and that Dozai did not give a definitive answer to if this is the correct interpretation or not. Rather, he lets the reader make a decision.
The prose is absolutely stunning. This book is filled with passages that beg to be read and re-read over and over again, and it is a pleasure to be able to do so. I have seen some instances wherein Kazuko's behavior is viewed as very mopey, and overtly complaining. I can absolutely see this, however, I am reticent to hold this against the writing. I think that this was an intentional choice by Dozai who wanted to make it apparent that these aristocrats were living in a time when the idea of the aristocrat was crumbling around them. While it is hard to muster up sympathy for people who had a very easy time by comparison to many other people, they are also dealing with a huge cultural and personal shift.
I also want to extend my praise to translator Donald Keene for his impeccable work, as always. I have read two works of Dozai's both of which were translated by Keene. What I most appreciate is that while reading these books they still have an air of the original heritage preserved, and not whitewashed, which is, from my research, a tough thing to toe the line on.
We are lucky to live in a time where Osamu Dozai wrote books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Drug use, and Classism
jawstbh's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Suicide, and Addiction
Moderate: Drug use
huebsi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Grief