A review by marissasa
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is depressing, strange, dark, difficult, and somehow so real. Despite the consistent themes of alienation throughout the book, the main character's thoughts and feelings, while quite intense, are at times surprisingly relatable. Instead of feeling sad for him or rooting for him, as I read on about his spiral into depression, alcoholism, and suffering I found myself simply understanding him. I can appreciate that this story feels like it was written not to make you cry or have sympathy for its main character, but to simply show the main character's unfiltered thoughts and feelings and make you think about what makes us human and what can make people feel like they aren't.
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