A review by mi7sma
Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai

reflective relaxing sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was by far the best dazai book I've read regardless of it's length. The nameless schoolgirl lost her father to unknown causes which leads the mind to wander and bind to the storyarche and try to ascertain it's premise but while reading this book. Personally, I am of the view that the social structure of the world is being explained in the eyes of a grieving adolescent girl with a more nihilistic outlook to life(kinda my thing ngl). The mundane imagery added to the simplicity of the book reimbursed by dazai's writing style(kinda different from his other works). What I found funny is that he referenced his future book "the setting sun" in it too. That was fun. It also touches on themes of parental emotional unavailability and the inability to cope with a child's growth stemming from stagnated perception. The sycophant bit about the mom with her guests was a little relatable since we're all conditioned to smile through it all without an outward show of emotion cause' that's rude obviously. There were also bits that I found relatable like how she zoned out occasionally and went through depersonalization as well as berating herself/questioning her existence. Aaand yea, guess that's it. 
10/10 would read again. Maybe. Idk if I have the attention span or the drive to do that but you get my point right? 
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