Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

34 reviews

annorabrady's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

2.75

The book was an interesting premise but I had more questions than answers at the end. I expected some kind of explanation for what was happening, why the police were there enforcing it, why certain people were immune, etc. But instead it ended with just as much, if not less, knowledge of the events as it started. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

ek4therin4h's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief

serendipity421's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Dementia, Trafficking, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault and Death of parent

hannahnasir's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

One of Ogawa’s best works for sure. This book was real dystopia, without being so intense it was indigestible. I couldn’t put the book down. It kept me on my toes. And as I approached the end, I didn’t want it to. Not because it was so good (it was) I didn’t want it to end, but because for the first time in a very long time a book scared me. I felt genuine, eerily gentle fear. The way Ogawa packed in so much emotion into an environment that was anything but emotional was so impressive. Her ability to pin importance and value and emotional permanence to every day objects, and to make a story out of it is something I believe you won’t see anywhere else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Police brutality

mae55's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

this book was very somber and i grew to really like it. it's about powerlessness and inevitability, using the main character's personal and creative stories to display this. i found this book very moving and was not expecting to like it as much as i was. the author also uses imagery very effectively (i'm normally someone who skips over the nature descriptions, but i found these ones very succinct and effective). this is a read that will stay with me for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

*This was the first book I read for Women in Translation Month (August)!
“Men who start by burning books end by burning other men.”
The Memory Police is a grim dystopic novel, exploring an island dominated by the memory police, a government entity working to destroy historical objects and their recollection in humankind. Defying the memory police can mean death, but our narrator does so, in order to protect her editor-a man who does not forget-from the memory police.
As someone who read 1984 for high school English, I believe this novel would have made an amazing substitute. Both books hold a similar eerie and almost bleak mood, and the corrupt government organization is shared as well. The Memory Police stands out, however, through the utilization of the novel as a form. Also, not to mention that the women in 1989 are written with many stereotypes.
Overall, I would highly recommend for any dystopia fans, and I look forward to picking up The Housekeeper and the Professor in the future.
As always please check trigger warnings before reading! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death

ollie_again's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Police brutality

Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

bill369's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I heard good things about this book. That's why I read it.

I like Grandpa because he was always there for the main character and seems like he's trying his best.

From time to time, certain thing ceases to exist. Everyone except a few forget it ever existed. Those few people are at risk and mustn't let themselves get discovered to stay safe. I find this concept amusing. Yet I was pretty bored while reading. There were better parts, but I expected more.

I don't want to share any lines.

The end was well-made.

I could go without reading this book. I wouldn't want to immerse myself into the story again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

carolinalopezwatt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, and Grief

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death

szuum's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, and Police brutality

Moderate: Infidelity and Death of parent

Minor: Rape