radiosys's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Body shaming, Medical content, Chronic illness, and Blood
Minor: Grief, Infidelity, and Adult/minor relationship
thespencerj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Incest, Child abuse, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
nanaki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
fajuuri's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, and Mental illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Adult/minor relationship
louminus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Addiction, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Chronic illness, and Sexism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
straaay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Suicide, Blood, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
books_onthe_ground's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Mental illness, and Murder
myynverse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The misogyny and his vices were hard to look at but I don't think it ruined the book for me. I don't think he was meant to be liked as an individual. It is harder to try and want him to do better due to the impact he has had on others, but that doesn't make his trauma any less. He still deserves to have good mental health - but man, he is pretty annoying with his actions.
The Epilogue was also amazing in terms of commentary about societal views on mental illness.
Spoiler
The fact that his journals were viewed as a good story instead of a narrative about someone's life? Whewww. The fact that Oba was referred to as a madman and had his private journals viewed shows an immense lack of empathy. He was judged harshly for not having good mental health and considering this was Osamu Dazai's last book before committing suicide, one can assume Osamu experienced a similar harshness.Spoiler
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
manel_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Violence, Sexism, and Rape
Minor: Infidelity
afi_whatafireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Before I start, I would like to say, to any of you who relates to this book in a sense that gives you so much pain, I hope that you're healing now at your own pace, and that you will find your own peace.
"Unhappiness. There are all kinds of unhappy people in this world. I suppose it would be no exaggeration to say that the world is composed entirely of unhappy people."
No Longer Human is said to be a semi-autobiography of Dazai before his death. A story that reflects of him but written in the character of Yozo, a boy who felt he no longer deserves to be called nor considered as a human. A story set in a journal-like-confession type of writing, of Yozo and his life.
Personal Ratings : 4.75🌟
I had to sleep on the book first before actually write my thoughts on this book. Its funny how a story like this serves somewhat a comfort read. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing positive in this book, but in some ways, it comforted you in a sense that you don't feel alone.
No Longer Human is a spiralling thought of Yozo who didn't feel he deserved to live, who sees himself as a monster and a menace to other people, and brings pain to everyone that he ever came across. You can't help but feel sorry for Yozo. Whilst his character was pitiful, he was also very very unlikeable, in which makes me sympathise him more. In a sense, as Yozo didn't see himself deserving to be human, he acted in the most inhumanely as possible, in which, drinking his woes away every night, sleeping with different girls everyday and turning to drugs to live. There is nothing likeable to his character and you will feel remorse and anger while reading as you'll feel he's somewhat wasting his life and talents away. What made it sad was how he acknowledged that everything that happened in his life, was His fault but he can't seem to break from the cycle. Since the story is set in the early 1940s, the idea of someone diagnosed is as foreign to taking drugs for your mental wellbeing, in which, Yozo became a character that is so hateful but you can't seem to hate him as he's trying to stay alive.
Not only that, this book reflected a lot on the political and societal expectations at the time, in which turned Yozo to the person he is. The inner-struggles that he faced with his parents and friends, the expectations of others for him. Dazai has a way in writing his stories in a cryptic way but with much to reflect. What made me sad was how at the end, Dazai had wrote that everything will pass eventually, and it hurts because he didn't make it. In some ways, he gave hope to us, that even if you feel life is hard, and hurtful and you feel that you're not a good person, you still and can change. It's not too late.
This is definitely a messy review. This book is NOT for everyone. I don't recommend picking it up if you don't need to. For those who feel that the story is comforting, I sincerely pray that better days are for you, and for those who can't understand, take the story with a grain of salt.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Death