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nimbos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book gathers everything I enjoy in a good read: an unreliable, morally ambiguous narrator, dark and twisted desires and religious imagery. Besides all that, it was a book that spoke so realistically about the struggles of a homosexual youth, that posed so many questions and that made me feel all the less alone in my own struggle. I found myself, as uncanny as this may sound, relating to the main character in many aspects of my journey of self-discovery.
It's medium paced and easy to read once you grasp the writing style. It is a very visual book, making up vivid pictures without becoming overly descriptive and these pictures are always filled with light, even in the most gorish descriptions, in contrast to the dire themes of the book. It is obsessive, intoxicating and erotic without ever being vulgar. It felt, overall, very sophisticated.
It's medium paced and easy to read once you grasp the writing style. It is a very visual book, making up vivid pictures without becoming overly descriptive and these pictures are always filled with light, even in the most gorish descriptions, in contrast to the dire themes of the book. It is obsessive, intoxicating and erotic without ever being vulgar. It felt, overall, very sophisticated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, and War
deadlizard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and War
seanamcphie's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lulotteum's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the inability to embrace who you truly are. i find this problem so tragic. the main character lies to others in order to convince himself that he‘s "normal". but the human brain cannot shut down human feelings.
beautifully written. the book has lots of fascinating thoughts and ideas. however, some of the scenes where mishima writes about main character‘s "fantasies" are too graphic. but maybe it makes the book more honest and realistic….?
i also would like to highlight the story of st. sebastian. wonderful reference.
beautifully written. the book has lots of fascinating thoughts and ideas. however, some of the scenes where mishima writes about main character‘s "fantasies" are too graphic. but maybe it makes the book more honest and realistic….?
i also would like to highlight the story of st. sebastian. wonderful reference.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder