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iriwindel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Body shaming, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
ninee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Il finale mi ha rimasta un po’ spiazzata o forse sono solo io a non essere stata capace di capire la protagonista.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Mental illness, and Misogyny
shuuuuu'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
4.0
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
augustst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Grief and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Alcohol
pizzaisjesus98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Blood, and Stalking
tayaingrid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Abandonment
anniemlx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape
ireadingbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia
ktrain3900's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In the journal entries, long conversations, and hallucinatory dreams of the Part 1 (essentially the Breasts section) we meet Natsuko, her sister, and her niece, as the latter two visit Natsuko in Tokyo for sister Makiko's breast enlargement consultation, where Natsuko is ultimately a foil in the drama between Makiko and Makiko's tween daughter Midoriko, all while exploring aspects of her own childhood.
Part 2 (essentially the Eggs section) is more stream of conscientiousness, with the dreamy quality now more like a ghost haunting old neighborhoods, almost through time, the long conversations now with colleagues and friends, as Natsuko now contemplates having a child as a single mother by choice. She continues to explore her own past and life, as she emerges from a fog to forge a future she wants.
While I found the book a little hard to engage with when I first started, to the point I started reading other books for a break, I was able to breach the tidebreak and get into the ocean of the book and it's well thought out and considered debates between the mainly female characters. The ending did feel a little bit contrived, or at least convenient, but ultimately this is a novel that deserves a place along with classics like The Golden Notebook and The Women's Room addressing women's issues and creativity from a more contemporary lense.
Minor: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, and Rape
ahanky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infertility and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment