Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

42 reviews

rubywaitweg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

Really enjoyed the general reading experience of this book but also felt quite unsure and a bit confused a lot of the time. 

Why is everyone obsessed with Toru?? Almost all of the characters (maybe apart from Stormtrooper?) find him to be extraordinary in some way. In reality he seems to have a pretty average (and kinda boring?) personality. He’s also pretty emotionally distant and has sex with every woman in the book when they’re in extremely vulnerable states? Made me feel quite uncomfortable, especially bc they all seem to have amazing sexual experiences?? Just didn’t seem realistic to me and made me question the male (/just misogynistic?) perspective

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Sexual content and Sexual violence

julia_rose's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

I really liked it and I think it’ll be a book that sticks with me. I can already tell it’s going to need a lot of processing to fully digest. For people who need plot I wouldn’t recommend, but I’m impressed how Murakami didn’t make me bored nonetheless.

I had my eyes peeled for the subliminal sexism the whole time and admittedly I didn’t spot what the fuss was about until the closing scene which was an eye roll moment for me. So minus points for that, but overall still one of my favourite reads of the year so far.


On the Trigger Warnings:

There are a lot of suicides for one book, but I wouldn’t consider any of them  described in graphic detail. For each one, the method of death is stated but not described after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Sexual violence

evilstrawberry's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual violence

st1va's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexual violence

storieswithannej's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

DNF at 57%

The scene with the 13 yo girl and what Reiko and Naoko said about this psychological illness not going to heal triggered me. Now every next line that Reiko would mention "snap!" I felt like something in me's snapping too, that I need to pause for a while because it suddenly felt too much. I felt my heart beat racing too and I need a breather. I can't seem to remove that image from my mind.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

hunnylemon's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

0.25

those were three days i’ll never get back. i don’t know why everyone recommends this as a good starter to murakami novels it is shite and the only thing that kept me reading was knowing what will happen to the manic pixie dream girl and her side piece (the main character apparently). there are too many things wrong with this book it felt like i was reading a much more graphic version of “looking for alaska”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

katanarin's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

Like always Murakamis style of writing is very delicate. The plot is interesting, good pacing, poetic descriptions.
 The plot and fantasy aspect differs to other Murakami books, this book is a romance novel and got nothing surreal to it. 
There is like always one thing that annoys me about this book or about Murakami in general. 
The way he writes woman lol
Again - every woman is at one point in this book just an sexual lust-object for the protagonist or another male. In Kafka on the shore it somehow made sense to me but in this book it seemed really unnecessary and at some point it was so annoying that it really ruined the moment. It's just sad :,)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexism and Toxic relationship

redflyingbook's review against another edition

4.25

This was my first murakami novel - I did recognize some problematic aspects but altogether it was a stunning rendition of what might be some of the most formative years of a life. It beautifully depicts complex personalities and struggles that hit quite close to home, exploring topics like love, friendship and mental health in utterly poetic and emotional ways. I really did like the writing style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

kimberlyallen011's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

peckreadsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Suicide