Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Brüste und Eier by Mieko Kawakami

7 reviews

saskiahill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Richly written, the author's writing style really brings the scenes to life. There's lots of interesting themes explored including parenthood, womanhood, being single, birth, growing up and more, which are tackled well. The book doesn't follow a really clear plot with obvious start, middle and end, but it is told in a linear way and feels satisfying nonetheless. The characters are neither lovable or bad, they are very real and relatable. At times the pace dipped, or I didn't particularly relate to a section - but I think that's more to do with me being a 'mood reader' than about the book itself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Cancer, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Infertility

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Rape, Incest, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Terminal illness

lady_bountiful's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Infertility, Death of parent, Incest, Pregnancy, Medical content, Rape, Bullying, and Domestic abuse

officialdani's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.25

Certain parts of the book felt like they dragged on too much, leaving me feeling bored and not wanting to continue reading. But the parts that were interesting really kept me engaged. The book explores so many aspects of womanhood, sexuality, motherhood, poverty, societal expectations, etc. it’s introspective and reflective making for a great, thought provoking read. I recommend powering through the rougher parts of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Pregnancy, and Infertility

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Abandonment, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, Rape, and Bullying

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Infertility

Moderate: Cancer, Dysphoria, Pregnancy, Grief, Terminal illness, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Minor: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Eating disorder, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Medical content, Acephobia/Arophobia, Incest, Body shaming, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Death

kbrsuperstar's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I think this might be one of the greatest novels I've ever read. The only extremely minor flaw was that it felt a little too neatly wrapped up at the end BUT OTHERWISE my god, I did not want this to end. I just finished it barely 30 minutes ago and maybe after I sleep on it I can be more insightful than just saying wow but also really WOW

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Incest, and Sexual violence

Minor: Transphobia, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

morebedsidebooks's review against another edition

challenging

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

Breasts and Eggs by Kawakami Mieko, a novel recounting “the intimate journeys of three women as they confront oppressive mores and their own uncertainties”, is a book I admit I went into with a bit of trepidation. I wondered what it might have to say about bodies, aging, womanhood, sex, children and patriarchal societies that I really aren’t deeply aware of already. 

Natsuko the asexual and sex-repulsed protagonist was the reason this novel was on my reading list in the first place. Her journey is thought-provoking to follow and melds somewhat with established traditions when it comes to Japanese feminine culture in fiction. Nonetheless a reader has to wade through so much to see how Kawakami toys with it all. Particular low points are where Natsuko becomes fixated or obsessed with other characters to the point she starts being disrespectful and invasive. The author too making use of worn-out devices, coarse raisonneur and at times poor metaphors trying to express something. (Such as a public bath scene with a ‘tomboy’ character or several segments with an incest and CSA victim character who is further anti-natalist.) 

Secondly, though I came at this book from the English edition first, as happens sometimes I then get a feeling I should look at the Japanese. It should be noted the English edition, translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd, took a certain approach to the Osaka dialect (namely not rendering it directly) trying to incorporate in a different way this aspect, which has a large bearing on the novel. This can be an acceptable method but, I think Kawakami’s writing may lose character and vivacity here. If this was not an already demanding book, I might have some more thoughts. Unfortunately, the last thing I want to do is a close reading. However, if one is inclined to read an excerpt of Breasts and Eggs and the decisions there of the translator of another of Kawakami’s books, Ms. Ice Sandwich, you can here.

I have no doubt this book reaches some people. And clearly there are those who could use some of the words in Breast and Eggs. However, the novel in general has an oblique gloss to it. Despite several of its characters forging out a path of survival for themselves as they go through cycles in life this is a visceral, nauseating, deeply unhappy book. Reflecting and navigating with its fiction the many ethical, moral, personal questions among structures and oppression. Which would not be so discomfiting except I have a difficult time in believing it balances the acutely offensive parts with the meaningful or, shines in English. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt

Also contains passages about menstruation and artificial insemination.

sygritte's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Cancer

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt