Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

60 reviews

iriwindel's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Body shaming, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt

ninee's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

Ottimo libro per giovani ragazzi/e nei loro primi anni di adulto per una riflessione sulla condizione di donna e sul ruolo che la società impone su di ella.



Il finale mi ha rimasta un po’ spiazzata o forse sono solo io a non essere stata capace di capire la protagonista.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Mental illness, and Misogyny

shuuuuu'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

4.0

 There is very little exposition in the book, which I think made the book more interesting and keeps you wanting to continue reading. As the reader, you’re always trying to figure out what has happened and the motives and feelings of each character based on the character’s actions and what they say. This book is split up in to two parts, Book 1 and Book 2. I did not expect to finish the book based on the pacing and content of Book 1, but Book 1 is much shorter than Book 2. I enjoyed Book 2 a lot more because the characters were in a better situation and the subject matter of Book 2 was more interesting. However, Book 2 rarely reference the events that had occurred in Book 1, which I found odd. When you are reading through Book 2, Book 1 just feels like a very distant memory that you have of the characters, which is an interesting way to develop the characters with the reader. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

augustst's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• 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

A wonderful and important book. I love how the author described colors, feelings, and people. I’m also surprised at the emotions it got out of me. Truly a lovely piece of writing, even if some parts of it drag a bit. 

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Loved this read. What Patrick White tried to do in the book I recently reviewed is what Kawakami does perfectly. It was emotional, entertaining, informative, reflective… one of those works that sticks with you. The ending was hopeful without being cliche, and above all, the story was realistic and believable. Bonus points for autism representation and (potentially? Probably?) showing someone on the ace spectrum (although I am not 100% sure if either was intentional it is always nice to see). I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

ireadingbooks's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Homophobia and Transphobia

ktrain3900's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

This is a slice of life novel, and a social commentary novel, and a feminist novel, meandering largely through hot, sticky summers in Tokyo and Osaka, while also meandering through the lives of a number of interesting and unspecial (in the best way) mostly female characters.

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. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, and Rape

ahanky'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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment