Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

38 reviews

atomicsushi's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, and Suicide

jonwood's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

5.0

I thought this was a brilliant character study taking serious, thoughtful stab on psychological issues that should be thought about more, from how culture expectations on appearance and sexuality effect self-esteem to questions about deciding to have a child and how to go about it. Being moving book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness

anh_read's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad 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? No

4.75

Definitely, a “no plot, just vibes” book. However, I enjoyed the themes that are discussed in this book. In general, the book reflects the struggles of being woman in modern times. 

The first part “Breasts” centers around poverty and changes in your body. The second part of the book, “Eggs” focuses on motherhood and being a single parent. This part often got me reflecting on the struggles on becoming and being a parent. It also made me question to have children. This part is much longer, even more slow-paced. Some points were kind of repetitive. Nonetheless, it was still a wonderful and very informative read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

Minor: Body shaming, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

carojust's review

emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Mieko Kawakami is becoming one of my favorite, most relatable authors. I read "All The Lovers In The Night" before this, and fell in love with her storytelling and main character. "Breast and Eggs" follows a similar formula of a lost and lonely woman, trying to find meaning. 

This is divided in two parts. Book One was my favorite by far, and as a standalone work, pretty much perfect, a 5.0. I cried at the beauty of her descriptions of the older sister's simple and sweet devotion to her little sister, as well as the strained relationship with her teen daughter. 

Book Two is primarily focused on the younger sister, and I had trouble getting through its density -- beautiful writing, though overwhelmingly verbose. The prose doesn't have the back and forth dynamic that Book One does, switching from the teen's journal entries to the narrator's POV. Maybe that switch made Book Two feel more plain. Still very meaningful.

As a whole, this book delivers on what it means to be a woman in this world, the pressures and injustices, sexuality, the obsession with fertility, youth and appearances. The female characters sort through these themes in a heartbreaking, yet brave and honest way. I loved them, related wholeheartedly with them, and rooted for them.

You'll like this if you're interested in female perspectives, solitary main characters, thoughtful and intelligent writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

cgdppl's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

This is probably one of the best Japanese books I have read so far. It defiently showcases some of the challenges women face in Japanese society (and probably to some extent in other western countries as well). The plot consists of what can be essentially divided into two stories - Breasts ,and Eggs. 
The first one focusses on the relationships between mothers and their daughters in the main characters family. The main motives in this one are the struggles of low class women in Japan, relationships between mother and daughters, as well as reflections about the female body.
The second one is centered around the carrier of the main character and her struggles with pregnancy, having children and sustaining relationships with men in her life. The second story goes mainly into antinatalist motives and the morality of having children. 

The ending did leave me quite bitter and wondering if the main character has made the right choice about having the child by herself. We do sympathize with her through her story, but in the end it felt a bit odd and unease when reading the final chapter. It definetly left me with something to think about through some time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Misogyny

Minor: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

knupselmaus's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Rape, and Terminal illness

Minor: Infertility and Violence

u_0's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Beautiful, intense, and profoundly human. I'm at a loss for words. It was real.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt

cecereads__'s review against another edition

4.5

Really enjoyed the time I got to spent with Natsuko. The different relationships she has with the ppl in her life and how she navigates it all. I’m glad I took my time reading this rather than rushing through. Although, it all depends on your circumstance of course.
Just saying that I liked that I ended up savouring it bc I really became invested in her life, and it was just absolutely worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

pandorasirens's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Grief, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism

sofiacazares's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny