Reviews

All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami

arlaines'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

cosmicaline's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

patatina's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

A subtle and athmospheric novel about selfhood, love and friendship. Beautifully written. Some aspects and motives of the side characters were left very unclear to me. 

Spoiler

SPOILER

I am really not sure the novel dealt with the topics of addiction and trauma from s.a. very well... the protagonist develops a serious problem with alcohol and then just quits but continues to drink socially and there is never a question whether this is realistic for an addict. I have an issue with that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Alcoholism

kexinmeng's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

vittoriarosaria's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

allbookedup_chel's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

3.75

sunskyleia's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

st3phi3's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

outoftheofficeagain's review against another edition

2.0

This feels flat and dated. The themes of feminism and social norms and even the toll trauma takes on women (specifically) are interesting but it's stuff l've read before and not particularly impactful. I usually feel at a distance from Kawakami's characters but it was more-so in this one.

One interesting question; How much of ourselves is our OWN choice? Are we created by adhering to society or rebelling? And if so, is it determined by our real conviction?

murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0