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soton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I still think they're well written, and I like the magical realism aspects, but ultimately I didn't enjoy the fetish content which I feel like was a huge aspect of this book. The pseudo-incest foreshadowing "You are prophesized to sleep with your sister and mother", and the weird way Oshima was written about calling him a "he/she" who "becomes a woman when he sleeps" all just made me want to stop reading it. The intended thrill of the incest just manifested as dread for me, and the self-insert rape scenes were worse than I was expecting. It feels like reading someone's personal fantasy fulfillment for fantasies I don't have. It's clear Murakami books aren't for me.
Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, Animal death, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Transphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Death of parent, and Abandonment
jayvdw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
After finishing the book the first thing I did was browse the internet for almost an hour, reading and listening to different theories. The book is complex and like Murakami said: the book consists of several riddles with no answers, instead the riddles combine, and the possibility of an answer emerges. In my eyes, this means there is no one way to interpret the book. Each and every person will have their own view of the meaning and full story.
I loved how the book combined Western and Eastern philosophy and mythology. This only enriches the fever dream-like feeling of the book. In addition to this, the book talks about many different important themes and makes you think about them.
Overall, the book is wild and crazy, it brings out the magic within the mundane. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a more complex story. Even after finishing the book, it will still haunt your mind and you will wonder what it all could really have been about.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Sexual content, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: War, Suicide, Incest, and Grief
clusterf_cked's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Murder, Incest, Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Gore, Alcohol, War, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Blood, Abandonment, Death, Cursing, Rape, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
kazutooth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, and Incest
bananaza55's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Blood, Grief, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Murder
norliuwu's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Incest, and Death
Minor: Blood
ericispublius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Incest, Transphobia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence
lio_ramon_dolor's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Violence, Death, Sexism, Blood, Gore, Misogyny, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: War
smalljules's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Magical realism was a new genre for me but I think I enjoyed that aspect of it.
There were parts of this book that made me laugh, cry, scream “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK”, and parts that had me questioning my own sanity.
I think I really liked it.
I have no idea if I would recommend this book.
But I am so glad I read it.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Rape and Sexual content
Minor: Death, Abandonment, Incest, and Murder
kathleendayle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Incest