Reviews

El declive by Osamu Dazai

wigglystickdude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

katleana's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

holbeancoffeeld's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

4.5

mangonana's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Medical content, Death of parent, War, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual content

nguyencl's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-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

viraaptrh's review against another edition

emotional relaxing sad medium-paced

5.0

nannalunarscribe's review against another edition

dark inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

shagan01's review against another edition

4.0

Okay honestly so so good. It really shows the depths of how people cope with heavy emotions. Absolutely LOVE this author

lel_o's review against another edition

5.0

i love a book where all the characters are depressed as hell and then find a reason within themselves to keep going. great book with deep quotes, hung on to every word. 

chimo's review against another edition

5.0

"Anger, low self-esteem, shame, toxic love, self-doubt, aloofness, guilt, agony, selfishness, fear, emptiness, helplessness, anxiety... " and all these negative emotions in a single novel. This book smelled of death. "Osamu Dazai" has this ability to detect people's weaknesses and zoom in on them, making that dark shadow visible. I was reading, and at a certain point in the novel, I started feeling on edge and had an intense need to cry. I find it incredible that he can convey the emotions of the characters so clearly and vividly in such a straightforward tale and writing style; he makes me feel the feelings behind the sentences. I believe that the source of the suffering of Dazai is this ability to see the invisible mask on people's faces and reaching a level when he can't take it anymore, you can see this in his novel. I've read three of them so far, and in all three, I couldn't help but wonder if he was writing about himself.
I loved the novel, and I would welcome Dazai to the club of my favorite authors.