Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Ring (Ring, #1) by Kōji Suzuki

25 reviews

xavz_'s review against another edition

1.0

boy howdy was this book gross and also bad. completely unnecessary intersexphobia and like WAY too much rape. the parts where i wasn't mad i was sooo bored. i should have dnf'd at the beginning of the book (even before ryuji was introduced and asakawa really said i can excuse SERIAL RAPE but i draw the line at making noises when you chew. absolutely bonkers.) but alas i continued and that was a mistake. no reason this book had to be doin all of that. nasty.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

devynrj's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder, and Sexual harassment

jaylee_books's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Transphobia

Moderate: Chronic illness and Death of parent

pimmles's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Alcohol

Regarding the "minor" transphobia tag, not 100% accurate, more intersex-phobia details ahead:

During the story it is revealed that Sadako is intersex. I put it as minor because the author, to his credit, never seems to actually treat that as a negative thing in any regard. It is talked about as a medical curiosity but no more, though it is ofcourse on the infamous horror villain and does have some problematic elements to it.

kchin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

It's all sorts of messed up. There must be significance to some parts of the book that I didn't grasp but it's likely cultural nuances. As a long time horror fan I'm happy to have finally read this cult classic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

suzyrez's review against another edition

1.0

Strongly not recommended; offensive misogyny & transphobia

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Transphobia

choco_bunbun's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny and Blood

Minor: Cursing, Transphobia, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

emmiebee's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

To hit on some of the questions asked. It's lack of diversity being a Japanese book is more or less to be expected it's more that every single person who played a real role in helping move the plot forward was a guy. The women were few and far between and were either character development, obstacles, or motivation. 
Very early on in the story we're introduced to MC#2 or main support and he's introduced to us as the guy who broke into a girl's house and raped her. Wtf!? Our MC doesn't like this about him but chooses to remain his friend for decades later. Ok. (It's so the author can justify him seeing the tape) how dark he is is brought up multiple times and supposedly the key to realizing what actually happened to our dead girl. (The use of the word supposedly is explained in the spoiler section). The MC isn't a great person either the only time he expressed any positive emotions for his family was when their lives were at risk. I read this having not read the reviews because a "friend" said it was so good, hah. Seriously don't read the spoiler if you plan on reading the book. There's nothing interesting about this once the why of it all is revealed. It doesn't even do the suspense thing well. I would've been *slightly* more invested if they had added a little something to it like the closer they came to the day the more they were feeling watched, or seeing shadows out of the corner of their eyes, or really anything other than the MC reminding us how many days are between him and a week.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

at the end of everything the author tries to walk back everything he set up about the friends dark personality. Again it was a plot device to give his MC a reason to show the tape to him, because his MC is a "good guy" and would never willingly risk someone's life. It mostly follows along with the movie version (US, I don't remember the Japanese version) with the exception of the male MC being married with a kid, and they get wrapped up in the plot halfway through so he sends them to the country while he figures it out, and there's a lot more focus on parapsychology and how the video was made. The most important, infuriating part of this book that made me rant about what a waste of time it was was that instead of going with an ok villain arc of this viral video as an answer to the countrywide cruelty her mother faced and she feared as people with telekinetic powers, the cruelty that led to her mother's ultimate suicide, all powered by the rage of being killed by the man who just raped her. The author decided, no she's intersex and so can't have kids and was a virgin (because of the shame of her testicles) and the video is making her a mother to millions. Fuck you, kuji, jfc.

stevienielson's review

dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content

kattrent's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.5

I was excited and surprised to know that The Ring was a book before a movie! And a series at that!
After finishing the novel I can definitely say there are a few things- I would not recommend this to most intersex peoples because it can be seen as vilifying them towards the end of the novel

because Sadako is found to be intersex after she is raped and the fact that she is perpetuating the curse as a means of reproduction

. Besides that, I found the twist and pacing to be well done, and the imagery was stunning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Murder