Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

24 reviews

abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent

bookssupremacy8920's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Medical content

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicide

marissasa's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

This book is depressing, strange, dark, difficult, and somehow so real. Despite the consistent themes of alienation throughout the book, the main character's thoughts and feelings, while quite intense, are at times surprisingly relatable. Instead of feeling sad for him or rooting for him, as I read on about his spiral into depression, alcoholism, and suffering I found myself simply understanding him. I can appreciate that this story feels like it was written not to make you cry or have sympathy for its main character, but to simply show the main character's unfiltered thoughts and feelings and make you think about what makes us human and what can make people feel like they aren't.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

thespencerj's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

squidknees's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

straaay's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent

myynverse's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

No Longer Human is such a good book to show the hypocrisy embedded in our mindset of mental illness. The actions and words never align, and when they do, they start to change completely. We see the perspective of this man who is struggling and can acknowledge it, yet cannot change it. He is stuck in this pattern of vices to try and feel, even if it hurts in the end because he wants to feel something.  Oba struggles with the perception of himself, how others see him, and how society will see him.  He treads on the fine line between feeling above and below everyone. We get to see the perspective of someone being stuck in this void, especially during a time period and culture that doesn't speak of mental illness as human. 

The misogyny and his vices were hard to look at but I don't think it ruined the book for me. I don't think he was meant to be liked as an individual. It is harder to try and want him to do better due to the impact he has had on others, but that doesn't make his trauma any less. He still deserves to have good mental health - but man, he is pretty annoying with his actions.

The Epilogue was also amazing in terms of commentary about societal views on mental illness.  

The fact that his journals were viewed as a good story instead of a narrative about someone's life? Whewww. The fact that Oba was referred to as a madman and had his private journals viewed shows an immense lack of empathy. He was judged harshly for not having good mental health and considering this was Osamu Dazai's last book before committing suicide, one can assume Osamu experienced a similar harshness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape

maddie_is_literate's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit

ye_li's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

What does it mean to be human? The book explores this question through the eyes of someone who does not understand, will never understand, and will die without knowing—what does it mean to be human? Oba Yozo is not a likable character. An intriguing, unlikeable character; I cannot help but be fascinated, though I'm certain I would detest him if I were to ever meet anyone like him. You are not your body, not your mind; not your thoughts, not your feelings; you are nothing at all, not even human.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit and Sexual harassment

kakeyame's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Blood, and Alcohol