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alexandrabelze's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
my favorite kawakami novel by far! this one was so emotional and beautiful. i wanted nothing but the best for fuyuko the entire time and was absolutely devastated by the ending . i was not expecting to like this one as much as i did because of how i felt about kawakami’s other novels. i definitely will be recommending this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Suicide, Car accident, and Pregnancy
blau_elmo'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
4.0
This book was my introduction to Mieko Kawakami's writing, and it was quite a compelling read.
The plot is heavily character driven, focusing on the inner turmoil/depression of the protagonist. Covering themes of loneliness, love, affection and women's role in society, as well as mental health, the events of the book are shaded in this pervasive darkness, one that clings onto you like smoke.
A bit slow at times, the book is short and the narrative tight such that it does not overstay its welcome. I will be looking to read more of her stuff in the future.
The plot is heavily character driven, focusing on the inner turmoil/depression of the protagonist. Covering themes of loneliness, love, affection and women's role in society, as well as mental health, the events of the book are shaded in this pervasive darkness, one that clings onto you like smoke.
A bit slow at times, the book is short and the narrative tight such that it does not overstay its welcome. I will be looking to read more of her stuff in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Mental illness
Minor: Vomit
carojust's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a love story, a self-love story.
Our narrator is a proofreader who doesn't have friends. Even coworkers talk behind her back. She is alone with her work, and soon alone with alcohol.
Mieko Kawakami has given us a bitterly beautiful portrait of depression. This character watches life pass her by, even in the detachment she has with the stories she's proofreading. Her drinking drowns out the need to experience anything, to avoid showing up as herself. But there is a turning point that gives us hope. She is fascinated by light and color, "the color that we're seeing is whatever's left behind." She becomes infatuated with someone who gives her a sense of routine, and companionship.
You will love this if you're in the mood for something bittersweet, if you're in a solitary season of your life, if you're at the point where you're not sure what you're doing but want to contemplate and sit with the feeling.
Our narrator is a proofreader who doesn't have friends. Even coworkers talk behind her back. She is alone with her work, and soon alone with alcohol.
Mieko Kawakami has given us a bitterly beautiful portrait of depression. This character watches life pass her by, even in the detachment she has with the stories she's proofreading. Her drinking drowns out the need to experience anything, to avoid showing up as herself. But there is a turning point that gives us hope. She is fascinated by light and color, "the color that we're seeing is whatever's left behind." She becomes infatuated with someone who gives her a sense of routine, and companionship.
You will love this if you're in the mood for something bittersweet, if you're in a solitary season of your life, if you're at the point where you're not sure what you're doing but want to contemplate and sit with the feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Alcohol
biobeetle's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic friendship
sleepyriv's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nothing hits as close to my heart as japanese literature about loneliness. at only 20 i feel my life heading in the same direction as fuyuko’s. the melancholy quietness of her day to day, and finding comfort in someone n not knowing what to do with it. when mitsutsuka doesn’t show up on her birthday, i felt how painful that wld be, how hopeless the future wld feel knowing she’d be alone like that forever. maybe i shld make some more friends, but who’s to say it wld make any difference?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Vomit and Car accident
Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
dee_dee_dee's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Once you get through the exposition the writing has a nice flow and seems very attentive but there are passages that are hard work to get through. Might be worth it though. Overall the plot seems rushed anyways.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Sexual assault
Moderate: Mental illness
julesjb's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Sexual assault
mromie's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
Similar to her bestseller Breast and Eggs, Kawakami explores the themes of becoming as well as defining womanhood for oneself against a world that speaks so loudly on the ways a woman should be. In the vein of great Japanese novels, Kawasaki delves into these thought-provoking concepts ever so subtly through delicate yet poignantly worded descriptions of the mundane and muddled paragraphs of the main character’s inner thoughts and feelings.
The main character Fuyuko is stuck in an endless loop of isolation and passivity. I understood the feeling of wanting decisions to be made for you and to numbingly move through day to day. Fuyuko could even withstand being completely alone with no one to really talk to for a month or so.
Fuyuko reminded me of a quote from Fleabag where the titular character says, “I want someone to tell me what to wear every morning. I want someone to tell me what to eat. What to like, what to hate, what to rage about. What to listen to, what band to like…who to love and how to tell them.” There can be freedom in passivity, letting go of control and seeing where the waves of life take you. But, as we see with Fuyuko, there is also great damage as she numbs and blurs life through alcohol and struggles to build meaningful relationships.
I appreciated how the book ended without the resolution of a grand love story, rather with Fuyuko recognizing how bright and full of energy life can be, how striking it is to have felt something even if it is pain or hardship. It was wonderful to see the differences in how Hijiri and Fuyuko interacted with each other in the end. Instead of thoughtlessly nodding through Hijiri’s rambling, Fuyuko was now an active participant. Made me proud of the MC
The main character Fuyuko is stuck in an endless loop of isolation and passivity. I understood the feeling of wanting decisions to be made for you and to numbingly move through day to day. Fuyuko could even withstand being completely alone with no one to really talk to for a month or so.
Fuyuko reminded me of a quote from Fleabag where the titular character says, “I want someone to tell me what to wear every morning. I want someone to tell me what to eat. What to like, what to hate, what to rage about. What to listen to, what band to like…who to love and how to tell them.” There can be freedom in passivity, letting go of control and seeing where the waves of life take you. But, as we see with Fuyuko, there is also great damage as she numbs and blurs life through alcohol and struggles to build meaningful relationships.
I appreciated how the book ended without the resolution of a grand love story, rather with Fuyuko recognizing how bright and full of energy life can be, how striking it is to have felt something even if it is pain or hardship. It was wonderful to see the differences in how Hijiri and Fuyuko interacted with each other in the end. Instead of thoughtlessly nodding through Hijiri’s rambling, Fuyuko was now an active participant. Made me proud of the MC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness
lesliekate's review against another edition
dark
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
2.0
I feel like I didn’t get this at all. it started off so strong, then got so depressing and creepy and weird and uncomfortable, then completely irritating and fucked up, then slightly better. I am lost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexism, Vomit, and Pregnancy
sea_sea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was such a good book! It was so beautifully written and I really liked how the ending wasn’t the classic “happy end” but you could still tell that the mc had grown as a person. . It also had very sad parts ;^;… I think the mc was really likeable and relatable, I enjoyed reading the book from her perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Self harm, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship