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nad_books623's review against another edition
I did not feel the urge to finish reading this book. The plot of the book sounds interesting, but something about it bores me. Possibly, the way this book is structured. I wish there were more chapters or some type of stopping points.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
lucielreads_'s review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder
angeliteauraa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment
joelle99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have mixed feelings about this but I kind of liked how it deviated from the normal pace of a thriller. I liked the social and psychological themes explored from the angle of night life in japan. However, this book still falls into misogynistic tropes and is still a patriarchal point of view despite the author clearly trying to criticise the objectification of women in sex work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
sisa_moyo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is Murakami at his most dark and twisted. This is about an American Frank who comes to Japan to tour the red light district through the services of Kenji, the tour guide. But as the night darkens and the 2 walk through the streets of Japan the mood and tone get darker, deadlier and murderous.
I think Murakami excels most in these shorter books. Compared to his longer book Coin locker babies which at times felt like it meandered into tangents a bit, this felt more whittled down and straight to the point.
In the miso soup is well written in my opinion, the descriptions of Frank, of Japanese night life are so vivid you can clearly picture it, and also feel the creeps from Frank. There was wonderful commentary on America vs the other, of Japanese condition, loneliness and poverty that made the book a spectacular read.
I think while the ending was vague and extremely open ended I quite enjoyed it, the lack of concrete, blatant resolution keeps one thinking about the book long after it, about what happened to each character afterward.
I think Murakami excels most in these shorter books. Compared to his longer book Coin locker babies which at times felt like it meandered into tangents a bit, this felt more whittled down and straight to the point.
In the miso soup is well written in my opinion, the descriptions of Frank, of Japanese night life are so vivid you can clearly picture it, and also feel the creeps from Frank. There was wonderful commentary on America vs the other, of Japanese condition, loneliness and poverty that made the book a spectacular read.
I think while the ending was vague and extremely open ended I quite enjoyed it, the lack of concrete, blatant resolution keeps one thinking about the book long after it, about what happened to each character afterward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Self harm and Forced institutionalization
yuuqen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? No
3.0
Of course, I'm not sure there is such a thing as a real self. You could ransack your innards looking for the real you and never find it—slice yourself open and all you'll find is blood and muscle and blood.
Este es mi segundo libro de Ryū Murakami (El primero fue Audition). Se nota que tiene opiniones muy marcadas que no teme mostrar en su escritura. In the Miso Soup es una meditación interesante sobre las cosas que oriente y occidente aman, fetichisan y odian sobre la otra. Si bien el "antagonista" era obvio desde muy temprano en el libro, no por eso lo hizo menos tenso. La paranoia es un estado constante en donde la pregunta no es quién si no cuándo. Y cuando finalmente llega la explosión de violencia (Porque demora en llegar, y ese a mi parecer es su gran defecto), no decepciona.
Reconozco que, desde un punto de vista cultural, muchas referencias pasaron por sobre mi cabeza. Es muy probable que haya disfrutado mucho más el libro si mi conocimiento sobre la cultura japonesa fuera más extenso. Lo de la sopa de miso por ejemplo, no terminé de entender pero la puse en mi lista de alimentos que tengo que probar :). Creo que ese no era el punto pero bueno.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Self harm
bethany01's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-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: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
kpombiere's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit
mnstr_qn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't know where to start with this book. It was like watching a car crash. This is not my first Murakami novel, and their writing is intense, their stories extreme. I'm sure it's even more terrifying in it's original language. I wouldn't recommend it unless you can stomach some seriously dark stuff or you have a therapist you meet with regularly or both.
What is it about? A seedy underside of Japan, mental illness, and murder, played out under a cat and mouse game between the two main players.
Real talk, spoilers -I don't think Frank was a man. I think "he" was a woman in a fat suit. It's never addressed in the book, but there are some weird hints.
What is it about? A seedy underside of Japan, mental illness, and murder, played out under a cat and mouse game between the two main players.
Real talk, spoilers -
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
calamitydane's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.0
I liked the first two sections but I really didn't like section 3. The descriptions were disturbing, but I like that. The last part and especially the ending, didn't seem to mesh with the rest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism