Reviews

In the Miso Soup by Ryū Murakami

jamroxx's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

rachelanngloria's review against another edition

4.0

4 stars maybe going to a 4.5? more philosophical and descriptive than i thought it was gonna be! some of the most gruesome and disgusting stuff i’ve ever read (iykyk). a quick and engaging read but it’s definitely not going to be for everyone

soitis's review against another edition

dark medium-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

3.75

jumpingjacksofy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

lisa_reads_a_lot's review against another edition

4.0

Loved it!

_elli_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

johnye's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

olympianclouds's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.75

definitely hooked me in. the climax started much later than i expected that when it happened, i lost my mind lol..

pensnfeathers's review against another edition

3.0

In the Miso Soup has a reputation online as one of the premier examples of transgressive fiction. While it certainly isn't a bad example of the genre, it wouldn't be my first recommendation, or my second, or my fifth. I found it to be a perfectly good story with a couple of interesting characters, a small handful of deeply disturbing scenes, and a fun descrition of Tokyo's seedier night life. Ultimately I just don't think this book does much of substance or anything particularly revolutionary, which is a substantial mark against an entry in a genre that is boundary-pushing by design.

At the end of the day, if you're already a fan of transgressive fiction, In the Miso Soup is probably worth reading as a popular entry in the genre that most readers will be able to burn through in a few hours. If you're interested in the genre but don't know where to start, I might begin elsewhere (perhaps with Alissa Nutting's Tampa or Dennis Cooper's The Sluts).

pete_chownsmith's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.25