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snerp_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I did enjoy the small tidbits of world-building around Natsuki's belief in Popinpobopia, and
I thought we would've gotten a longer narrative through her childhood,
I enjoyed the concept Murata created, and was drawn in to read more when she used it to explore Natsuki's feelings and reactions to the mistreatment of her by the adults around her, but I feel the book ultimately veered too hard into shock-value territory, and caused any potential messages or analysis to be flung out.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cannibalism, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Drug abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, Infertility, Infidelity, and Stalking
edamamebean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Murder
justmys's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Sayaka Murata has a hell of a skill in making you deeply, deeply uncomfortable very quickly. This book begins following an autistic girl who doesn't fit in with the world but has found her coping mechanisms through fantasy and a friend in her cousin who thinks similarly. And then...we just yeet ourselves off the cliff entirely.
We go from child using fantasy to find understanding in a world that's always just to the left of their understanding, to SA to finally
I mean, hats off to Murata for the book. Just as disturbing and powerful as Convenience Store Woman. She writes neurodiversity and the way the world is viewed with such terrifying accuracy and isn't afraid or ashamed to tackle hard topics through their lenses.
But, yeah, fair warning going in this gets wild and dark fast. The ending felt like I'd stepped off the edge of a hill and was rolling fast to the rocks below.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Please read Trigger Warnings before going into this one if it's something you require. The most notable right off the bat are: Child SA Grooming Child Abuse SA Cannibalismertbert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
in short: i liked this book. but i would check out the trigger warnings as the book contains quite a few difficult topics. i am excited to digest this read and understand more about why it was written.
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, and Abandonment
if you can watch true crime videos and listen to podcasts with that sort of theme, i think you'll be able to stomach thisnabila99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
i never, ever finish books in one sitting, but i literally could not put this down. what an absolutely unique, gripping, heartbreaking, uncomfortable, visceral, fascinating story. mental illness, alienation, trauma, abuse, and survival in capitalist patriarchy are handled so well. despite the insanity of the plot, i found myself deeply relating to natsuki's distress with "the factory", and the feeling of literally being an alien. the ending was bizarre and cathartic and perfect.
i don't think a book has ever made me cycle through so many emotions in the span of a few hours. natsuki, yuu, and tomoya will stay with me for a long, long time.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit
danirc_'s review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Self harm, Grief, Stalking, and Alcohol