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Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
23 reviews
kathleendayle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy
q_bert13's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
5.0
I’ve been recommended Norwegian Wood more times than I can count, but I decided to read this as my first Murakami book. A saddening story about loosing friendships- taking time to heal, and eventually returning back home to seek out those past friends. An emotional, reflective story full of complex, colourful characters. Despite how sad the themes could get, Murakami’s writing style is beautiful and warm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death and Rape
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
yasaman's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Homophobia and Abandonment
kaylamoran's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
3.75
This is such a hard book to rate, as there were things I loved and things I hated. I hated the way the story centered on a fake rape accusation. I really don't think that's a helpful narrative, and it wasn't necessary for the story. Tsukuru could have been shunned for any number of reasons. I also found it a bit frustrating how seemingly cheating wasn't a red flag? Why would Kuro tell Tsukuru to fight for a woman with another boyfriend? Ultimately I related to Tsukuru in many ways, and I was really rooting for him. Usually slow paced books with a ton of descriptors bore me, but that didn't happen here. I do wish Murakami spent a bit less energy describing women's breasts though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Moderate: Eating disorder and Murder
Minor: Miscarriage
ardour's review against another edition
very triggering for me, i intend to come back to it when I’m at a more stable place with community/belonging (as it seems really compelling/well written) —please see my trigger information (spoiler-free) if you related to my reason for putting the book down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship
if you currently struggle or have recently struggled with isolation from friendships/community (and some resulting existential grief/depression/meaninglessness, I would shelve this book for now and come back to it at a later date ❤️🩹 if you can relate, I can too and you’re not alone ❤️bumblebee2006's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Very gripping!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Abandonment
googles's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Self harm
Minor: Abandonment
maidinnah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Colorless is my second Murakami novel following Norwegian Wood, which leads me to concur with other readers that the classic Murakami tropes are fully present. In Colorless, Murakami explores the magic and fragility of childhood friendships and the impact they have on one’s identity. His writing is keen, introspective, and pensive, as always. I enjoyed the surreal atmosphere, the plain prose, and the emotionally affecting message of perseverance. However, the book did fall short of me loving it because of Murakami’s poor character writing and unnecessary plot devices.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault
jinglebellyee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Still thinking between 2 or 3 stars… I really want to love it because of the friendship struggles that the book explores (which personally hits very close to home) but oh man.. I absolutely can’t unds the part where Tsukuru was “accused” of “r@ping” his friend Shiro like what do you mean – you either did it or you didn’t!! It’s so violent and horrifying but yet the book didn’t conclude the part well (or so I thought) and it merely just ended with Shiro being mentally ill.. and brutally murdered?! And the murderer is on the loose!
It’s also very strange (and honestly disturbing) that Tsukuru has sexual dreams about his platonic female friends, and continues to talk about Kuro’s breasts and feminine touch when he met up with her WHILE he had Sara as his girlfriend. I wished they focused just on the friendship and the coming-of-age, adulting and self-identity struggles they each had, without going into unnecessary details about Tsukuru’s inner sexual desires that really didn’t add much to the story. Like isolation and loneliness, and having all your friends walk away and ignore you out of the sudden.. HURTS and they are so real! Which the author could have focused on, and explored more when they finally reunited. And the abstract meanings and life lessons that people like Sara, Haida bring to Tsukuru’s life.. so many more meaningful things to talk about.
I’m going to walk away from this story just remembering that Tsukuru is a h@rny guy that wants to screw all his female friends. Okay yknw what, 2 stars it shall be then
It’s also very strange (and honestly disturbing) that Tsukuru has sexual dreams about his platonic female friends, and continues to talk about Kuro’s breasts and feminine touch when he met up with her WHILE he had Sara as his girlfriend. I wished they focused just on the friendship and the coming-of-age, adulting and self-identity struggles they each had, without going into unnecessary details about Tsukuru’s inner sexual desires that really didn’t add much to the story. Like isolation and loneliness, and having all your friends walk away and ignore you out of the sudden.. HURTS and they are so real! Which the author could have focused on, and explored more when they finally reunited. And the abstract meanings and life lessons that people like Sara, Haida bring to Tsukuru’s life.. so many more meaningful things to talk about.
I’m going to walk away from this story just remembering that Tsukuru is a h@rny guy that wants to screw all his female friends. Okay yknw what, 2 stars it shall be then
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Abandonment
ellagriffin_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Brewed coffee & false allegations. Thinking all you are is grey. Tokyo skies & bullet trains. Chlorine & matching suits. The cold that comes after people abandon you. An unplanned strong first step into Murakami’s work, with sadly more relatable subject matter than I care to admit. A dark mirror into my mind for the past little while.
I was hoping for a little more of the magical realism he is known for, and found the pace slower than necessary in parts. But at it’s core is beautiful prose, clear human observations & an infectious sense of place. Looking forward to rest of his collection. 🤍
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment