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sorcha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Vomit
gladiolus17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’d recommend this book if you want to read a story about two people finding their way in life.
Some specific things I liked:
-Getting lost on the trains in Japan is a mood.
-I liked the line “fuck around with” the rear view mirror. Great verb.
-Great descriptions of food, and parallels with cooking and getting to know Mitsuko.
One thing that took me out of the story is that Japan doesn’t have a tipping culture, so Mike’s dad threatening to take the money out of the Kunihiko’s tips wouldn’t be possible. This wasn’t enough to make me dissatisfied with the story as a whole, though.
Graphic: Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Racism
sloanefg's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
Minor: Physical abuse
menomica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I feel like the book wanted to do things, but never really delivered. The book itself suffers from not having a proper ending, like much of the storylines in it. I think the most obvious example is with Tam. He’s introduced, as if he’s going to a huge player and very influential, but then he fucks off for 20 pages, and only comes back for three lines before Mike ditches him.
Other things/themes I felt like this book pointed at but never actually took the time to elaborate on:
- Racism: Besides the “racist jokes” and that instance with the racist waiter, the biggest moment of this for me was with the Workers at the play center and how they interacted with Ahmad/Benson was giving very much let’s antagonize the black kid cause it’s easiest to do. Also, even though it was a joke, them referring to Ahmad as Ben’s because they’re the only black people in the center felt… racially motivated. But it was never really elaborated beyond that. The theme of race itself was prominent throughout the book, and I think that was done well because it was obviously from an observational lense, and not with the intent of making commentary, but sometimes it felt like they’d touch on racism and then drop it like a hot potato
- Tam. Wtf. What was the reason for him being there. For Mike to have a potential love interest?? Nothing developed between them, and yet he was introduced as someone who was going to be super big and important for Mike.
THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE SEXThey exchange very minimal conversion and it just felt like there was supposed to be development there but it just never happened. And then Mike just left (like his dad did with him)!
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, and Medical content
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Racial slurs
debookgeek's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism and Sexual content
Minor: Fatphobia and Homophobia
peachani's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia and Infidelity
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
mxfahrenheit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming and Vomit
wai's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Vomit, and Police brutality
nordstina's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Memorial charts the relationship between Benson, a black daycare worker and Mike, an Asian-American chef. The book begins with their relationship the precipice of dissolution (of course they are not communicating that to one another though), when Mike finds out his estranged father is dying in Japan, and he leaves to spend time with him. Complicating factors further, Mike's mother Mitsuko, is en route to visit Mike, and is is decided that she will stay in Mike and Benson's one-bedroom apartment while Mike is in Japan.
The book is split into sections where each of the men are the narrator. While I enjoy this style, it always is a bit of a transition for the reader. I was throughly invested in Benson's life at work and at home with Mitsuko as they circled around one another, to only be transported to Japan to investigate Mike's relationship with his father. In the end, both narrations are rewarding. Themes of family, love, and devotion run throughout. The changing relationships we have as adults to our parents was well-reflected. We witness gesture of love without the word being spoken. Washington leaves the reader with a lot to chew on, and tears to wipe away. He is a very special writer.
Graphic: Physical abuse
gracew's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism