A review by ilovesnoopy
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

dark emotional 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

4.25

 Before even picking up this book, I highly recommend the reader to read up on Osamu Dazai's life because it gives so much valuable context to this book. The main focus of No Longer Human truly is about the flaws of the main character which reflect the author's own struggles before he took his own life. The writing style is an almost biographical nature and takes the reader on a journey of the hero's life from childhood to death. From this, the reader gains insightful perspective into Dazai's thoughts of the concept of a "society" and the qualities of being a "human" in a society. As the protagonist of the book grows up, his struggles and fears with his identity and belongingness grow with him. This book receives a lot of criticism for Dazai's writing of women but I argue it that his perspective is misunderstood and justifiably skewed by the protagonist (and author's) traumatic life experiences. 
Overall, an insightful read that would leave the reader contemplating their preconceived notions of society and gain perspective into the tragedies that are often hidden under its guise.
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