A review by mcrespo
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

when dazai isn’t writing about women, his writing is raw, poignant and nothing short of incredible, and when he is writing about women, i yearn to punch him in the jaw. i rarely pick up books written by men because men can hardly ever resist the urge to be misogynistic, and dazai is not exempt from this, however, he writes this stream of consciousness ramblings of a depressed, anxious, and addiction-ridden person very well. the novel is reflective and, unfortunately, excruciatingly relatable. being in your twenties truly is the trenches, and dazai encapsulated that perfectly in “no longer human.” anyone who struggles with depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, addiction, and navigating the world as someone neurodivergent might see themselves in dazai's main character yozo, so please mind the trigger warnings. <3 if you're like me, this book will spark some intense internal dialogue, reflection, and perhaps an existential crisis or two, and for that this book gets 5 stars, but for the demeaning, degrading, and disparaging women, i take away a star. 
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