Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki

7 reviews

franzi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Infertility, and Body shaming

carlomartinez__'s review

challenging dark reflective slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

book_artiste's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Enjoyed the inclusion of feminist themes and think they were insightful from the perspective of women in Japan, but otherwise there were no "hot-takes" or new information for me in terms of this theme. Really enjoyed, however, how the plot was so well linked to this theme and did well to address many different issues in a natural way (didn't feel forced/performative). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infertility, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Classism, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Mental illness

NOTE: mislabeled trigger warnings as graphic, these are mainly moderate to mild but be aware these themes exist in the book

nix_jinx's review

challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The writing and, by extension, the translation, are phenomenal. I loved how the the descriptions of food were woven into so much of the character's perspective. 
Ultimately, this felt like an exploration of psychological manipulations, the subtleties and insidiousness. You have a character who overtly attempts to exude control over those who come into contact with her, but then you also have all the different influences who seek to control more subtly. Having the stark contrast of women fighting to live for something other than the men in their lives, and those fighting for the status quo in which men are all that matters was uncomfortable and powerful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, and Misogyny

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

teaandbooksnuggery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Infertility, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

sakisreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I WAS (AND AM) OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK. I am going to make it my entire personality for a month 🙂‍↔️

The sheer misogyny in Japan was evident throughout this book and made me angry (but not surprised).

Relationships wise…

I’m not going to lie, Rika finding herself better away from Makoto got me excited 😂 I also LOVED Reiko’s borderline queer love for Rika 🏳️‍🌈 Say gay!

I also thoroughly understood how Rika could be pulled into Manako Kajii’s charms; there was something inherently interesting and inviting about her 😳 I obviously didn’t agree with her politics but felt myself feeling sorry for her and sympathising with her!

A truly 5 star read for me, thank you ✨ Off to do lots of research into the true story 🙊

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, and Toxic relationship

anh_read's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

Aufregend und spannender Thriller mit viel Sozialkritik. Die Beschreibungen zu verschiedenen Gerichten haben mich hungrig gemacht. Leider hat sich die Story an manchen Stellen zu lange hingezogen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Body shaming, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent and Emotional abuse