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bigolarlocat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I've read some other of his works and what I've found is that the themes of the book precede the narrative. What matters in this book are the themes of fate vs rebirth, light vs dark etc. and how our characters grapple with them.
In finishing the book I was initially left somewhat disappointed in the lack of a conclusive plot, however I find the excitement of his novels come from how you, as the reader, deconstruct the plot based on your interpretation of his themes. You are always left guessing because there are never clear answers and the freedom to organise a plot by feeling like your solving a mystery is an experience that is rare and ultimately rewarding.
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, War, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt
pelid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Torture and Violence
ekkane'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
5.0
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Suicide, Rape, and Incest
itzelgmadrid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, War, Violence, Suicide, and Rape
letter_planet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War and Violence
phantomeyer'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Sexual assault, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, and Animal death
Moderate: Suicide, War, and Abortion
gxceli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
You have to be able to look past the male gaze-iness (and boy, is it strong) and be able to accept that the plot has little to no consistency, despite the writing itself being pretty redundant a lot of the time.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, Body horror, Gore, Violence, Sexual content, and War
Moderate: Suicide attempt
theropfather'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: War, Murder, Violence, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Abortion
amelody's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Torture, Misogyny, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide, Incest, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion
dsalazar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
This is all minor because overall I enjoyed the depth the characters had. This is my first Murakami book and it was exactly what I expected in terms of magical realism and explaining a mystery just enough that you want to know more but also would rather not know at the same time. So many unsettling scenes that were page turners. He captures complex emotions so well I had to put the book down during some of the more (literally) torturous chapters.
100% recommend
Graphic: Abandonment, War, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Confinement, and Torture
Moderate: Rape and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Animal death, Incest, and Suicide