Reviews

The Face of Another by Kōbō Abe

tzanet08's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Child death, Incest, War, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

giaslib's review

challenging

3.0

willchaney's review

challenging dark reflective sad slow-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

3.5

Focuses on a scientist who is disfigured in a lab accident and decides to make an extremely realistic mask. Most of the book is about him discussing the true nature of being a human, and do you need a face to be a person? A lot of philosophical wandering surrounding appearance and what that means. I thought it was ok, but challenging at times and prett dense. The plot is definitely secondary to the philosophical questions - though it is used to set some of those questions up. 

beachy123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

3.0

I found this a challenge to read. The first and last sections were good but the middle was to verbose! 

taraschn's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.0

tension_toast's review

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

absurtiddy's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

staypositive's review

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

myyearofreadingandrelaxation's review

challenging funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.0

davidduus's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.25

Great read, especially the end and the beginning really hooked me. Only critique, there are sequences in the middle part which are extremely stretched. Not artifically, but still quite challenging to keep up at times. Im sure its intended.