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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Violence is the novel's central psychological subject; the threat of violence is sustained
Language
Barely any
Mild language in the literary register
Sexual Content
Some
Some adult content connected to the psychological themes
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychology of intergenerational trauma and violence, and the terror of one's own compulsions, are Murakami's subject
What this book is about
Ryū Murakami's short novel follows Kawashima, who as a baby was nearly killed by his disturbed mother. Now, as an adult with a baby of his own, he develops a compulsion he fears he cannot control. The novel is a psychological thriller about violence, trauma, and the way violence passes between generations. Dark, precise, and disturbing. Not for sensitive readers.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Psychological violence and compulsion
Intergenerational trauma
Reader Verification
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