No Longer Human

Honestly, I don't know how to start this review: should I commend its absolutely harrowing nature, page after page, somehow even more unrelenting than Living Dead Girl or Child of God , both of which also present their own extremelly unsettling character studies, respectively; should I criticize its othewise surprisingly lackluster narrative (despite its impeccable portrayal of existentilism in the most grimmest and unabashed light it can)?

No matter where I start and where my focus would lie, I think I'd always arrive at the same conclusion: this book is capital ‘D' depressing―and yet the devoidness I was subjected to still wasn't too overwhelming for me nor any more influential on my own personal existential crises as they stand. Speaking of which, moreso than the story itself and the themes tackled therein, I found the most impactful detail (or rather details) is the frightening parallel I see between myself and Yozo, the main character, regarding the nihilistic outlook on life that he has, although the specifics is where I diverge from Yozo's views. Nonetheless, the deathly bleak landscape of this novel was still interesting thanks to both the personal connection I developed with the book as well as the already morbidly interesting themes depicts through Yozo, who, if not morbid enough, is a stand-in for Osamu Dazai himself. On top of all of this, I think this book is even more unrelentingly depressing in its themes than the previous disturbing books I've read this year (see my reviews). Still, absolutely amazing example of existential-horror literature. Highly recommned, but I'm preaching to the choir.