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academicanko's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kingbrettalomew's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
janagaton's review against another edition
4.0
you can't tell me this book wasn't inspired by Tomie by Junji Ito to some extent
malicemushroom's review against another edition
5.0
This book immediately became my favorite. I found myself getting attached to the two main characters despite their horrible actions. This twists in this book are so beautifully crafted, using its format as a book extremely well. I was planning to just read the manga instead, but I’m extremely glad I didn’t. The way this book uses the medium to its advantage is absolutely perfect. I seriously recommend it if you can handle descriptions with excessive gore
oumaima_mekni's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out of 5
This a riveting piece of work.
Initially I was thrown off by the identities of the characters, trying to figure out who is who, but as I delved deeper, I gained a better understanding about the nature of the book and it’s enigmatic characters. Otsuichi unfolds a story of macabre, violence and dark obsessions through characteristically flawed and morally ambiguous characters. The different settings are eerie and the encounters are dreary for they draw a sense of unease throughout the entirety of the book. Each experience of each character is different and multifaceted, yet they all ultimately converge to form a bigger picture. And this eventually forms a well-crafted interconnectedness.
Morino’s character has intrigued me the most. I wouldn't go as far as calling her the axis of the story, but her character certainly holds a central position. She exudes an air of mystery and unpredictability, as well as a peculiar aloofness. Her fascination of with gruesome crimes and her détachement from reality definitely adds an extra chilling layer to the story.
This a riveting piece of work.
Initially I was thrown off by the identities of the characters, trying to figure out who is who, but as I delved deeper, I gained a better understanding about the nature of the book and it’s enigmatic characters. Otsuichi unfolds a story of macabre, violence and dark obsessions through characteristically flawed and morally ambiguous characters. The different settings are eerie and the encounters are dreary for they draw a sense of unease throughout the entirety of the book. Each experience of each character is different and multifaceted, yet they all ultimately converge to form a bigger picture. And this eventually forms a well-crafted interconnectedness.
Morino’s character has intrigued me the most. I wouldn't go as far as calling her the axis of the story, but her character certainly holds a central position. She exudes an air of mystery and unpredictability, as well as a peculiar aloofness. Her fascination of with gruesome crimes and her détachement from reality definitely adds an extra chilling layer to the story.
marieintheraw's review
4.0
This one's storytelling was more so the reason it wasn't a full five for me.
capnlinnius's review against another edition
5.0
This is my third read of this book (second in English), and it's still a favorite.
jquellin's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ameliareadsstuff's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
oth is a great read, but not one I'd recommend to those with a slight disposition. These are some nasty, brutal stories, without even the handhold of "good" protagonists to help steady the reader. The book also has an episodic quality, each individual chapter being a short story that was originally written and published separately. There is a definite progression—Goth would lose something if you read its chapters out of order—but it does mean each story is relatively self-contained, and certain details do unfortunately get reiterated needlessly every forty or so pages.
Otsuichi calls out his love of Japanese mystery novels in the afterword, and I can definitely feel that influence here. It adds an extra texture to these stories beyond horror and thrills. Of note is how he creates some clever twists by cutting between different first-person narrators without any indication of whose perspective we're now in.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Otsuichi's horror work in the future.
Otsuichi calls out his love of Japanese mystery novels in the afterword, and I can definitely feel that influence here. It adds an extra texture to these stories beyond horror and thrills. Of note is how he creates some clever twists by cutting between different first-person narrators without any indication of whose perspective we're now in.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Otsuichi's horror work in the future.