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alyssayuminelson's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
Honestly I couldn’t get past page 80 or so. It felt so slow and I didn’t care about any of the characters… I wanted to like it but even with the effort of keeping tabs on all the characters I just couldn’t get into it.
blow_'s review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vstewart76's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.75
marcirenee1974's review against another edition
2.0
This book was not my jam and I can tell you it was a me problem and not a book/author problem. This was my 1st book by Seishi Yokomizo but I will certainly give them another read!
alexutzu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and everyone that contributed to the existence of this book for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
As a relatively new fan of Japanese murder mysteries, I was definitely looking forward to listening to this book. The novel was not bad, but it did not reach my expectations. Definitely not my top choice when it comes to this genre.
😍 The good:
The honkaku books always have amazingly built plot twists, in my opinion. They are logical and bring value to the story, and this book was no exception. The plot was also interesting as it included many unique details, drawing me in and keeping me hooked on the story. I really had to keep listening to know what's next! The narrator did quite a good job, making the story clear and catchy (even though I was not such a big fan of all the different character voices).
😅 The not-so-good:
There were plenty of repetitive scenes and trigger warnings that were extremely disturbing, so that did not really contribute to a good plot. The number of characters and details was insane, it was too much to keep track of (especially for an audiobook version, so I'd say that this novel might be more approachable in a written format). This took away from the story, as I could not make my own guesses due to getting lost. The way in which some story aspects were built was also not to the level of other books in the same style (for example, the locked room murder explanation or even the plot twists).
As a relatively new fan of Japanese murder mysteries, I was definitely looking forward to listening to this book. The novel was not bad, but it did not reach my expectations. Definitely not my top choice when it comes to this genre.
😍 The good:
The honkaku books always have amazingly built plot twists, in my opinion. They are logical and bring value to the story, and this book was no exception. The plot was also interesting as it included many unique details, drawing me in and keeping me hooked on the story. I really had to keep listening to know what's next! The narrator did quite a good job, making the story clear and catchy (even though I was not such a big fan of all the different character voices).
😅 The not-so-good:
There were plenty of repetitive scenes and trigger warnings that were extremely disturbing, so that did not really contribute to a good plot. The number of characters and details was insane, it was too much to keep track of (especially for an audiobook version, so I'd say that this novel might be more approachable in a written format). This took away from the story, as I could not make my own guesses due to getting lost. The way in which some story aspects were built was also not to the level of other books in the same style (for example, the locked room murder explanation or even the plot twists).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Incest
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, and Rape
Minor: War
ali_harri's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
christina_a_f's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mara19's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
hkaube's review
2.5
Hard to tell if this was a miss in the series, or I’m tired of it. There were too many characters and a very convoluted plot. I gave up trying to piece things together halfway through because I knew it was going to be next to impossible.
I can’t tell if Yokomizo or the translator is to blame but I found the dialogue and character behaviours to be very repetitive. Kindaichi rustled his hair 1,000 times in this book.
I think I’m done with the series.