Reviews

Penance by Kanae Minato

apinsker's review against another edition

3.75

Penance-Kanae Minato- 3.75⭐️ - Emotional and twisty. Somewhat bizarre and freaky. Too much repetition of information in every perspective. I’m also very confused by the biggest  twist at the end. I just don’t see how the culprit did what they did based on what we know. It doesn’t make any sense to me. Confessions was a much stronger plot and interwoven story in my opinion.  

alissamk's review against another edition

5.0

Minato Kanae can do no wrong for me. I've only read this and Confessions because they're the only books of hers translated into English so far but I've watched several dramas based off of her novels as well and she's so good at weaving together a story with a big cast of characters while making each character unique. While her stories do go over the top sometimes I still feel like her characters are so recognizably human with inner conflict and motivations that aren't always entirely clear. I hope some more of her works are translated into English but if not I'll definitely break out my dictionary and read some of them in the original Japanese. She is incredible.

emxh's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.75

iratherbebookish's review against another edition

3.0

 "Penance" by Kanae Minato is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into themes of guilt, trauma, and revenge. The novel begins with a chilling premise: a young girl named Emily is murdered, and her four friends are unable to identify the killer. The victim’s mother, Asako, holds each girl responsible and curses them to find the killer or face lifelong penance.

Minato crafts a compelling narrative where each chapter focuses on the perspective of one of the girls involved in the tragedy. This structure helps build suspense and allows readers to explore the different ways trauma manifests in each character's life. The pace of the story maintains a balance between revealing secrets and keeping readers on edge.

The sense of dread and suspense is palpable throughout the novel and each character is distinct and their personal struggles are convincingly portrayed. The book did get a bit slow at times, for me, and I found the ending quite abrupt.

Despite its short comings, the novel did leave a lasting impression on me. 

schokomami's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

pinkflyingelephant's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

bellorie's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

At first I found it hard to read (until Yuka’s story honestly) because I was annoyed at the characters but I understand that they’re dealing with trauma. The story was well written and tied together very well. Some parts of the story did have me in shock.

matchatee's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Strong book to start off book club! Book was really good, kept you engaged and wondering how each girl lived after the

murder

nalien's review against another edition

dark

4.0

the_sunken_library's review against another edition

4.0

Minato is such a compelling storyteller who creates realistic, rounded characters.

I kinda of guessed the solution and suspected that the impression the girls laboured under was false but overall I enjoyed this murder mystery and tales of penance/revenge.