Reviews

Prefecture D by Hideo Yokoyama

azmaeen's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

serenabean's review

mysterious 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

2.5

i honestly enjoyed this less than i expected to. i liked the writing style and found the setting really interesting, but only half of the characters seemed sympathetic. i actively disliked the narrator of the last novella. it was also very clear that the female narrator was written by a man, which detracted a little from my enjoyment of that particular novella.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

jules_vp's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

For me, the short story Black Lines was the best short story out of the collection mainly because, to me, it is the most realistic thing that can happen to women in the police force. TBH, I didn't care much about the struggles that men deal with in the police force, in relation to trying to further their careers. I would love to read more stories about women working in the police force. 

rschmidt7's review against another edition

3.0

Surprisingly interesting for a book that is focused on administrative affairs within a Japanese police department. The mysteries within the 4 novellas are engaging enough that it is worth the short read.

chaun_sox's review

4.0

Read this book in one day. Couldn't put it down. Yokoyama is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

natasha29singh's review

3.0

Such an interesting book! Although I was a little disappointed by the fact that this turned out to be another anthology, I thought these were very well-written ‘mini-mysteries’ that revolve around office politics and powerplay. I didn’t mind reading about police procedure so much, because the plots and conclusion were done nicely. I also enjoyed how the same characters were depicted some years apart – a nice subtext about ambition and promotion in a bureaucracy – and the tie-ins about aggressively aspirational police officers. Good read!

bosh's review

3.0

Solid fun read, especially if you have already read Six Four, which I really loved. Prefecture D has four shorter stories set in the same universe a few years prior to Six Four that flesh out a few characters personalities from a different perspective as well as enjoyable read. I woulnd't say all four are of equal quality in terms of intresting, but they do tackle some great topics.

Similar to Six Four, the political perspective both inhouse and surrounding cast outside the force is the main driver over typical solving a crime you may find in other novels.

gwithiantowans's review

informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Four stories about internal polie procedure. Gives some interesting feel for the internal politics and administration of the Japanese police and - to an extent - broader Japanese culture. The stories themselves are fairly slight, with no huge or wholly convincing mystery, but pleasing enough. 

nurzamf's review

informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

toloveisdestroy's review

5.0

A truly enjoyable novel of short tales by Hideo Yokoyama. Each story had it's own feeling attached to it from the quietness of the first novella to the picked up pace of the later ones. Truly a great introduction to a spectacular author!