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hmetwade's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Murder, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
caelangm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Emotional abuse
brea's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Death, Vomit, Child death, Suicide, and Ableism
lilifane's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There seem to be two kinds of Japanese novels for me. Either I love them from the first to the last page... or I love them until about 85% of the book and then the endings disappoints me. This one falls under the second category, I fear.
I really enjoyed it for the most part. Spent the whole day reading and couldn't put it down because I was so intrigued by the story and the way it was told. Loved the atmosphere. The characters and plot were fascinating. I enjoyed the writing style and the themes. But then the ending... ah, I felt let down. Or maybe I just didn't understand it. Which would also be disappointing.
I really enjoyed it for the most part. Spent the whole day reading and couldn't put it down because I was so intrigued by the story and the way it was told. Loved the atmosphere. The characters and plot were fascinating. I enjoyed the writing style and the themes. But then the ending... ah, I felt let down. Or maybe I just didn't understand it. Which would also be disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Animal death, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
j_squaredd's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicide
tiemzahra's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
In 1960s, 17 people died of cyanide poisoning in Aosawa house party, leaving the blind daughter, Hisako as the only survivor. The police was convinced that Hisako was the culprit, despite her very young age when the tragedy happened, even by the author of the bestselling book of the murder who was Hisako’s childhood friend. The mystery was narrated through testimonies of different people; family members, witnesses, neighbours, investigators, and Hisako herself.
This book is cryptic, and the mystery is fascinating, but I think this book is strictly not for me due to the ambiguous ending. I also needed an exceptional focus to read this book, and by the end of reading this, I was exhausted. It’s another thing that this book has a confusing ending, it’s another when the whole process left me baffling. As I own a physical copy, I feel obligated to finish reading, but any other situation, I probably have DNF-ed it.
This book suits readers who love mysterious and dark fiction with different approach in thriller.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Child death and Mental illness
Minor: Child abuse and Suicide
questingnotcoasting's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
georgiarose710's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition
dark
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
4.5
This is not a whodunnit, despite the subject matter. This is the tale of three children who witness the aftermath of the mass murder of a prestigious and rich family via a case of poisoned fizzy juice- the sole survivor being the inhabitants blind daughter. No one ever confessed, and the case went cold.
This book dives into the aftermath for all who were affected, the three siblings who stumbled upon the scene and who had been there last, the daughter who was left alive, the newspapers, journalists, and public. It’s never explicitly stated who committed the murders (though it’s heavily implied) but it goes to show that a tragedy affects not only the people closest, but a whole community. This is a very sad novel, but one that I enjoyed reading.
This book dives into the aftermath for all who were affected, the three siblings who stumbled upon the scene and who had been there last, the daughter who was left alive, the newspapers, journalists, and public. It’s never explicitly stated who committed the murders (though it’s heavily implied) but it goes to show that a tragedy affects not only the people closest, but a whole community. This is a very sad novel, but one that I enjoyed reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, and Suicide
mackenzi's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child death and Suicide
The main mystery of the book is how 17 people are killed by poisoning. Several of these people are children; it does not describe or dwell on the deaths, though because the main thrust of the book is the investigation (and the investigation of the investigation) that follows, some witnesses do comment on this a few times in through the story. There is a very brief mention of a child character hating a particular room. We don't know what happened in the room or to the child, just that the child had been forced there at some point in the past, and harbored bad feelings about it afterwards.
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