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_shilpita_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Trafficking, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, and Stalking
mirrorofneptune's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.75
A very long, well-thought-out mystery spanning decades. Less a question of who is the perpetrator and more about their motives and means, and whether they’ll eventually be found out. The author explains a lot of the mystery but also leaves some details up to readers to notice and interpret, which I enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content
Minor: Murder
shannonlipp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
daepyonimst's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Pedophilia
Minor: Infidelity, Abortion, and Domestic abuse
blue_fox13's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This one is a MASTERPIECE by Keigo Higashino, spanning over two decades with multiple Povs and a bag full of characters! But my oh my!! This book will give you the heebie jeebies in the best possible way. The way each of the chapters are connected with the central characters (R&Y) will BLOW YOUR MIND! This book is a slow burner which will keep you on your toes till the very last page.
Thoroughly enjoyed this epic murder mystery.
Thoroughly enjoyed this epic murder mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Rape
sabstract's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A really well written slow burn mystery if i do say so myself with an incredible intricate plot spanning over 20 years, everything and everyone was weaved together in such a mind blowing way. there were points that got me gasping in shock and disgust and it was just a really emotional and sad story.
Considering the book spans over 20 years do expect a large host of characters, many of them were unlikeable and gave me a sense of unease which was great in the context of a gritty mystery crime thriller novel. so do bear that in mind if it concerns you!
Most readers would probably have no trouble guessing the ‘who’ in the criminal case as it was definitely alluded to throughout the book and was not a total mystery but i think it’s worth reading especially if you enjoy understanding other aspects of criminal cases like the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’.
Would have given it a 5 if it wasn’t so long, got impatient and even bored at times as there were plot points that were just unnecessarily detailed and had no real bearing on the main storyline… it definitely took me much longer to get through the book than i expected but i thoroughly enjoyed it nevertheless! definitely recommend if you are on a break or holiday and need a good long crime escape.
!! also heed the trigger warnings !!
!! also heed the trigger warnings !!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, and Violence
chyneyee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
One-Sentence Summary: The death of a pawnbroker drives two young people to dark and sinister life.
Despite the confusion due to the lacking of transition stage and too many characters involved in the story, I found the writer's idea is unconventionally brilliant. It keeps pushing the readers to continuously pursue the truth with detective Sasagaki. It's just getting darker and keep readers wondering who Yosuke's murderer is. The entire story mainly focuses on the life of the young people, and the reader is wondering how their lives related to Yosuke's death. There weren't many hints can be extracted by the readers because the writer left the truth until the last page. There were so many plot twists throughout the story. It can be anything beyond our imaginations because the writer is telling another unrelated account which the reader can't connect the dots to the main plot.
Book Review: Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino.
Despite the confusion due to the lacking of transition stage and too many characters involved in the story, I found the writer's idea is unconventionally brilliant. It keeps pushing the readers to continuously pursue the truth with detective Sasagaki. It's just getting darker and keep readers wondering who Yosuke's murderer is. The entire story mainly focuses on the life of the young people, and the reader is wondering how their lives related to Yosuke's death. There weren't many hints can be extracted by the readers because the writer left the truth until the last page. There were so many plot twists throughout the story. It can be anything beyond our imaginations because the writer is telling another unrelated account which the reader can't connect the dots to the main plot.
Book Review: Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Abortion, Suicide, and Adult/minor relationship
asianfiles's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Murder, and Sexual content
equleart's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Whoever put 'Thriller' on the cover of this book did not read it. That was the slowest of slow burn murder stories. 30 years of occurences matter-of-factly told through a series of non-characters and always upfront about what is happening.
What was and is happening is never in doubt over the course of the book and the obvious, only conclusion you are presented throughout ends up being what happened, and it honestly doesn't feel like thrill or a thrilling reveal was ever what Higashino was going for.
I do have to say that it was original structurally, and even though all the stakes are kinda low, the story has a feel that's almost Kafkaesque. It has this never realy delivered-on ominous dread thing going on while never straying from mundanity and that's kinda cool.
That said, I would've liked a clearer thread tying everything together, like the 'main' detective, because it feels like a short story anthology but doesn't get in-depth enough for the length. At 300 pages, this would've been pretty good, but not at its 700.
What was and is happening is never in doubt over the course of the book and the obvious, only conclusion you are presented throughout ends up being what happened, and it honestly doesn't feel like thrill or a thrilling reveal was ever what Higashino was going for.
I do have to say that it was original structurally, and even though all the stakes are kinda low, the story has a feel that's almost Kafkaesque. It has this never realy delivered-on ominous dread thing going on while never straying from mundanity and that's kinda cool.
That said, I would've liked a clearer thread tying everything together, like the 'main' detective, because it feels like a short story anthology but doesn't get in-depth enough for the length. At 300 pages, this would've been pretty good, but not at its 700.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Pedophilia
autumn_melon's review against another edition
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault