Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A slow burning, atmospheric crime novel that depicts how memory and emotion shape, and often trick, the truth. At one point a character described how the Aosawa's mansion, the scene of the heinous poisoning that killed 17 people, had always, long before that day, held a "tart, cold" scent for her that was off-putting. That is how the whole book felt -- a cold creepiness to certain characters and the setting, even in broad daylight.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had to re-read to see the clues i missed on first read. Very thought provoking prose style. Would like to read more from this writer.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
This was a riveting read from start to finish. The story is told from multiple perspectives, written as interviews with individuals who are directly or indirectly connected to the infamous Aosawa murders. Several years prior, the prominent Aosawa family hosts a birthday party that ends in tragedy. Party guests are served cyanide-laced drinks that result in the deaths of 17 individuals. The targeting of the beloved family leaves the community stunned and it grapples to understand what happened years after the fact. The bewitching blind daughter of the family, Hisako, is the lone family survivor and suspected by many of having played a role in this insidious murder. The detective in charge of the case was unable to prove who committed the crime and retired without being able to close the case.
However, a woman who lived in the town and was a child at the time of the murders ends up writing a nonfiction account that causes the survivors and family members of those who did not make it to revisit the events leading up to and following the murders. While her book does not outright name the suspected perpetrator, she has left clues in the book that indicate her research may have uncovered the truth. The tension ramps up exponentially as the past catches up with the present. The translation was phenomenal and immersed me in this world. I hope that other works by this author are soon translated into English if this is any indication of her storytelling.
I selected this as my pick for the 2020 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge advanced prompt "a book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (a nod to 20/20 vision)" and the 2020 BookRiot Read Harder Challenge prompt "a book with a main character or protagonist with a disability."
However, a woman who lived in the town and was a child at the time of the murders ends up writing a nonfiction account that causes the survivors and family members of those who did not make it to revisit the events leading up to and following the murders. While her book does not outright name the suspected perpetrator, she has left clues in the book that indicate her research may have uncovered the truth. The tension ramps up exponentially as the past catches up with the present. The translation was phenomenal and immersed me in this world. I hope that other works by this author are soon translated into English if this is any indication of her storytelling.
I selected this as my pick for the 2020 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge advanced prompt "a book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (a nod to 20/20 vision)" and the 2020 BookRiot Read Harder Challenge prompt "a book with a main character or protagonist with a disability."
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nooooo the ending was so abrupt! I was enjoying it (the writing is good despite the occasional awkward translation and i liked the characters+plot sm) until the ending?? sorry but 2 pages at the very end is not enough to create a believable plot twist about religious abuse...... especially since there is almost 0 mention of the mother up till then! additionally, hisako's reasons for pushing the Man towards murder involved no mention of her mother's ableism and it seems that she would have hated her family regardless. i know abuse can indirectly affect mental health in ways that could cause her to have these thoughts without direct connection to her mother but still it's not explained well enough to be compelling.