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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-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
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Forse mi aspettavo troppo io, ma molte cose non mi sono piaciute, soprattutto l'evidente omaggio ai romanzi di Sherlock Holmes, con un investigatore scontroso e geniale e l'amico inutile che narra in prima persona e poi vuole farne un libro, si rivela un'arma a doppio taglio a causa della poca caratterizzazione del protagonista, di un comprimario pedante e una vicenda che punta più sul macabro che su una solida costruzione dei personaggi.
La prosa in sé è piuttosto scorrevole, a parte le digressioni inutili sulle longitudini e gli infiniti noiosi rimandi a segni zodiacali e date di nascita.
Anche il doppio intervento fuori scena dello scrittore che sprona il lettore a risolvere l'enigma, avendogli già fornito tutti gli elementi, mi ha fatto storcere il naso, puzzandomi solo di autocompiacimento.
La prosa in sé è piuttosto scorrevole, a parte le digressioni inutili sulle longitudini e gli infiniti noiosi rimandi a segni zodiacali e date di nascita.
Anche il doppio intervento fuori scena dello scrittore che sprona il lettore a risolvere l'enigma, avendogli già fornito tutti gli elementi, mi ha fatto storcere il naso, puzzandomi solo di autocompiacimento.
As a fan of the honkaku genre, this was really a great exemplar of the genre. A deeply macabre, grisly (8 bodies!) and atmospheric murder mystery, which veered into the bizarre and paranormal to keep the reader engaged.
Part of the fun is of course that however bizarrely the murders are presented, there would be an 'authentic' solution that is non-paranormal, and not ridiculous. I enjoyed the many maps, tables, and family trees, as well as the many red herrings on the trail. This solution is really clever and the author meticulously resolved many lingering questions. Even when I had figured out the main device before the end of the novel, there were many details which I had not explained, but which were cleverly resolved.
Part of the fun is of course that however bizarrely the murders are presented, there would be an 'authentic' solution that is non-paranormal, and not ridiculous. I enjoyed the many maps, tables, and family trees, as well as the many red herrings on the trail. This solution is really clever and the author meticulously resolved many lingering questions. Even when I had figured out the main device before the end of the novel, there were many details which I had not explained, but which were cleverly resolved.
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Recommended For: Fans of locked room mysteries and readers who like to solve the crime/mystery before the big reveal (i.e. fans of Honkaku mysteries).
My Thoughts: The Prologue works as a litmus test of sorts - if you can make it past that then the rest of the book will be a breeze. Shimada explores some uncomfortable topics (think Earthlings by Sayaka Murata) via an introspective detective homage to Sherlock and Watson. There is no ‘action’ per se as this is replaced by self-reflection and analysis of the various crime scenes which I enjoyed. If you read quite a bit of Japanese literature then you’re likely click with the ‘vibe’ I see a lot of reviewers complain about.
Quotes Underlined: 8
“We have knelt at different graves and walked through different gardens. Our lives are but a burst of stardust, or a passing cloud.”
My Thoughts: The Prologue works as a litmus test of sorts - if you can make it past that then the rest of the book will be a breeze. Shimada explores some uncomfortable topics (think Earthlings by Sayaka Murata) via an introspective detective homage to Sherlock and Watson. There is no ‘action’ per se as this is replaced by self-reflection and analysis of the various crime scenes which I enjoyed. If you read quite a bit of Japanese literature then you’re likely click with the ‘vibe’ I see a lot of reviewers complain about.
Quotes Underlined: 8
“We have knelt at different graves and walked through different gardens. Our lives are but a burst of stardust, or a passing cloud.”
Truly impressive. Though I wonder why mystery authors feel the need to give their sleuths a quirky personality...
nothing to do with astrology actually; detective’s background in astrology completely unrelated to any plotline; [slight spoiler] completely lost the plot when detectives started destroying evidence of a policeman burying half a dozen bodies.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced