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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Another entertaining mystery populated with a cast of colorful characters that give life to the neighborhood where the crime takes place. Sometimes it reminded me of a Law and Order episode where seemingly random folks are interviewed by the detectives before suddenly everything falls into place and a previously innocuous character introduced almost as an afterthought moves to the top of the suspect list. This installment is more of a who-dun-it than the previous volume which was more of a cat-and-mouse game.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Every mystery by Keigo Higashino does something interesting, something unexpected. The structure of Newcomer was wonderfully done. There is a murder investigation, but we only see glimpses of it. The mystery is intriguing, of course, and I was hooked. But this book is about everyone caught in the aftermath of the murder – chance witnesses, friends, family.
Kaga goes from place to place in the neighbourhood – a rise cracker shop, a traditional Japanese restaurant, a china shop, a clock repair shop, a pastry shop… He talks to people, we see them, learn their stories. He solves their mysteries as an aside in his investigation. Thus Kaga leaves a trail of people coming to terms with things, somebody finding closure, somebody becoming a better person, families discovering secrets that bring them closer together. It is by turns tragic, poignant, touching, and sweet.
I loved Kaga here, even more than in Malice. Higashino let the readers see him from the point of view of so many characters. He came alive, and I admired him so. Clever, humane, cunning and ruthless when necessary.
“He said that the detective in question was very sharp, very eccentric, and, to top it off, very stubborn. I imagine he was talking about you, Detective Kaga?”
I didn’t think about what Kaga looked like in Malice, it was an unnecessary thought for that book. Here, one of the characters remarked that he has a face fit for a samurai tv-drama. From then on, every time Kaga appeared on the page, I thought of Toshiro Mifune. Such fun!
The most touching and wonderful thing about this book is Kaga’s attitude to his work, what he wants to make of it, and what justice means to him.
“Oh, I am investigating the murder; of course I am. But my job as a detective should go beyond that. People who are traumatized by a crime are victims, too. Finding ways to comfort them is also part of my job.”
I am so happy that Keigo Higashino’s books exist.
Kaga goes from place to place in the neighbourhood – a rise cracker shop, a traditional Japanese restaurant, a china shop, a clock repair shop, a pastry shop… He talks to people, we see them, learn their stories. He solves their mysteries as an aside in his investigation. Thus Kaga leaves a trail of people coming to terms with things, somebody finding closure, somebody becoming a better person, families discovering secrets that bring them closer together. It is by turns tragic, poignant, touching, and sweet.
I loved Kaga here, even more than in Malice. Higashino let the readers see him from the point of view of so many characters. He came alive, and I admired him so. Clever, humane, cunning and ruthless when necessary.
“He said that the detective in question was very sharp, very eccentric, and, to top it off, very stubborn. I imagine he was talking about you, Detective Kaga?”
I didn’t think about what Kaga looked like in Malice, it was an unnecessary thought for that book. Here, one of the characters remarked that he has a face fit for a samurai tv-drama. From then on, every time Kaga appeared on the page, I thought of Toshiro Mifune. Such fun!
The most touching and wonderful thing about this book is Kaga’s attitude to his work, what he wants to make of it, and what justice means to him.
“Oh, I am investigating the murder; of course I am. But my job as a detective should go beyond that. People who are traumatized by a crime are victims, too. Finding ways to comfort them is also part of my job.”
I am so happy that Keigo Higashino’s books exist.
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fun, entertaining, funny, and drew me in with characters and mystery. Ludded it
novel ini adalah novel seri detektif kaga dari penulis keigo. sebelumnya, aku udah baca yang judul malice, dan jika kita membandingkan keduanya, menurutku pribadi novel ini lebih bagus dan berkesan ketika dibaca. Aku ga bilang novel malice nggak rekomended tapi selama baca malice tidak ada yang membuatku begitu merasa wah dan penasaran.
Sebenarnya, buku ini juga nggak terlalu bisa di bilang wah banget mengingat sebelum buku ini, aku menamatkan novel seri detektif galileo dari keigo juga, jadi ekspetasi yang ada di otakku adalah novel ini pasti novel detektif yang misteri dan kriminal sesadis novel kesetiaan mr. X. Tapi, ternyata jauh dari kata sadis. Novel ini lebih ke perjalanan detektif kaga selaku pendatang baru di nihonbashi untuk menelusuri pembunuhan yang di hamaocho, dan perjanalannya dalam menemui satu persatu orang yang ditemui korban sebelum dibunuh itu membawanya pada konflik-konflik mereka dan disini menurutku kaga berperan sebagai pendamai atau bisa dibilang pelengkap puzzle yang sbeelumnya hilang diantara orang orang yersebut.
novel ini bisa dibilang “heartwarming” sih. karena, cara kaga dalam membantu orang-orang tersebut menurutku sangat menyentuh, bahkan ada keluarga yang berkonflik dan salah paham yang terjadi sudah bertahun tahun lamanya. pemecahan kasus yang bisa dibilang nggak biasa ini yang dilakukan oleh detektif kaga sangat-sangat manis dan juga ide bagus jika sekiranya di dalam kehidupan nyata, detektif kita pun melakukan hal yang sama dalam pemecahan kasus.
untuk ending, menurutku khas penulis banget sih. detail, klimaks, dan simpul.
Sebenarnya, buku ini juga nggak terlalu bisa di bilang wah banget mengingat sebelum buku ini, aku menamatkan novel seri detektif galileo dari keigo juga, jadi ekspetasi yang ada di otakku adalah novel ini pasti novel detektif yang misteri dan kriminal sesadis novel kesetiaan mr. X. Tapi, ternyata jauh dari kata sadis. Novel ini lebih ke perjalanan detektif kaga selaku pendatang baru di nihonbashi untuk menelusuri pembunuhan yang di hamaocho, dan perjanalannya dalam menemui satu persatu orang yang ditemui korban sebelum dibunuh itu membawanya pada konflik-konflik mereka dan disini menurutku kaga berperan sebagai pendamai atau bisa dibilang pelengkap puzzle yang sbeelumnya hilang diantara orang orang yersebut.
novel ini bisa dibilang “heartwarming” sih. karena, cara kaga dalam membantu orang-orang tersebut menurutku sangat menyentuh, bahkan ada keluarga yang berkonflik dan salah paham yang terjadi sudah bertahun tahun lamanya. pemecahan kasus yang bisa dibilang nggak biasa ini yang dilakukan oleh detektif kaga sangat-sangat manis dan juga ide bagus jika sekiranya di dalam kehidupan nyata, detektif kita pun melakukan hal yang sama dalam pemecahan kasus.
untuk ending, menurutku khas penulis banget sih. detail, klimaks, dan simpul.
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No