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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
✨ "On Gokumon Island, everyone was crazy."
A total snooze-fest! It was a quick read but so dull. I couldn't picture the setting at all despite the description overload nor did I care for the history of the island. There were so many characters to keep track of, which was confusing at times. Most of them weren't developed well or even relevant.
The mystery was all right. There was some suspense and I didn't guess whodunit (nor did I bother to because I was just bored and wanted to be done with). The motive felt weak but I liked the 'it was all or naught' revelation at the end.
My biggest issue with this book is the one-dimensional characters. The women were all very negatively portrayed and had no personality. Either they were ditzy airheads who go gaga over a handsome guy or they are beautiful but odd/crazy/hysterical. There's also a scene where male characters have the following conversation:
Lol seriously? Granted this novel is set in the 1940s but still.
What an utter disappointment!
Thank you to Pushkin Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
A total snooze-fest! It was a quick read but so dull. I couldn't picture the setting at all despite the description overload nor did I care for the history of the island. There were so many characters to keep track of, which was confusing at times. Most of them weren't developed well or even relevant.
The mystery was all right. There was some suspense and I didn't guess whodunit (nor did I bother to because I was just bored and wanted to be done with). The motive felt weak but I liked the 'it was all or naught' revelation at the end.
My biggest issue with this book is the one-dimensional characters. The women were all very negatively portrayed and had no personality. Either they were ditzy airheads who go gaga over a handsome guy or they are beautiful but odd/crazy/hysterical. There's also a scene where male characters have the following conversation:
"It doesn't matter if she refuses you. That's a woman's tactic. You can't just give up and go home with your tail between your legs. You need to put some work into that too."
"The ones that say 'no, no, please, no!" They're the best. That's the height of pleasure."
Lol seriously? Granted this novel is set in the 1940s but still.
What an utter disappointment!
Thank you to Pushkin Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
fast-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the e-ARC! Death On Gokumon Island is a murder mystery novel by famous classic Japanese author Seishi Yokomizo. This is part of a series following a famous private detective Kouske Kindaichi. Normally, I would never start a series from anywhere other than the beginning but this reads well as a stand alone novel. The cast of characters was a little difficult to get acquainted with at the beginning but the character list at the beginning helps with keeping everyone identified. Overall, a pretty straight forward standard mystery novel.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yokomizo sensei does it again, and boy I enjoyed this book very very much!
"It's a horrifying thought. Not the feelings of a human being. Inhuman feelings rather."
The thing with Seishi Yokomizo's books is that, they will always leave us just staring at the wall for a few minutes. The crime heinous, smart and technical, but what makes Yokomizo works interesting is the subject matter of each parts that the book was written at its period of time, integrating with the culture and the honour of each families that is instilled as well.
Reading cult-classic-crime-thrillers always left you with that bitter sense of; these crimes can never be prevented .
Albeit Gokumon Island is the fourth translated to English for that particular order, the book is actually the second in the standalone series, after The Honjin Murders, and I STRONGLY suggest reading the series in the particular order
1) The Honjin Murders
2) Death on Gokumon Island
3) The Village of Eight Graves
4) The Inugami Curse
This is because, eventhough it is a standalone series, the growth of the detective , Kosuke Kindaichi is one that you can see if we follow the order of the Japanese release. In this case, Gokumon Island is set 9 years after The Honjin Murders, and after the period of war, in which Kosuke goes on a somewhat secret mission of sorts.
I loved the pacing in Gokumon Island, and the end of the book makes you icky in a sense that doesn't sit by right with you. Novels set in this era showed how heavy words can contain and how sometimes, the reason for each crime is right under your nose.
Seishi Yokomizo had set to be one of my favourite authors this year. I love the pacing for each story and I like that, even when the killers have been revealed, you can't seem to blame them as well. Its unfortunate as it is heinous. Given the time period, the mechanics for the murders are absolutely, genius I would say. Grotesque but genius.
All in all, would definitely recommend the series! I have to thank @definitelybooks for this gorgeous copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
decided to read the series in order at some other point. i will get into murder mystery someday, i swear!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fun, poetic murder mystery