Scan barcode
A review by eudaemonics
The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Yukito Ayatsuji has crafted another gripping mystery novel and like the first of the "Mansion Murder" series, he plays with two different settings. While in The Decagon House Murders it was switching between the island and the mainland, we play with the element of the present and the past in The Mill House Murders. I was expecting this book to be stronger in the character-writing department and although it was in some respects, it still fell flat.
Despite the shortcomings of the character writing, the mystery itself was well-laid out and I hate to admit that Ayatsuji outsmarted me here. It was very fairplay, so I can't be completely mad about it. I give this book a 4/5 only because I think there was a bit too much delving into supernatural elements and my issues with the character writing. I gave The Decagon House Murders a 5/5 because the characters were really means to an end, while in this book they were set up as something more than that...only to end up being quite flat and boring.
Spoilers regarding a certain character arc below:
My gripes are specifically with Yurie's character development. Much of her arc seemed to revolve around her agency, or lack thereof. I expected her to grow out of the "sad, ghostlike girl that walks around the mansion" from the beginning, but there's really no proper resolution for her, when she's been clearly groomed and manipulated.
Despite the shortcomings of the character writing, the mystery itself was well-laid out and I hate to admit that Ayatsuji outsmarted me here. It was very fairplay, so I can't be completely mad about it. I give this book a 4/5 only because I think there was a bit too much delving into supernatural elements and my issues with the character writing. I gave The Decagon House Murders a 5/5 because the characters were really means to an end, while in this book they were set up as something more than that...only to end up being quite flat and boring.
Spoilers regarding a certain character arc below:
My gripes are specifically with Yurie's character development. Much of her arc seemed to revolve around her agency, or lack thereof. I expected her to grow out of the "sad, ghostlike girl that walks around the mansion" from the beginning, but there's really no proper resolution for her, when she's been clearly groomed and manipulated.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia
I wasn't able to add a CW for grooming, so I left it as pedophilia, but Yurie has been groomed by Kiichi and is his wife. Additionally she is leered at by essentially every other man in the novel besides Kiyoshi.