A review by mintomillk
Out by Natsuo Kirino

5.0

masterfully done, Out is a tour-de-force by Natsuo Kirino unlike anything i've read before. this book instantly shot up to my favourites through the descriptive writing; Kirino doesn't hesitate to show absolutely everything about each of these women's lives and the gruesome events that happen. the plot is chaotic and random, but wonderfully tied together in a way where you can trace how each instance happens, and the feelings drawn out by each characters' actions is unique in their own way. i've read a lot of murder mysteries and cover-up stories, and Out goes above and beyond the standard usually set by this genre in how it describes each of the characters, their motivations, and complexities in a way where no one is truly good or bad.

Masako as a character is so fascinating in her own way, and even after the book ended i wanted to know more of what became of her and what happened afterwards. Satake's ambitions and desires were compelling as they were slowly revealed through the course of the novel, and the cat-and-mouse game played by the characters was drafted in a tight, breathtaking way that left no room for error or questioning. one of the best books i've read this year, by far.