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A review by ivoryplum
Out by Natsuo Kirino
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I really wish that I liked this book more. I thought that more would have happened, but once things started to happen, it felt lukewarm. It made sense where things were going, but it felt like there was a lot of build-up with no climax. The realism is there, but not the engagement.
The mystery/thriller genre is flooded by male authors who often sexualize and objectify female characters, so I was excited to read a novel written by a woman because I hoped it wouldn't have been present or at least minimal. While the sexual violence against the women in the book was present, the framing of it felt more horrific rather than tantalizing. It's something I'd rather avoid all together when it comes to reading M/T, but I'm just glad it wasn't romanticized, which is unfortunately the bare minimum.
If you're looking for a dark story with complex characters, this novel would be perfect for you. But I would advise in looking at the content warnings.
The mystery/thriller genre is flooded by male authors who often sexualize and objectify female characters, so I was excited to read a novel written by a woman because I hoped it wouldn't have been present or at least minimal. While the sexual violence against the women in the book was present, the framing of it felt more horrific rather than tantalizing. It's something I'd rather avoid all together when it comes to reading M/T, but I'm just glad it wasn't romanticized, which is unfortunately the bare minimum.
If you're looking for a dark story with complex characters, this novel would be perfect for you. But I would advise in looking at the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Pedophilia
The book contains graphic depictions of murder and dismemberment, which should be noted since it's a central point of the plot. It also contains domestic abuse, which was the catalyst for the murder. One of the antagonists, an adult man (30-40 years old) is known to have sexual relationships with minors. He doesn't appear much and he isn't a major character, but at one point he *is* allied with the main character for business purposes . He written to have had sex with a teenager, but it wasn't explicitly shown. At the end of the book, the main character is raped and she forgives her rapist .