You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rendered into English, I suspect a great deal of significance and poetry is lost for readers outside Japan. What remains is a gripping detective story full of complex emotion and spacious atmosphere.
Great ending and some strong ruminations, but this was far too long for me. I had a huge pause in the book over XMAS, even though it was an easy enough read. Filled with bureaucratic politics between police departments/levels and the PR team; if that's your bag you may enjoy it. I honestly feel there is also a cultural element I'm missing out on that doesn't leave me gasping at supposedly shocking twists in the book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
This book, even on a reread is still so spectacular. It’s honestly not about the mystery but about the characters and it is done so well. Even the moments of bureaucracy are crafted so well and handled amazingly. Dialogue is great and there really is rarely a dull moment. The ending sequence is still my favorite but the whole book doesn’t fail to entertain.
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was fully expecting to enjoy the tense slow burn this book promised to deliver, but the more I read, the less I liked it. We spend so much time in Mikami’s head as he over-analyses every bit of what happens around him, from the subtle tilt of a colleague’s head to the shine of their shoes. I also struggled to find Yokoyama’s motivation to center the book around media relations. The book was bogged down with press briefings and political tension that seemed more backdrop than plot. And despite the 600+ page length, not all the threads of the plot are tied up satisfactorily.