Book Review - Out by Natsuo Kirino
Category Book Reviews
I had heard some buzz about a novel written in Japan and translated into English... Out by Natsuo Kirino. I picked up a copy at the library and finished it last night... A very dark story that redefines "desperate housewives"...
The story revolves around four Japanese women who work the night shift at a packaged food plant. It's a nasty job, but it pays better than day shift work and affords them a part-time schedule. But all of these women are living lives of quiet desperation. One is in a marriage where the son doesn't talk to them and the husband has moved into a separate room. Another fancies herself a fashion plate but is overweight and deeply in debt to the loan sharks. The third is widowed with two daughters and an invalid mother-in-law that makes her life miserable (and has to have her diaper changed multiple times a day). And finally there's the wife with kids, a husband who beats her, and has spent all their savings at the gaming tables (besides chasing around other women). He gets roughed up at the club and sent home. She snaps and strangles him with a belt. She enlists the help of her friends to dispose of the body by cutting it up into small parts and trashing it around the city. But the police find some of the bags in the park trash and are able to identify the body. They are trying to figure out if the wife did it or if the owner of the casino was responsible for the death. After all, the casino owner does have a nasty murder on his record. The tale is tightly woven between the women, the casino owner, and other various players who have figured out the truth and are playing it for their advantage. The question is whether any of them will survive the changes that have occurred now that they are highly involved in the murder...
"Dark" doesn't quite begin to cover this story. Not only do you have the dismemberment of the murdered husband, but they are coerced into other "jobs" because they need the cash. Greed between the friends leads to blackmail, and pretty soon it's hard for each to figure out who can be trusted to keep their mouth shut and not spill the beans to the police (or others). The overwhelming helplessness of each life also is vividly portrayed in the writings. While not condoning the events that happen, you understand how they play out. I'd have given this a top rating if not for the ending. While I don't have a problem with what happens in the end, the emotion and mental "conclusion" were entirely lost on me. I really didn't get what the writer was having the woman feel...
A good read with cultural elements that will probably be unfamiliar and fascinating to you... Just a little confusing at the end...
I had heard some buzz about a novel written in Japan and translated into English... Out by Natsuo Kirino. I picked up a copy at the library and finished it last night... A very dark story that redefines "desperate housewives"...
The story revolves around four Japanese women who work the night shift at a packaged food plant. It's a nasty job, but it pays better than day shift work and affords them a part-time schedule. But all of these women are living lives of quiet desperation. One is in a marriage where the son doesn't talk to them and the husband has moved into a separate room. Another fancies herself a fashion plate but is overweight and deeply in debt to the loan sharks. The third is widowed with two daughters and an invalid mother-in-law that makes her life miserable (and has to have her diaper changed multiple times a day). And finally there's the wife with kids, a husband who beats her, and has spent all their savings at the gaming tables (besides chasing around other women). He gets roughed up at the club and sent home. She snaps and strangles him with a belt. She enlists the help of her friends to dispose of the body by cutting it up into small parts and trashing it around the city. But the police find some of the bags in the park trash and are able to identify the body. They are trying to figure out if the wife did it or if the owner of the casino was responsible for the death. After all, the casino owner does have a nasty murder on his record. The tale is tightly woven between the women, the casino owner, and other various players who have figured out the truth and are playing it for their advantage. The question is whether any of them will survive the changes that have occurred now that they are highly involved in the murder...
"Dark" doesn't quite begin to cover this story. Not only do you have the dismemberment of the murdered husband, but they are coerced into other "jobs" because they need the cash. Greed between the friends leads to blackmail, and pretty soon it's hard for each to figure out who can be trusted to keep their mouth shut and not spill the beans to the police (or others). The overwhelming helplessness of each life also is vividly portrayed in the writings. While not condoning the events that happen, you understand how they play out. I'd have given this a top rating if not for the ending. While I don't have a problem with what happens in the end, the emotion and mental "conclusion" were entirely lost on me. I really didn't get what the writer was having the woman feel...
A good read with cultural elements that will probably be unfamiliar and fascinating to you... Just a little confusing at the end...
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Comments
Posted by Anna At 00:45:10 On 16/07/2005 | - Website - |
Posted by Duffbert At 08:41:20 On 22/06/2005 | - Website - |
he is, i understand, the best known and loved author in japan. i've seen him described as the "stephen king" of japan, although his novels don't really do the horror thing much, if at all. he's more like, straight up novel with the dream thing thrown in, and sometimes sci fi-ish elements. all of which are about perfect for my tastes.
Posted by jonvon At 07:21:59 On 22/06/2005 | - Website - |