Wandering through the Jimbocho neighborhood again in this sequel with another day-to-day at the Morisaki Bookshop. It gets more familial and love relaWandering through the Jimbocho neighborhood again in this sequel with another day-to-day at the Morisaki Bookshop. It gets more familial and love related this time having some relationship conflict and heart-to-heart crisis in between its literature recommendations and bookish conversations. Still brimming in its cozy and warm charms thanks to the setting, I followed Takako in her days after the events of the first book, now having a new job and still regularly stopping by to meet her Uncle Satoru at the Morisaki Bookshop.
Loved those scenes of Takako and Uncle Satoru— their book talks, small banters and those readers gossip, also how each being considerate and affectionate towards each despite their little gaze of nonchalant attitudes. The love and relationship part can be quite tedious on the execution esp with Wada; not a fan to his character but whatever suits you, Takako. The friendship narrative for Takako and Tomo was appealing much for how it relates to one’s trauma and somehow I loved Takano’s character a lot (nice to meet you again, btw!).
It gets emotionally driven on the later part; expected but still the twist and its glimpse of grief snapped me at the end. A tender slice-of-life, might be mundane at times but worth to read if you fancy the theme (do read book 1 first if you haven’t because the plot was a solid continuation) and a book about book arc. 3.8/5 stars!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
Rarely read a scifi but picked this one up for its whodunnit crime and mystery theme. Set in a darkly drawn post-apocalypse island after the world wasRarely read a scifi but picked this one up for its whodunnit crime and mystery theme. Set in a darkly drawn post-apocalypse island after the world was destroyed by a fog, I followed 122 villagers and 3 scientists living in an idyllic harmony until one of the scientists was found brutally stabbed to death. A chaos entered when the murder triggered a lowering security system around the island that keeping the fog at bay, and to make matter worse, the security system on the island came with a curfew command that would wiped everyone's memories on what had happened during the night. While the clock is ticking, a group of them decided to investigate the case and finding a way to save the island before the said horrific fog could smother their lives forever.
A slow-moving plot at first but thanks to Emory’s persistent character and dynamic, the progress later hooked me to stay curious for its mystery. Quite ingenious to follow Abi; the non-human memory gem’s POV in this tale— a hollow puzzle for a character yet adding an enticing and intricate idea for the whole worldbuilding (I liked how the island itself felt like a character too). A scene stealer character for Hephaestus and interesting characters for both Adil and Thea— them being too suspicious at times really spooked me a bit. It gets thrilling later with more hidden secret unveiled, Niema’s incident was an easy to guess but loving the twist and its revelation anyway— of the good and bad of humanity, on technology and empathy, a question of human extinction and relations in general that brought me to an enthralling tension of one’s grief, greed and ambition.
A hue of creepiness was foreseen as it deals with a dystopian backdrop as well, not a heavy to grasp all and all on the scifi part for me but enjoyable much for the thriller and its crime exploration ...more
Twin novellas composed in a societal, political and familial backdrop with its hue on human connection/interaction, queer and lifestyle— bit taut to mTwin novellas composed in a societal, political and familial backdrop with its hue on human connection/interaction, queer and lifestyle— bit taut to me with its melodrama prose but loving the exploration and how the main characters narrated and executed their tales.
A surreal historical and culture related premise told in a modern-day perspective of a woman who found herself to be trapped in a relationship that waA surreal historical and culture related premise told in a modern-day perspective of a woman who found herself to be trapped in a relationship that was soured by infidelity. Having to marry her childhood sweetheart, Riko now struggles to understand the meaning of love and the beauty of marriage due to her husband’s affairs which disheartening her role as a wife and a woman. A mess of emotional drama grasped Riko to find comfort in Mr Takaoka, an old friend who offers friendship, love and unusual escape to live inside her dreams where Riko gets to travel and sinking into another life; first as a high-ranking courtesan during the historic Edo and later as a serving lady to a princess in Heian period.
An enthralling lifestyle narrative at first that enticed me with Riko’s backstory; from a picky full of anxieties little girl to her coming-of-age and later a new chapter to her marriage and familial life. Through Takaoka, Riko drowned in an engrossing timeslip adventure that tangled her reality to the past exploring the intricacies of her concern; on womanhood, solitude and one’s devotion with a gaze on patriarchal and societal’s perception that has triggered her emotional conflict as a woman. It relates a lot to the Tales of Ise and Takaoka’s Travels esp on the progress and its characterization (almost like an adaptation?), quite dense, bit explicit and emotionally driven that at times the execution can be a bit draggy to follow.
The plot so often changing in its setting and randomly traversed in between paragraphs making it a bit wearisome for me and frankly, it felt so impossible for a dream to be that vivid and too believable in nature; was it because Takaoka was an ex-monk(?). Nevertheless, despite the lingering underwhelming execution from her adventure, I enjoyed the last part the most and truly loved how Riko chose to end her tale.
(Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!)...more
Not a Marvel fan but I was intrigued; a plot of crime and investigation that followed Jessica Jones, a private detective and a retired superhero when Not a Marvel fan but I was intrigued; a plot of crime and investigation that followed Jessica Jones, a private detective and a retired superhero when she has to uncover the mystery of Amber Randall’s twins who changed into a totally different person with new habit and unnaturally flawless skin after a visit to their father’s house at a countryside in UK. Putting her relationship and personal issues aside, Jessica decided to travel to Essex where she meets Belle who is living in an isolated rundown farmhouse with her guardian, Debra whom she thought might be related to the twins’ case. It get super twisty with few incidents happened in between making the case turned dangerously surreal for Jessica to commit.
Minimal suspense with nothing too exceptional for a superhero related premise— the author really toned down Jessica’s ability as an ex-superhero that her dynamic and characterization go quite dull for me. I almost losing my interest in the middle because of its tedious storytelling but my curiosity on the case hold me— of societal concern and fanaticism that revolved on the toxic beliefs of beauty standard (a ref to Dorian Gray was repetitively mentioned too) and how devious or dangerous the technology and social media could affected and corrupted one’s mind and greed. Having spooky manipulative narrative for Polly and Ophelia’s backstory in its alternate chapters as well bit psychological and familial related for Jessica’s subplots; of relationship mess, on fear, trauma and one’s consideration ‘to change’.
A light crime and mystery plot, overall. Getting a peek to Luke Cage in here and I read that S.A. Cosby would be writing the 2nd book for the series, might be getting it later I guess.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
Travelling back to the 50s in another crime adventure with Kosuke Kindaichi in this latest translated instalment from the series. Set in the isolated Travelling back to the 50s in another crime adventure with Kosuke Kindaichi in this latest translated instalment from the series. Set in the isolated Onikobe Village in Okayama Perfecture, I followed Kindaichi during his vacation stay at the Aoike’s spa inn when the village was shuddered by a series of murder happening in a row that was said to be plotted like the lyric to a traditional temari song. As he knew about the unsolved murder incident that happened in the village 20 years ago before the visit, Kindaichi thought that these two cases might be related so with the help of Inspector Isokawa, he started to investigate the case and try to link and uncover the two incidents to find the murderer.
I love the village backdrop with its traditional hue a lot; so aesthetic and raw despite that sense of bleak and mysterious aura it grasped me everytime. Kind of spooky too as the plotline was set around the o-bon festival and due to the serial murder, most scenes were told and crafted at a wake ceremony— thrilling but can be confusing too with its massive characters (a list of characters included, fortunately) yet the progress and their suspicious characterization hooked me with curiosity on the puzzling and devious howdunnit.
Love the interactions, all the investigation musings and how Yolomizo interlaced his storytelling with a gripping societal conflict and cultural perspective. From a crime of vengence and passion to familial secrets and scandals, a resentment was served through a serial tragedy and one’s fiendish motive— not much of red herring but I could catched up on the hints from Kindaichi’s POV just it upsets me a bit on the last victim’s tale after the truth was revealed.
An enjoyable crime read, overall. Almost a page-turner too for its appealing and knotty plotting, also as usual I love how Kindaichi could helped to solve it; the last chapter, epilogue and Kindaichi’s last words to Inspector Isokawa— so wicked of him to make that guess!
Another fav from the series added to my list ...more
The title sounds inviting and I was intrigued too to read this book after knowing that it has won the Akutagawa Prize in 2006. A Perfect Day To Be AloThe title sounds inviting and I was intrigued too to read this book after knowing that it has won the Akutagawa Prize in 2006. A Perfect Day To Be Alone was a light and tender adolescent tale in a slice-of-life backdrop told from the perspective of Chizu, a high school graduate who decided to live independently after her mom emigrates to China for work. Chizu was sent to live with a 71-year-old cat-loving Ginko, an eccentric distant relative, taking a room in her ramshackle Tokyo home (I love how Chizu described her room with all that cat photos lining on the walls), with its two resident cats and the persistent rattling sound of the passing trains from the nearby station.
Love the simplicity of its prose and how the author captured that thrills and challenges of coming-of-age phase in Chizu’s perspective. Somehow the changing season chapters really hooked me to drown into her progress— of heartbreaks and career change as well the emotional loneliness and those musings of her differences—in love, relationship and life—with Ginko who really having a fun unbothered way of living. I fancy their contrast characters and how Chizu’s dynamic and flaws observed her self-discovery process; relatable yet it gets on my nerves too with her judgement (esp that latest relationship at the end) and that dramatic hue of living her life.
The storytelling can be monotonous at times but it was nothing that underwhelming to me. Quirky, subtle and quite charming— a recommendation to lovers of slice-of-life or coming-of-age!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted copy!...more
So emotionally profound, tragic and intimately written, I’ll Be Right There was narrated through a backstory to a present scene of Jung Yoon upon receSo emotionally profound, tragic and intimately written, I’ll Be Right There was narrated through a backstory to a present scene of Jung Yoon upon receiving a call from Myungsuh telling her about the condition of their university’s professor who fell sick and was in the verge of dying. A fragment of throwback came slide in back and forth to the days when Jung Yoon took her leave from the university after the death of her mother during the hectic South Korea’s political uprising in the 80s which also separated her from Dahn, her good friend since childhood whom later went to serve in the military.
Following Jung Yoon in her younger years brought me to uncover a tender friendship plot that grasped the intricacies of one’s longing and grief which enthrallingly observed the brutal impact from the uprising and how it affected the characters. From story of Dahn to Yoon Miru’s narrative— the girl that Jung Yoon suddenly obsessed with after seeing her in her class, and Myungsuh with his brown notebook which giving me another twist of dynamic for the plot, the tantrum of emotions can be too distressing and wearisome at times yet I love how ‘melodious’ the drama goes. I was curious for Miru’s backstory which later struck me with an unexpected outcome as well delving into Myungsuh’s epistolary musings giving me another intriguing perspective to their expositions and those untold vignettes of Jung Yoon.
Of heartbreak, guilt, survival and that glimpses of comfort and acceptance one’s desperately trying to cope. Draggy mournful course of chapters before I could meet the present-day of Jung Yoon in the epilogue— bit uplifting and hopeful in a way, love those literature insight and how each books mentioned complemented the storytelling esp that part with Emily Dickinson. If you love both Please Look After Mother and I Went To See My Father, this might be another catch from the author for you to read.
“If only I had known that the moment you think everything has ended, something new is beginning. Which of us was the first to let go?”
Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me a copy to review!...more
Told in a journal-styled narrative, the plot brought me to uncover a gripping murder mystery involving a familial curse of the Chizui family with the Told in a journal-styled narrative, the plot brought me to uncover a gripping murder mystery involving a familial curse of the Chizui family with the fearsome Noh mask that lured the victim of the household to a sudden mysterious death. Mostly narrated from Koichi Yanagi’s POV, the family’s chemist as well a close friend to the fictional Akimitsu Takagi who was being invited by Taijiro Chizui in an urgent plea to help his family troubles, it was set mainly inside the Chizui mansion with a stirring progress revolving around a locked-room whodunnit crime scene.
Its blend of suspense and deranged characters really hooked me, having too much suspicions with easy to guess motive yet quite puzzling to unravel the knotty string of deaths that were happening one after another. Of revenge and hatred, a family drama and conflict that both go so emotionally and psychologically driven. Although the amateur sleuth Takagi only appeared occasionally as a side character, I love how meticulous he goes in disentangling the clue and working it out with the help of the case’s prosecutor, Hiroyuki Ishikari.
I am still stunned on the final revelation that debunked the whole deduction by Koichi in chapter 10. Reading the journal of Ishikari in chapter 12 gets me a bit surprise— it was so ingenious and deceptively plotted, that littlest gap of the unseen truth; very enticing yet so audacious for the killer and to think about those deaths happening in between, it gets too depressive for me to see how each character’s life to end in that tragic.
“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth— that was all I wanted.”
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
Anthony Horowitz in his fictional novelist self with PI Daniel Hawthorne in this 5th instalment of their series; having a dual plotline with present-dAnthony Horowitz in his fictional novelist self with PI Daniel Hawthorne in this 5th instalment of their series; having a dual plotline with present-day Horowitz urgently digging a narrative of a real crime case from Hawthorne after getting a push by his publisher to write another thriller book— bit hard to grasp on the flow at first as I traversed the years ago setting with Hawthorne’s flashback during the murder before I could get the present-day narrative of both Horowitz and Hawthorne on the later part.
Chapters with Hawthorne’s flashback brought me to uncover a whodunnit murder incident happened in the neighbourhood of Riverside Close; a picture-perfect community that went berserk one day when the newcomer Giles Kentworthy was found dead on his own doorstep with a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest. A tricky case to handle for Hawthorne and his assistant John Dudley; too many suspicious neighbours as a suspect with convincing motives and secrets to unfold that soon Horowitz felt a slight dissatisfaction after reading Hawthorne’s investigation notes and lured him to start his own investigative journey despite knowing the case has been closed for years.
It was too twisty than I thought; a cunning crime yet it frustrates me as much as Hawthorne during that scene in Part 8 but loving how Horowitz peeled another layer of suspense from the after-scene. I love most characterization especially all the neighbours of Riverside Close— their motives intrigued me (I pitied some of them too) and I like how Horowitz hooked me with his findings afterwards. A devilish mystery, very intricate, clever and so perfectly planned (wish they really go and dig that magnolia tree!). Bit upsetting nearly the end but I understand the act, glad Horowitz finally could deduced it.
4.2/5 stars.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
A tense and taut read with gripping backdrop that captured decades of historical events during the WWI and WW2 into the fictional narrative of Hanna FA tense and taut read with gripping backdrop that captured decades of historical events during the WWI and WW2 into the fictional narrative of Hanna Fisher; a girl who escaped Berlin in 1919 after the death of her mother who was killed by an anti-semitic thug and the murder of her father who has been accused as a Versailles traitor. Due to her psychotic twin sister who lives at a mental institution, Hanna was left alone to struggle in America— from working as a secretary to shrewd businessmen and dealing with the gangster of New York to meeting Einstein again (who was once her neighbour) as his personal assistant and later being approached by an American agent to work as a spy against the Nazis.
The premise truly struck me with an enthralling action-packed adventure, structured in flashbacks and flashforwards through the 3 interrogations Hanna needs to endure— of her familial troubles (I get anxious everytime Ooma appeared, her part was too twisty for me to bear), fragments of friendship (love Hanna’s interaction with both Einstein and Kessler), stories of trust, betrayal as well her career and love conflicts that brought me to glimpse on the devastating impact of wars (stock market crash, great depression, political turmoil, social reformation, regime obsession, holocaust) and her heart-pounding fight to stay alive.
I like the idea of its secondary characters which mostly based on a real prominent figure (Marie Curie, Werner Heisenberg, Albert Speer, Niels Bohr, Martin Bormann, Hitler)— it makes the plot flowed less fictional as well intrigued me to dig more on their histories. It can be quite unbelievable at times due to Hanna’s luck and how she wins out everytime but entertaining much for me to grasp that heroine arc in her character— the dynamic was appealing and I like how it linked back to that first paragraph during the funeral scene. Devious and brutal yet so cunningly plotted.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy! ...more
Meiji era during the restoration phase when the new regime having its struggles to keep the peace from the aftermath of Civil War, a new police force Meiji era during the restoration phase when the new regime having its struggles to keep the peace from the aftermath of Civil War, a new police force has been formed by the imperial rule to fight the rebellions from the previous military dictatorship government. On corruption, privilege and threat due to its political turmoil to societal, economic and cultural change, I followed both Chief Inspectors Keishirō Kazuki and Toshiyoshi Kawaji from the Imperial Prosecuting Office in their investigative journeys dealing with a series of murders and deaths cases happening across the capital.
It started with rasotsu (police officer who taken advantage of the newly formed society) brief history to chapter of Esmeralda; a French shrine maiden who played an important role in infusing a mystical hue to the plot— bit surreal on her part but enticing much to delve into her interactions with Kazuki and the cases he handled. 5 chapters later with subsequent crime and murders, bit dense with its drama and tension but nothing too twisty or engrossing much for me as the mystery goes quite mediocre and mostly explored on one’s spiteful motive and immorality issue.
Too many characters come and go which I did not fancy much, I was more invested with Kazuki’s love affairs but reading his confession making me go digress— frankly an ingenious unexpected ending with that guillotine scene, I was perplexed. A bit dreadful in a way but love how the last chapter linked me back to its main theme with a perspective on modernization as well societal and political impact from the new established government.
“At death, I fear no dying, As in living, I steal no life.”
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
Traversing the Meiji era in 1903 in a brothel setting where women were sold (and resold), and forced into prostitution— a tale of youth and sisterhoodTraversing the Meiji era in 1903 in a brothel setting where women were sold (and resold), and forced into prostitution— a tale of youth and sisterhood, on vignette of culture, lifestyle and the unsettling one’s value and a force to survive. I followed the intricate journey of Aoi Ichi, a young girl from a tiny island in Iojima who was brought to live under the roof of Hajima Mohei’s brothel after being sold by her father for a large sum of money.
Having an engrossing worldbuilding and storytelling as it was mostly narrated through Ichi’s 15-year-old perspective— her naivety was enchanting (I love it everytime she tells me about her mother and the island where she grew up) and as much as I love those school of prostitutites scenes that Ichi diligently attending, can’t help to still feeling uneasy on how harshly the progress took me into the world of patriarchy and power, a view on poverty, hierarchy and of society’s treatment as well the controversial law system that later played as an important twist to the plot.
Some drama for later that hooked me with Ichi’s dynamic, nothing too draggy or underwhelming for me and I like how it was plotted alternatingly with other main character’s narrative in between. From stories of both Mohei and the teacher Tetsuko to Shinonome the most popular courtesan as well Murasaki and her incident; a slight conflict and strike risen in the aftermath yet I love how those narratives giving more substance to Ichi’s characterization and evoking a sense for her to decide on her stance. Their sisterhood and interactions were my most fav part and it was enthralling much to see how these women bond to survive and fight towards the enslavement culture and the mistreatment they received from the established system.
Such a raw and vivid observation that was inspired from a fragment of an era, few parts can be provoking and quite displeasing to read but for a historical fic on a women related theme, this was rivetingly written to me. A recommendation, nonetheless.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me a copy to review! ...more
So engrossing and evocatively written. An autobiography in disguised as a collection of short stories that brought me to peek into the Dazai world; ofSo engrossing and evocatively written. An autobiography in disguised as a collection of short stories that brought me to peek into the Dazai world; of that snapshots that followed the footsteps of his writings, thoughts and musings, on family, friendship, love and his day-to-day lifestyle. Love those glimpses of traditional Japan and its culture he brought me to uncover, a little perspective through the pre and post WWII as well that vignettes of his fav writers and literature talks during his years of living.
I like the hue of sincerity in his words, the intimacy of his thoughts giving me a range of emotions esp when he talked about his family and both of his brothers, Keiji and Bunji. His perspective towards love and relationship can be quite daunting, might be triggering too as most of his narrative on suicide attempts were narrated in a scene involving these love affairs; of flaws and morality madness, and it breaks me in a way everytime when he mentioned about his suicidal thoughts in between his tales.
“I wrote for all I was worth. When there was rice left over in the boardinghouse pot after dinner, I'd stealthily scoop it up and pat it into rice balls in case I got hungry working late into the night. I wasn't writing suicide notes now: I was writing in order to live.”
“Life is an awful ordeal. So many chains to bind you. Try to move an inch and the blood comes spurting out. I could think of nothing but suicide.”
Appreciate the translator’s intro in providing me much infos about Dazai and the backstory of how or when each ‘self-portrait’ was written; some might sound fictional yet how it was bent and shaped from Dazai’s reality giving me that vivid enjoyment in reading these anecdotes of him.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
A riveting plotline that goes quite ethereal yet can be challenging to grasp for its hazy slow-moving premise and monotonous writing. I followed YewonA riveting plotline that goes quite ethereal yet can be challenging to grasp for its hazy slow-moving premise and monotonous writing. I followed Yewon in her daily tale waking up after a recurring dream of an abandoned hotel with infinite keys and infinite rooms to a task she received of driving Ms. Han; a mysterious and aging North Korean refugee to visit her brother at a distant prison. This new job somehow unraveled the uncanny emotion that quietly trapped inside Yewon about her family and the scenes she usually sees at home; of her mother who continuously washing the bones of their ancestors in their decrepit bathtub.
The execution traversed too haunting with Yewon’s cloud of musings in the first half but started to make sense on the later part. It wrestled with bunch of familial distress— of her mother’s ritual that troubling Yewon’s sanity, the conflict and tragedy involving her sister as well about her brother; Jaehyun who is now stationed near the North Korean border. An alarming exploration to Yewon’s quest in escaping the terror of her dream that go interlacing with a provoking observation on fear and grief, of war and generational trauma, on estrangement, death as well of one’s fragility and self acceptance.
Nothing that horror as per labeled to me but it was so distinguished for the theme as I find the symbolism in between Yewon’s dream and her reality to be so exceptionally plotted; it feels light yet so dense and emotionally grabbing in prose. Loving the friendship subplot that giving me an insight to Yewon’s dynamic. An intriguing last chapter that lingered in its surreal overtone— a revelation and the unsettling truth that hovered me with a slight hangover from the after-read.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me the proof edition to review! ...more
Psycho thriller with first-person POV really struck me differently. I love the slow paced narrative in the earliest chapters and how the author introdPsycho thriller with first-person POV really struck me differently. I love the slow paced narrative in the earliest chapters and how the author introduced and built Evie’s character with suspicions and brought me into her thrilling present-day narrative and backstories with those fragmented perspective in her variation of identities.
From Lucca Marino to Izzy Williams, Mia Bianchi, Wendy Wallace, Helen White and Regina Hale, I followed Evie Porter in her quest of assignments from the mysterious Mr. Smith who requires her to lure infos out of their targets in request from their high profile clients. When Evie’s recent mark; Ryan Summer getting under her skin, she started to envision a different sort of life for herself. Evie’s ego dazed as she can’t make another mistake but reality hits when another Lucca Marino—her true identity—walks into her life messing with her past and the future ahead. Evie knows she might lost her real identity forever but a plan needs to strike, and a new mission starts for Evie.
I love the psycho anxiety Evie gave me, and her character was so ingeniously crafted it stunned me with admiration— she served me tricks, so quick thinking, tough and despite being unreliable at times, I like how she secretively thrilled me with her unforeseen moves. She finds her own troop (so in love with Devon for this!) and lurking me with layers of suspense and red herring, so cunning it gets me too invested.
Fast pacing in the later part and I get to see how Evie’s dynamic grew wicked and utterly enticing. Loving how the plot progressed until the end with those interlacing motives and its twists and turns. Having my hunch on Mr. Smith and it excites me to see how Evie deals and seducing him out— truly love how bold and tense it goes. Last chapter wrapped so nicely, my sudden love for Ryan and the ending too; I wish to see the after-scene so bad that I think Evie Porter deserves a series on her own.
“There’s an old saying: the first lie wins. It’s not referring to the little white kind that tumble out with no thought; it refers to the big one. The one that changes the game.”
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!...more
Meet the modern-day investigators that carried their surnames like the legendary author and famous fictional detective characters; Brendan Holmes, MarMeet the modern-day investigators that carried their surnames like the legendary author and famous fictional detective characters; Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe in their adventure to uncover and solve the mysteries of few high profile cases in the city of New York.
The narrative jumbled up so fine with few intertwining cases filled me with thrills and suspense; from a love-hate related murder to art theft, father-daughter kidnapping case, a tunnel of skeletons, a model went missing and many years ago unsolved murder mystery at a bakery of which now is a home and office to these three protagonists. I delved into the intricacies of their investigations and deductions; an enjoyable one I would say because honestly, Patterson never to disappoint me yet with his storytelling esp when it involved a murder and crime plot, it will always enthralled me and a credit too for Brian Sitts in co-writing this!
Bit twisty with a slight humor and fun side characters— nothing draggy or red herring much and I love their interactions the most; they sound so stylish and ‘classic’, and those ways of thinking and observations struck me with admiration esp with Margaret— suddenly it feels like I want to read Agatha Christie(?) because of her. A fancy and protective character of Auguste Poe (expect to swoon a bit with his love story) and mysterious Brendan Holmes; his part was the most psychological and dangerous for a reason.
Great pick if you want a standalone crime mystery read; easy to grasp storyline even though those cases alternatingly told in between these three protagonist perspectives, fast-pacing, short chapters (Patterson really a master to this style), exciting ingenious progress, a devious villain as an extra with a cat and ghost story included. I personally love the second half the most (basically because of their friendship) and really wish this can be a series although I digress after reading its solid final chapter.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the review copy! ...more
Too heart-moving and so compellingly narrated. A complex and descriptive plotline that brought me to follow the hardships and struggles of two women; Too heart-moving and so compellingly narrated. A complex and descriptive plotline that brought me to follow the hardships and struggles of two women; Yun Chaeryeong and Kim Sunam—one having to live so well for her pro-Japanese viscount father and another was being sold as a maid to serve the viscount’s daughter—surviving the Japanese occupation during the WWII as well the political conflict and tension of Korean War. Almost epically plotted to me for how the timeline stretches from 1920s to the modern-day Korea; of historical incidents and tragedies that brought these two women closer in characters, upbringings and level of tenacity to live and survive due to their misplacement of identities.
A massive well crafted backstories that go quite cinematically pleasing, well researched on the cultural hue also social classism part that engrossingly observed on the mistreatment, gender stereotypes and the Japanese brutalities throughout the colonial era. I love Sunam’s narrative the most for how heart-rending and surreal her exploration goes; of poverty and her naivety that led her to trust the viscount too much— it irks me at times yet her dynamic and personality to crave for education really struck me with an enthralling admiration and empathy.
It gets bit intense on the later part as it delved into both Sunam and Chaeryeong’s immigrants journeys— as much as I did not like Chaeryeong that much it was sad too to see how she was stuck in between her father’s selfishness and her own desire and needs. Loving those subplots on independence movement in Ganghwi’s narrative as well that glimpse of Sunam’s haunting scene as a comfort woman and those friendship she found along her ways— the almost unrequited love story really adding a bit charm too to her plot.
Bittersweet execution yet devastating much on how affecting both fates come to the end. I fancy the straightforwardness on its storytelling and way the author wrapped and linked their years of living until the last chapter with another identity mess; an obsession, determination or perhaps just a real truth that need to be uncovered.
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the review copy! ...more
Mildly tense with a little suspense yet so twistedly plotted for me. So lucidly told despite how Higashino goes twirling both timeline and narrative wMildly tense with a little suspense yet so twistedly plotted for me. So lucidly told despite how Higashino goes twirling both timeline and narrative with bunch of emotional heartaches; of death and murder cases that intertwined two broken souls and a heartbreaking parents-child relationship that moved me quite poignantly until the last chapter.
I followed Kaga in a memory of the past years when he went to collect the ashes of his recently deceased mother. Years before, his mother ran away without any explanation and contact, only to die alone in an apartment far away leaving her husband and estranged son with so many unanswered questions. Back to present-day, a strangled to death crime happened in an apartment in Tokyo, rented under a false name by a man who has disappeared without a trace. It was the 2nd strangulation case in Tokyo making both Matsumiya and Kaga to work indirectly side by side in solving the case.
The execution flowed so tightly exhilarated for me with its bleak and secretive backdrop. Enticing red herring esp on the identity searching part and I love how Higashino plotted two scenarios of parents-child perspectives in both Kaga and Hiromi’s narratives— the backstory for Hiromi was so unexpected it gets me drowned in distress delving into her story with Tadao. Loving Matsumiya’s interaction with Kaga and those familial moments they shared while unfolding the cases. Kaga surely just popped up and disappeared as he wished, kind of agree too with Mogi when he said; “it was Kaga’s humanity, not his abilities that appealed…” as Kaga really hooked me with his characterization.
An absolute well-written for a closure to the series; was hoping to get Kaga’s perspective on the last chapter after the letter revealed but somehow I digress; I am fine with Tokiko’s deduction— “No matter how hard the wind blew, its surface never became choppy. It was that mental strength that had carried him through…”
Too fascinating for an assassin related theme for how inventive I think the author crafted his characters and way of telling his story— bold, dark witToo fascinating for an assassin related theme for how inventive I think the author crafted his characters and way of telling his story— bold, dark with a provoking perspective that highly observed on society and one’s morality as well the brutal side of a corporate world on what people would really do for power and money.
The plot brought me to uncover an engrossing tale of an assassin known as Consultant who works in curating a ‘natural death’ scenario for those who requested ‘restructuring’ service from his Company. He creates a simple, elegant with nothing obvious or messy murder premise that no one would ever expect that the subject was being killed. His plans always gone well that one day when he receives a request with a subject that he knows and cares about, he begins to question the role he plays in the vast, anonymous Company.
“I make death something tragic and realistic and satisfying at the same time. This is my expertise. You can call me a killer if you want.”
I was so intrigued with his backstory of how he started from a novice crime writer at a bulletin board to further consulting a real murder without directly involved into the scene. Bit amusing and quite satirical as he linked his musings through the capitalist and consumerism issues giving me a thought-provoking yet cunning overview of how business and power could violently corrupting one’s need and morality. Love the stylish nuance on its storytelling, those gist of romance and mystery also that enthralling list of his murder updates.
“By the time I began planning my tenth murder, I had stopped looking for reasons why my customers should die. It was a waste of time. Everyone had a good reason to die. And 'strictly speaking', no one's death is ever anyone else's fault.”
Bit psychological on the later part with an anxiety mess and distress that echoed an absorbing dynamic to both its plot and characterization— a thrill that attention-grabbing much to me as the Consultant unfolds his realisation on how easy the Company could submit for another murder and to how far he would go to escape and for them to stop him.
Truly a catchy read for a unique hitman composition especially if you love something related to societal criticism; somehow I like how the author was inspired to write this plot after the fall of Lehman Brothers when he witnessing a union rally one day with a banner written ‘restructuring is murder’.
Loading...
