team@revish.com (medea1) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:14:14 +0000

Chilling Truth

Calling Natsuo Kirino a mystery or crime writer essentially undermines her work. Kirino gives the readers an insight into modern day Japan that few have seen or heard about, a look at the problems of individuals in this seemingly harmonious society. The basic premise of the novel concerns the death of two prostitutes and their connection with each other and their killer; this isn’t a whodunit or thriller it is a study of the female character in all of its variations and flaws. With Grotesque, Kirino looks at the pressures women face in Japanese culture, the psychological damage that is inflicted not only by society’s expectations and men but most importantly other women. It is the relationships that the female protagonists have with each other, which make Kirino’s work brilliant, her insight into the female psych is chilling but true. I defy any women not to think back and recall her days growing up and trying to navigate her place among the girls at school, the cliques and just trying to fit. The only flaw I could find with this novel would be the perspective of the killer as he narrates his own tale; I found it some what tedious and not as interesting as the stories of the female characters. Ultimately the reader is left with a disturbing truth that stays with you for days.

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