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3.4
(125)
Ryu Murakami
The long-awaited translation of the novel behind the cult classic Japanese movie. In this gloriously over-the-top tale, Aoyama, a widower who has lived alone with his son ever since his wife died seven years before, finally decides it is time to remarry. Since Aoyama is a bit rusty when it comes to dating, a filmmaker friend proposes that, in order to attract the perfect wife, they do a casting call for a movie they don’t intend to produce. As the résumés pile up, only one of the applicants catches Aoyama’s attention—Yamasaki Asami—a striking young former ballerina with a mysterious past. Blinded by his instant and total infatuation, Aoyama is too late in discovering that she is a far cry from the innocent young woman he imagines her to be. The novel’s fast-paced, thriller conclusion doesn’t spare the reader as Yamasaki takes off her angelic mask and reveals what lies beneath.
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More Details:
Author
Ryu Murakami
Pages
208
Publisher
W. W. Norton & Company
Published Date
2010-06-07
ISBN
0393339106 9780393339109
Community ReviewsSee all
"Well it kept me captivated, the horror doesn't really start until the climax. Not sure it was worth it..."
M P
Michael Prentice
"I think a suspense novel's goal is to read like a rollercoaster. You tick yourself slowly up the hill getting closer and closer to the top and then BAM you go over the top and zooming down the backside. That's what this book felt like, and it was WONDERFUL. Murakami writes suspense the best that I've ever read. He also writes about trends in society very well, and groups of people. All of the conversations between characters are fascinating.
Page turning takes on a whole new meaning when reading this novel. I couldn't put it down and ended up staying up way later than I should have. He writes outstanding properly f'd characters. I have to wonder if he'd met a few to write such creepy ones. I liked this one more than "In the Miso Soup" it checked all the boxes for me. When I finished it, the one word that popped out of my mouth was "f***". And I think that about sums it up.
Ya'll should give 'er a shot."
C J
Cole Johnson
""What was this all about?" Aoyama shook his head weakly. "I don't know," he said. "Nothing really."<br/><br/>This is the perfect description of this book. It is about nothing. For a book that is supposedly a horror novel, there is no suspense whatsoever - I don't know if that's because I read a translation, or if it's because it was really written this way. I hope it's the translation because I don't understand why this book has high ratings. Something finally happens on page 170, but there are only 190 pages in the book. This book could have been so much more sinister, but it was just 170 pages of complete boredom, and then 20 pages of random violence. I'm so glad that this was a library book, and that I didn't buy it."
E
Emily
"Based on reccomendations I was given, I honestly expected this book to be weirder (said fondly). It was still a decent read, although the dog didn't deserve all that 𝢀 [3.25☆]"
L
Lars
"This is my finished book for Japan, and it was great start! Some areas are left to be desired, but I would still recommend anyone close to me to read it."
D H
Destiny Henderson-Hudgins
