Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Rings by Kōji Suzuki

30 reviews

stargirlsky's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

while I’m giving this book a 3.75, that’s not to say it wasn’t an enjoyable read. I really liked the pace, I liked that it was simple enough to understand, and yet just mysterious enough for me to be thrilled by. I also thought a lot of the “discovering” and plot twists were well done. however, as many other people have stated, it is like rampant with really weird views and details on women?? I mean it was written in 1991 but like for example, there’s a certain part in the book that was about Sadako that genuinely made me sigh. I love the story itself it’s very interesting and for the time it was certainly a new plot concept, I just wish stuff like that had been left out 
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cheyenne_halud's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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zakcebulski's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5


Yeah, this book was something.
I thought it was pretty sloggy admittedly. I thought that the premise was interesting, but, past that I just don't really give a damn.
I thought that the inclusion of Ryuji being a rapist and having it be revealed that WOW he was not a rapist was super fucking uncomfortable. To me, this might be a controversial take, but, having the more competent of your two protagonists be a proud serial rapist is terrible. And having the big reveal be that gasp he was a virgin and possibly didn't rape anybody doesn't make things better. Why would Asakawa want to befriend a rapist???
Asakawa was unlikable and extremely frustrating. LIke... just do something fucking goddamn christ. He is the main protagonist of a horror/ procedural novel, and is inept to a crazy degree. He would have died had it not been for again an admitted rapist. What in the fuck?

The reveal of Sadako's curse as being conveyed by not only the videotape, but the charm as bein creating copies of the tape was well done. I think that that was the highlight of the book. I also thought that the reveal of Asakawa's wife and daughter watching the videotape was a great "oh fuck" moment. The stakes are immediately established. 

Overall, this book was not for me. There are some good parts. The backstory of Sadako is interesting and quite tragic, but unfortunately about everything outside of that is terrible.
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lostfoxtrail's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

There’s a good premise here but the explanation was a huge let down for me personally. Some problematic elements too, which decreased my reading enjoyment substantially. Probably wouldn’t recommend. 
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evey_ack's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense

3.0

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saldre's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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devynrj's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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johannabanana's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I loved this book. I had seen the American version of the movie, so some plot points were spoiled going in, but it’s different enough that I found myself curious and gripped by what was happening. It’s got such a creepy atmosphere (I tried not to read at night out of fear, ha ha) and it’s easy to get swept into the mystery right from the beginning. I will explain why I took off 0.25 stars in the spoiler section.
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lunahbee's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Fun to read the story behind the movie. Characters are mostly awful and infuriating human beings. 
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je_fancyb's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I think this was ahead of its time in a lot of fun ways and unfortunately OF its time in some others. Moves at a really good clip but some developments just Happen with little reason and the text does itself a disservice by pointing it out
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