lilac_sparkle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I liked how the book was equally focused on the mystery of the murders, as well as the characters of the people attatched to them. I thought the way important clues were written into the story, as there are often times when we wonder what should we focus on and what is just a red herring.
Spoiler
I liked how one of the revelations is attatched to a character having a genuine misunderstanding and this misunderstanding being repeated to so many people. I feel like this should be utalized more in mystery works as people very often have misunderstandings in real life. I would have given the book a 5 star rating if not for the reveal of why Hisako killed her family. While I could see that everything was building up to Hisako being the perpetrator, I did not like how her motive was made attatched to her becoming disabled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, and Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse
CW for ableism:Spoiler
The reveal of why the killings happened is tied to the abelist trope of a disabled character doing bad things because they are upset that they are disabled.litteratur's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Ein mysteriöser Mord als Plot-Grundlage, ständig wechselnde Erzählformen (Interviews, Zeitungsartikel usw) als Stilmittel. Wer einen "Krimi" erwartet, wird enttäuscht. Es ist einfach nicht meine Art der Literatur. Je mehr ich las, desto weniger interessierte es mich.
prome's review against another edition
4.0
“When I was blind, I felt like a goddess. Full of confidence. People thought I knew everything. But once I could see again I became timid and always looking nervously around me. I aged instantly. It was like a spell had been broken.”
Hisako Aosawa is a character you'll keep wanting to look into. I'm sure you met quite a lot of mysterious female characters with a charming aura but have you ever met someone like Hisako?
The book started with a mysterious mass murder that takes place in the Aosawa family killing 17 people. From the beginning, it was a slow burn, but a good slow burn because I haven't seen this kind of startups in mystery novels where a crime happens then everything and everyone in the plot is in such a rush to catch the murderer, it was nothing like that. So I kept wondering when it'll become real hectic and that's what kept me hooked from the beginning. Ultimately it didn't get hectic but I was still hooked.
The whole book goes from chapter to chapter, each presenting the perspective of someone who's somehow connected to the said incident. This kind of layout made me feel like I was listening to the story from those characters testimonies themselves as it is written in a way to make you have the vibe of listening to them directly sitting in an investigation room or an interview room.
Even though, midway through the book, I started falling apart about the whole plot. Started picking up again quite a few pages before the end.
The stories of each person being said in their povs to have the readers think and use their brain to fit all those puzzle pieces found in there scattered, and then forming the final answer to the mystery dragged throughout the whole book. But *spoiler warning* there aren't any significant proper answers in the end.
This was book isn't the typical there's a murder and who did the murder and thus the murderer is revealed style. For this reason, plot-wise you might lose patience, for those who are mystery novel addicts and you just wanna know who did it so bad. But this book is merely fabricated to show the countless possibilities to the readers instead of the big ol' expose of the culprit.
I thought the writing style was so calming and aesthetically pleasing, full of so many beautiful quotes offering so much food for spiritual thoughts, I surely highlighted quite a few quotes throughout the book.
Hisako Aosawa is a character you'll keep wanting to look into. I'm sure you met quite a lot of mysterious female characters with a charming aura but have you ever met someone like Hisako?
The book started with a mysterious mass murder that takes place in the Aosawa family killing 17 people. From the beginning, it was a slow burn, but a good slow burn because I haven't seen this kind of startups in mystery novels where a crime happens then everything and everyone in the plot is in such a rush to catch the murderer, it was nothing like that. So I kept wondering when it'll become real hectic and that's what kept me hooked from the beginning. Ultimately it didn't get hectic but I was still hooked.
The whole book goes from chapter to chapter, each presenting the perspective of someone who's somehow connected to the said incident. This kind of layout made me feel like I was listening to the story from those characters testimonies themselves as it is written in a way to make you have the vibe of listening to them directly sitting in an investigation room or an interview room.
Even though, midway through the book, I started falling apart about the whole plot. Started picking up again quite a few pages before the end.
The stories of each person being said in their povs to have the readers think and use their brain to fit all those puzzle pieces found in there scattered, and then forming the final answer to the mystery dragged throughout the whole book. But *spoiler warning* there aren't any significant proper answers in the end.
This was book isn't the typical there's a murder and who did the murder and thus the murderer is revealed style. For this reason, plot-wise you might lose patience, for those who are mystery novel addicts and you just wanna know who did it so bad. But this book is merely fabricated to show the countless possibilities to the readers instead of the big ol' expose of the culprit.
I thought the writing style was so calming and aesthetically pleasing, full of so many beautiful quotes offering so much food for spiritual thoughts, I surely highlighted quite a few quotes throughout the book.
tahliaschiro's review against another edition
4.0
The book was thrilling but the ending was so confusing??
sleeveless_heart's review against another edition
4.0
Began the first chapter, couldn't get into it at all, so I dropped it. Then my father was diagnosed and admitted for appendicitis, I was getting eaten away by anxiety, so what better time than this to read it?
The atmosphere is fantastic, I love how this book is structured, how every voice managed to be distinct and unique. The ending was ambiguous, but I don't really mind that.
Journey Before Destination, after all.
The atmosphere is fantastic, I love how this book is structured, how every voice managed to be distinct and unique. The ending was ambiguous, but I don't really mind that.
Journey Before Destination, after all.
daenjou's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
half_notes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The Aosawa murders was a dark and gruesome read. The ending is very ambiguous, adding to the feel of the book. The pacing felt very slow in the middle and could get confusing at times. The culprit is pretty obvious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse
sjf510's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
ryleyhorner's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25