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malu_penafort's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
jsupersan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
readallmay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Self harm, Torture, and Stalking
knightofkush's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
zwubb's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
braydenirwin's review against another edition
4.0
A bromance about accepting people who may be different from us :)
lewis666's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had high expectations going into this! I'm only familiar with Ryū Murakami's work from the horror movie "Audition" which was adapted from his novel of the same name, and I love that movie. The book I'm yet to read, but I was excited for In the Miso Soup. Nonetheless, I had a great time reading this!
It starts off with great detail on the neon nighttime life in Tokyo for people looking for sex, having a great time in sex clubs and that kind of thing, and the mystery surrounding Frank was interesting. I liked Kenji a lot too, his head was screwed on right. However while I did enjoy the story, surrounding the death of a young girl, it became quite predictable on who the killer was. But I appreciated the direction the book went that wasn't the familiar shocking twist. As a horror fan, I liked how depraved gory things had gotten.
The book attempts to humanise a killer with a tragic background. Dealing with things most of us "normal" people deal with our whole lives, and asks us to look inside the heart of a killer and at least try to understand. Maybe not sympathise, but at least understand. It doesn't reach heights I hoped it would, it's definitely got a stronger first half before the obvious became apparent. But overall this was a very great read that's right up my street in many ways. Makes me want to check out more of Ryū Murakami's work or Japanese fiction in general.
It starts off with great detail on the neon nighttime life in Tokyo for people looking for sex, having a great time in sex clubs and that kind of thing, and the mystery surrounding Frank was interesting. I liked Kenji a lot too, his head was screwed on right. However while I did enjoy the story, surrounding the death of a young girl, it became quite predictable on who the killer was. But I appreciated the direction the book went that wasn't the familiar shocking twist. As a horror fan, I liked how depraved gory things had gotten.
The book attempts to humanise a killer with a tragic background. Dealing with things most of us "normal" people deal with our whole lives, and asks us to look inside the heart of a killer and at least try to understand. Maybe not sympathise, but at least understand. It doesn't reach heights I hoped it would, it's definitely got a stronger first half before the obvious became apparent. But overall this was a very great read that's right up my street in many ways. Makes me want to check out more of Ryū Murakami's work or Japanese fiction in general.
kaymayss's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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
2.0
books_and_keys's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
janey's review against another edition
3.0
I generally run hot and cold on books translated from the Japanese. This one is the exception -- I'm kind of neutral about it. The translation, for the most part, reads like a book written by a Westerner, and it's only toward the end that you think oh right this is a translation.