A review by zmorgason
Masks by Fumiko Enchi
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Like the pale and delicate strands of a spider's web, Masks is an intricately beautiful psychological nightmare. Two men vie for the affections of a fairylike young girl, a sort of medium for her manipulative matriarch. The girl, Yasuko, is a puppet on her mother-in-law's string, and Tsuneo and Tokyoki, the two men smitten with her, are like the marionette's own appendages. Layers of deception and manipulation are skillfully unfolded—an ornate scheme made all the more horrifying by its simple effectiveness. For those who enjoy a twisted love stories and classic literature, this is a must read.