Natsuo Kirino's novel starts when a woman called Yuriko, a prostitute, is found murdered in Tokyo, followed soon by the death of a colleague, Kazue Sato. The narrator is Yuriko's sister, a jealous woman who hates her beautiful sibling and tells her story along with parts of Yuriko's diary, Kazue's notes and the confession of a murder suspect. The story goes back to their elite private school, where social rank, beauty and ambition defined girls' lives. Kirino writes about class, sexism and the double standards in Japanese society.
Readers of dark crime fiction and psychological thrillers who like unreliable narrators and social criticism will find a long, brutal and intricate novel.
Deep, growth-minded and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2003
- Language
- EN
