Grotesque (Vintage International)
by:
Natsuo Kirino (author)
Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to...
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Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to fit in.Years later, Yuriko and Kazue are dead — both have become prostitutes and both have been brutally murdered. Natsuo Kirino, celebrated author of Out, seamlessly weaves together the stories of these women’s struggles within the conventions and restrictions of Japanese society. At once a psychological investigation of the pressures facing Japanese women and a classic work of noir fiction, Grotesque is a brilliantly twisted novel of ambition, desire, beauty, cruelty, and identity by one of our most electrifying writers.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9781400096596 (1400096596)
Publish date: February 12th 2008
Publisher: Vintage
Pages no: 530
Edition language: English
Category:
Literature,
Cultural,
Mystery,
Contemporary,
Asian Literature,
Asia,
Thriller,
Mystery Thriller,
Crime,
Horror,
Japan,
Japanese Literature
Did not finish. Characters are all repulsive, not a single likable person in this book. Narrator is especially annoying.
I love an unreliable narrator. There’s something to be said for a straightforward narrative where the only unreliability is people being woefully unaware that the person they’re always arguing with is the person they’re secretly in love with, but sometimes I prefer something a little meatier. And th...
The Accidental Reader Book Reviews and MoreThis book confused me so much when it comes to the rating. It;s one of those books that belong in the in between and I really didn't know how to rate it. So I closed my eyes and gave it a 3. Like all Natsuo Kirino's books you get to see the story from multi...
I'm torn between a 2 or a 3 star rating. The story was engrossing and character development very intriguing, I really didn't like any of the characters and I don't think you are supposed to. The ending also flew over my head; I really didn't get the point of it. The story is told as each chara...
I had to stop. I picked this book up because I enjoyed Out so much. However, I only got about 1/3 of the way through this novel before I just couldn't take it anymore. There's some good commentary on the hyper-competitive schools and the treatment of women in Japan. And it's all bound into a story t...