Out [Hardcover]

 

 

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Great psychological thriller and full of irony. It has all the appeal of a well-crafted murder mystery except there is no mystery as we have come to know it in the West. If so, what then rivets our attention, males and females alike? Perhaps it is the fact that Kirino sets out to prove in such a dispassionately gruesome and original fashion what men can do, women can do better: manipulate and destroy others and get a way with it. Her creation of compelling characters such as Satake and Masako and a fast-moving plot to go with them makes for both a satisfying and disturbing read. Good stuff!

Out is vivid and tense from beginning to end. Curious and surprising even though aware of the form. One of the best.

"Out" was first published in 1997 and won Japan's top mystery award. It is Natsuo Kirino's first novel to be translated into English. Set in Tokyo, it's centred around four women who work the nightshift in a boxed-lunch factory. The pay is good for a part-time job, but the work is far from rewarding, the hours aren't sociable and the chances for progression are limited. Unfortunately, their home lives aren't much better.

Yoshie is the most likeable of the four friends. She is nicknamed the Skipper since she is so hard-working and effectively runs the line the women work on. Yoshie's husband died from cirrhosis, leaving her to look after her family and mother-in-law - who'd suffered a stroke more than six years previously. She's finding it difficult to make ends meet : the insurance from her husband's death, and her own savings, have been spent - largely on looking after her mother-in-law. She is desperate for her daughter to receive a good education. Meanwhile, her landlord is talking about tearing down her dilapidated house, hoping to build a modern apartment block. Yoshie knows this will involve higher rents.

Kuniko is a different matter entirely. Vain and self-absorbed, she is a thoroughly dislikeable character. She lies about her age, drives an expensive, imported car and spends beyond her means on clothes. She had claimed to be married to her live-in boyfriend : sensibly, he blows town early in the book and carefully covers his tracks. Due to the money she spends on her image, she owes a fortune to a loan-shark.

At 34, Yayoi is the youngest and prettiest of the four friends. Kenji, her husband, had once pursued her relentlessly. However, once married, things changed dramatically. Kenji started spending more time away from home, drinking and gambling. Recently, he had been visiting two clubs in Kabuki-cho. In one, he had been spending a great deal of time (and money) in the company of a beautiful hostess. In the other, he'd lost a fortune at the baccarat tables - including the couple's savings. Eventually, after an argument, Yayoi's patience snaps and she strangles him. She then phones Masako : unsure what to do, she knows her colleague will help her.

Although the focus of the book switches from one character to another, Masako is essentially the book's central character. In her early forties, she is married and has one son. Down-to-earth, and more experienced than her colleagues, her three friends seem to rely on her in particular. The book opens and closes with her and, after Yayoi's confession, it is Masako who makes many of the key decisions.

Although Yayoi knew Kenji had blown a fortune, and suspected he'd been in a fight the night she killed him, she didn't know the full story. The clubs he'd been visiting were owned by Mitsuyoshi Satake who, in recent weeks, had come to view Kenji as a nuisance. Kenji was stalking his top hostess and was behind in his bill at 'Playground' (his illegal, after-hours, baccarat club). Eventually, Satake 'deals' with him, using a method that involved Kenji bouncing down a flight of stairs. Unfortunately for Satake, Yayoi's subsequent actions see him under investigation. With a past he'd rather hide, and in illegal club to protect, this is something he is far form pleased about.

A little grim in places, a bit depressing in others - although I found it a touch implausible at times. In particular, I couldn't understand Masako. I found it hard to believe, for example, she could be so detached with what was not only happening around her, but also to her. Nevertheless, "Out" is a very-well-written book and is easily read. Definitely recommended.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Sukoshi tsumanakatta - A little dull
I don't know. The book was OK. I lived in Tokyo for a couple years and my in-laws are Japanese so I can appreciate the setting and some of the background culture but I kinda... Read more

Published on Sep 28 2007 by C. Rybuck

2.0 out of 5 stars Just an old trick
The book is well-translated but the story is predictably boring.
It's so obvious to me that the author is just trying to shock the readers by writing something unusually... Read more

Published on May 20 2004

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but is this a Mystery Novel ?
No need for me to give the short summary of the book again, others have done a great job doing that for me. Read more

Published on April 9 2004 by johndoe2412

4.0 out of 5 stars Original and compelling
OUT by Natsuo Kirino (Kodosha, 2003)
OUT is one of those novels that without the award nomination (the Edgar Award for best novel), would never be brought to the attention... Read more

Published on Feb 24 2004 by Larry Gandle

4.0 out of 5 stars This book will be shared and discussed for some time to come
The story behind OUT is almost as interesting as the novel itself. OUT is the debut novel of Natsuo Kirino; published in 1998 in Japan, and garnering not only awards but also... Read more

Published on Jan 31 2004 by Bookreporter

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good, but Gruesome Tale
The book was a gift, selected for me because it was an award winning mystgery in Japan and a Staff Pick at our local bookstore. Read more

Published on Jan 5 2004 by Susan Kibler

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Square of Rice
Honestly I have never been a big fan of mystery novels. Not that I have anything against them, but I just have never read them. Read more

Published on Dec 31 2003 by Daitokuji31

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and entertaining
I was entertained and drawn into the very dark and bizzar world these "fine" ladies found themselves a part of from the very beginning. Read more

Published on Dec 7 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Queen of Mystery
I am a HUGE FAN of Kirino Natsuo!! I always thought that it was really sad that I could not share her books with my friends who cannot read Japanese. Read more

Published on Dec 6 2003 by T. Sakata

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
I was drawn into it's web, and very much enjoyed the intricate weave the author spun. Not for children, it's a look into a lives of everyday, weathered people, unsure of their... Read more

Published on Aug 26 2003 by Drew

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