026 4 Out is Japanese noir at its darkest best . The first of Natsuo Kirino's to be translated into English , it is gruesome , edgy , bizarre , and terrifying . It has also been mistakenly categorized as mystery simply because there is no mystery here at all . We know from the onset the who , what , why , where , when , and how of the crime . What we do not know is what will happen to the criminals .
Four women work the night shift assembly line at the Miyoshi Foods factory in suburban Tokyo prepping box lunches . Masako Katori is the smartest of the four , hardened by the injustices she suffered in a previous professional job , and by the callous indifference of her husband and troubled son . Yoshie Azuma is the most efficient at the line , earning her the nickname Skipper , but she's a widow burdened at home by an antagonistic , bed-ridden mother-in-law and a selfish daughter . Yayoi Yamamoto is the timid one , abused by her husband , Kenji , whose gambling and womanizing have drained their savings . Kuniko Jonouchi is young and foolish , drowning in a sea of debts to finance her shopping habits .
Unable to endure Kenji's abuse , Yayoi snaps one night and strangles him dead with her belt . Helpless and panicked , she enlists Masako's help , and with the understandably hesitant Yoshie and Kuniko , they dismember the late Kenji and dispose of the body in various places . ( About halfway into the story , a detective theorizes that the reason dismembering is more often done by women is simply because they do not have the physical strength to carry the body in one piece . It makes perfect sense . . . well . . . in a morbid sort of way . ) Yayoi collects on her husband's life insurance and pays the three for their trouble . Soon , Kenji's remains are discovered , and a club owner who fought with Kenji on his last night is fingered ( sorry ) as the killer . But the women's relief is premature - - their lives are forever changed and threatened by someone who's figured it all out and now wants payback .
Ms . Kirino presents a gritty Tokyo here , not the cherry-blossomed , tranquil , Zen-like atmosphere postcards perpetuate . This is ugly Tokyo with its yakuza ( mob ) , seedy Kabukicho ( red-light district ) ` hostess ' clubs , and killer loan sharks . ( Those into photography may recall seeing works by Watanabe Katsumi who's known for his photographs of the gangsters , prostitutes , drag queens , and sundry of Kabukicho in the ` 60s and ` 70s . That's the atmosphere and mood here , only grittier , darker , and more menacing . ) There are no likeable characters either , and money is a recurring theme . Wanting it , getting it , killing for it are always at the forefront . It's a gripping read and her characters may not be sympathetic but they're believable .
The feminist label that's been attached to this is a curious thing . True that Masako was treated very badly at a prior company for no other reason than wanting equal pay and opportunities . However , the fact that it portrays women who are treated as second-class citizens by a patriarchal society does not in and of itself make it a feminist novel , and insofar as they are capable of despicable acts as their male counterparts only proves that crime can be an attractive proposition for both genders . There is no underlying moral philosophy here that champions equal rights for its female characters , and I don't see it as the theme ; championing their survival from a killer hell-bent on revenge , yes , but that's a totally different thing . It just isn't that kind of story . The four women are in no way bound by anything approximating sisterhood . They did what they did because each had a reason to - - two of them for need of money , one for something that would give her life some meaning ( as absurd as that sounds , considering the act ) , and another for no other reason than she reached the end of her tether with an abusive husband .
The author is frank , both with the violence and the ugliness of its world . Those of a more sensitive nature will find some portions unpalatable . Those who like their novels dark , such as myself , will find this very satisfactory . Why four stars ? The ending became a mishmash of events , told twice by two characters with varying perspectives , and a bewildering final chapter . Nothing new is learned by the reader when the second perspective is given , therefore , why even do it ? And what precipitated the main character's abrupt and bizarre metamorphosis in the last chapter ? I can guess , I suppose , but I rather the author had told me . With a tighter ending , it would have been near perfect . So , terrific story , lots of tension and very dark themes , scary but believable characters , realistic portrayal of the working-class part of Tokyo , writing may have been somewhat pedestrian , solid plotting until an ending that left me scratching my head .
001 4 Having read this book in the original Japanese , i was curious about the translation . Some called it bland while others said it was excellent and even Amazon's own reviewer calls it unobtrusive . Well , it does not appear that any of these opinions were rendered by people who could compare it to the original so perhaps my two cents here will not be a total waste .
In my opinion , the English translation of Out is a work unto itself . I wouldn't even call it a translation ; more like an interpretation . many things which are stated in Japanese are not stated in English . I mean things like , you know , nouns , verbs , adjectives , perhaps entire sentences . . . it's not like these are subtle nuances .
I think this was deliberate on the part of the translator , whose obvious aim was to create a very smooth , readable product in English . i think he has succeeded in that respect . I think the publisher's marketing arm should be quite happy with its unobtrusiveness .
However , i'm not so sure that i agree with that approach to translation . maybe if you're translating poetry or something whacked out like Finnegan's Wake , you have no choice but to take some serious poetic license . But geez , this is a novel . There is a lot of descriptive language - - Kirino's Japanese is much more challenging than , say , Murakami Haruki ( himself a translator ) or Suzuki Koji ( he of The Ring fame ) . So , i agree that it would not be easy to do a straight-up translation and make it seem like it was originally written in English . But to me , that's half the fun . why do we need to pretend it needs to sound like it was written in English to begin with ?
If there are subtleties ( grammatical , cultural , etc . ) which are too convoluted to convey in a normal English sentence , would it really hurt the book's sales figures that much to throw in a footnote or two ? Perhaps endnotes if that is asking too much ? I have read Korean translations of several of Kirino Natsuo's books and they all contain translator's notes . These notes provide valuable information to the reader of the translation . The fact that they are present in the Korean translations but absent from the English translations indicates to me that certain American publishers tend to look down on their readership . They seem to believe their readers do not have a sufficiently long attention span to read even the slightest footnote , as if such notes would be awkward and out of place , overly scholarly .
In recent years works by the likes of Dostoevsky , Kafka and Natsume Soseki have been retranslated because the old standbys were overly interpretive and people reading the translations actually wanted to know what these guys were saying . Obviously something is always lost in the translation ; i just don't think it has to be this much .
002 4 Masako , Yayoi , Yoshie , and Kumiko work the night shift at a boxed lunch factory in a characterless Tokyo suburb . Each has her reason for working at night and earning a little extra money : Masako's husband and son have grown so distant that she finds it less painful to be away from them as much as possible . Yayoi has small children and a spendthrift husband . Widowed Yoshie cares for an invalid mother-in-law and a teen daughter in the throes of rebellion , and young Kumiko ` s taste for luxury has put her deep in debt . They are ordinary women living in a dull suburb with boring jobs and dead-end lives who manage to find the gallows humor in their situation . . Yet before Out is over , one of them will have murdered her husband , two will embark on a sickening business venture , and one will be dead .
Author Natsuo Kirino won Japan's top mystery award for this novel , which smashes the perception of Japan as a society of either anal , work-focused drones or trendy Ginza teens . These women live surprisingly close to the underworld , and they find that violence and seedy glamour are closer than they think . Out is dark , violent , and psychologically astute - - the very definition of noir . This is Kirino's first book to appear in English , and apparently her other award-winner will be published in English soon . This novel is highly recommended for readers who like to explore the dark side of a different culture .
003 4 As Edgar Allen Poe and Rod Serling both demonstrated , the best horror stories take place in the most mundane settings , involving the most ordinary people . Natsuo Kirino's OUT brilliantly follows this dictum , presenting a chilling tale of murder and dismemberment under the most ordinary of circumstances . The result is a gripping page-turner that turns victimizers into victims and ultimately probes the darkest corners of the Japanese psyche .
OUT begins with four typical Japanese women who work the night shift together at a box lunch factory . Masako Katori is a middle-aged , former office worker locked into a loveless marriage to a self-isolating husband and an intentionally mute teenage son . Yoshie Azuma is a widow in her late fifties , burdened with the care of an incontinent mother-in-law and two self-centered daughters . Kuniko Jonouchi is an overweight and materialistic young woman whose live-in husband has just abandoned her and her small mountain of credit debt . Yayoi Yamamoto is a pretty young mother of two children and wife to a gambling , skirt-chasing husband who has blown their life savings at the baccarat tables of a club owned by Mitsuyoushi Satake , a small-time hood with a horrifying secret past .
It is Yayoi who triggers events by strangling her husband in a fit of rage . Realizing what she has done , she calls Masako for help , and they jointly decide to hide the murder and get rid of the body . Their solution eventually sucks Yoshie and Kuniko into their plot , and Satake is fingered by the police as the most likely killer of Yayoi's husband . Satake loses both of his clubs as a consequence and sets out on a course of revenge . The four women's lives head into a free falling death spiral as they are unwittingly drawn into one another's lives and into the yakuza underworld . Desperation leads them to more and more shocking actions , resulting in two of their deaths and a chilling battle of wits , culminating in a sado-masochistic climax .
Kirino's writing is serviceable for this type of book , not rich in imagery or description but well-paced , focusing on actions and character motivations . She maintains her characters ' sense of desperation and builds her story to a suspenseful climax , leaving the reader guessing how her main characters will respond to events . Kirino is most successful in tracing Masako's discovery of hidden strengths as well as her descent into horrifying depravity . We identify with Masako , leaving us wondering just how dark might be the deepest corners of our own souls .
OUT struck me as a particularly Japanese novel , following that culture's peculiar fascination with ritualistic murder and masochistic infliction of pain evidenced by writers like Mishima , movies like IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES , and even the recent spate of pop horror movies like THE RING . America's dark side tends toward mass murderers and serial killers , most of whom are regarded as social misfits or freaks ( such as Jeffrey Dahmer , or Hannibal Lechter ) . The power of Kirino's OUT lies in the very ordinariness of its four female protagonists .
I bought OUT as an airplane read before an 18 - hour flight ; it proved to be an excellent choice for some badly needed escapism . I am hardly an expert on crime novels , but I recommend this book highly as a good read and a bleak look at the underside of modern Japanese life and culture .
004 4 I approached this book with reservations . I had read very good reviews about it but I also read that much of its impact was from the atmosphere it creates and not simply from the plot . Usually this would not be a concern but as I have read some Japanese novels that were unbelievably esoteric , it raised a red flag . Also , I heard that there were heavy themes of women's second class status and women's empowerment throughout the book , which are usually code phrases for women who may be in tough spots , but often no worse than many men , and who respond by being as nasty as possible to men and are thereafter applauded for behavior for which a man would be trashed . I decided to buy the book with a gift certificate figuring I had nothing to lose and that the book would be either very bad or very good . It was very good .
The book is actually not a mystery but rather a crime novel . I dislike reviews that reveal significant plot twists , so let me assure any reader that I am not revealing anything noteworthy when I say the murder occurs early , we know it is the wife who did it , we know why and we know her friends on the night shift help dispose of the body . The mystery is whether they will be caught and how the crime affects the women , all of whom are indeed in tough personal spots . The murder acts as a catalyst for drawing their individual personal difficulties into the foreground and creating the types of conflict and tension that genuinely makes readers wonder what they would do in such situations .
Kirino does an excellent job of developing the plot . Loose ends are not only resolved but often the reader does not know something is a loose end until it arises a second time at the worst possible moment to push a character even further into a corner . The characters are well drawn and the reader can relate to them easily . Though , on one of the few drawbacks of the book , the actual language employed by the author is often a bit too clinical for a book of this type . Such language , almost technical in nature , is not so overpowering as to detract from the plot , the characters or the gloomy atmosphere created , but it was noticeable , especially in a novel with so many strengths going for it .
I find it difficult to say which was most powerful - the solid plot , the strong character development or the dark atmosphere about a side of Japan not seen in the travel brochures . What I can say is that the combination made for an excellent book that is well worth recommending .
005 4 Out by Natsuo Kirino is one of the best books I've ever read ( and I've read A LOT ) . You all know what the book is about since Amazon.com described the plot well . . . This is one of the most realistic and amazing books you'll ever read . The book characters are incredible - from the main character Matsuo to smaller character like Brazilian Kozao . I've never ever read a book with the writer having such an astonishing understanding of the charaters ' psychology . They are so vivid , and so real , that you feel like you know them . I was able to like and indentify with every single one of the characters - from the possitive ones to the negative ones ( if there's such a thing in this book , where the limits are not that clear ) . All the characters are so different , yet have one thing in common - each of them are trapped in a world of pain , pobery , suffer or just boredom , and they're seeking of a way OUT , trying to change their life upside down . Another thing they all have in common is the loneliness , which is so deep . . . The book is a real page-turner , the definition of a thriller . Just when you think that things have calmed down , and rather stabled , the writers shocks you - again and again and again , untill the very last chapter . I will definetely read every book Natsuo Kirino writes , the woman is a genius , and to me , she's one of the greatest writers of this generation - for this book alone ! The book shows you how a group of rather ordinary ( but just on the outside ! ) people get change completely , how dangerous giving up might be , and how there are some things , other than greed for money control our lifes and turn into a dangerous obsession .
006 4 You may want to avoid eating before or while reading this thriller . Aside from that caveat , the only other recommendation is to set aside two days because you will not be able to put Out down . It draws in the reader with its letter-perfect character descriptions and tightly-constructed plot . Kirino's novel was originally published in Japanese under the same title in 1997 . It was a cause celebre selling 300,000 copies and won Japan's top mystery award in 1998 . Prior to that , Kirino won the Naoki Prize with Yawarakana Hoho ( Tender Cheeks ) .
This hard-boiled novel examines the interrelationships between four women factory workers , who are drawn into covering up the murder one of them commits . This leads to more intrigue and , ultimately , the central premise of the novel : what would you do in similar circumstances ? Would you reject a friend's entreaty ? If yes , why and how ? If no , could you take part in the horror - - and then go back to your previous life ? The main character is the brilliant but ordinary-seeming Masako Katori , who works the night shift in a factory . When a co-worker murders her husband , Katori steps forward and enlists the help of two other women in covering up the crime . Katori lives with and takes care of her sexless and depressed husband and her sullen teenage son who no longer speaks to her .
To pigeonhole Out as a detective novel does no justice to it . For those who have lived in Japan for many years - - or for those who only have the vaguest idea of Japan - - this is stunning portrayal of the anomie of modern Tokyo . The portrayals of a Brazilian immigrant , a Yakuza nightclub owner , a Chinese hostess , the working class police detectives , and of course the women themselves are spot-on . Brilliant .
007 4 Four women , co-workers on the night shift at a box lunch factory on the outskirts of Tokyo , form an unlikely friendship based on their mutual desperation - a dissatisfaction with their inattentive , unresponsive husbands and disaffected children , strained economic situations and emotional isolation . When Yayoi Yamamoto , a young wife and mother kills her abusive , philandering spouse , the four come together voluntarily to perform a most grisly act . They dismember the body to facilitate disposal . Although of disparate ages and characters , the women become quite bound to one another through an increasing web of conspiracy , self-interest and suspicion . A series of indiscretions and careless mistakes expose them all to unforeseeable dangers .
Out is so much more than a psychological thriller or a formulaic crime novel . This is fiction that surpasses genre . Although plot driven , much of the story is dependent on character development and change . The characters are portrayed so vividly , even the minor ones , that the reader cannot help but form a strong attachment to them . It really does not matter , ultimately , if the connection is positive or not - one still looks forward to following the various personages forward to their individual destinies . Masako Katori , shrewd and extremely intelligent , is the definite leader among the women and an absolutely fascinating figure . Although she has perfected a cold , detached veneer with which she presents herself to the world , inside she is despondent and in turmoil . Increasingly alone and alienated from her husband and teenage son , she longs for freedom . It had started with something in her . Her hopelessness and a longing for freedom had brought her to this point . Masako is looking for a way out of her claustrophobic life .
This is definitely a novel noir , with a substantial dose of S & M thrown into the mix . obviously not for the faint of heart . I became absorbed in the story almost instantly , only to have my interest wane after the murder is committed . My attention span was at fault here , not the author's writing . Fortunately I stayed with it because the second half of the novel is even better than the first , I think - really riveting ! This is some of the best and most unusual writing I have encountered in some time . It is also very disturbing . Since I do not speak Japanese I can only judge by the translation , and for me the stark , gritty prose really accentuates the building tension in the narrative and the oppressiveness of the environment . I found myself thinking about Out long after I had turned the last page .
Ms . Natsuo provides a rare glimpse into the bleak subculture of many lower middle class Japanese workers who live on the margins of society , worlds away from the lights and glitter of Tokyo's Ginza district . Readers also gain access to the grim Japanese underworld . I should note that there is wonderful dark humor throughout to alleviate the oppressive quality of the storyline .
Although Natsuo Kirino is considered one of the best mystery writers in Japan , multiple award-winning novel Out is Ms . Kirino's first book to be published in English . It has also been made into a Japanese motion picture .
JANA
008 4 I won't discuss the plot and characters because that's already been done . I just have some comments about the themes of the book .
I disagree with many reviews I've read that believe that the central theme of this novel has to do with the empowerment of oppressed Japanese women . No one in this book has a happy , fulfilling life ; the men are just as isolated and beat-down by society as the women . I think the book is a commentary on the human condition , kind of Freudian , like having to live in a civilized , ordered society is by definition boring and unfullfilling . So people in any culture seek ways out . In this case , it happens to be four women who are products of the world they inhabit . The book switches points of view every few pages and this enables the author to delve deeply into the damaged psyches of the characters . I think this is the book's strongest suit . As others have noted , the plot twists are predictable , and the violence seems cliche'ed at times .
The other topic of interest to me that is prevalent in the book is the intersection of sex , violence , love and hate . And death . Again I don't believe that this is a uniquely Japanese fascination as others have written . There have been plenty of sadistic killers in mystery and horror fiction . The one in this book was convincingly drawn and a tiny bit sympathetic , again , because of how living in modern society damaged him .
Last thing , I don't know if any other readers agree with me , but I thought that the book had black comic and satiric elements .
I do highly recommend the book , it moves quickly and there is almost nothing to spare . But it is not for those with delicate sensibilities .
009 4 OUT begins innocently enough , introducing readers to four very different women who have only two things in common : their jobs on the night-shift at a boxed lunch factory in Tokyo , and their desire to escape from the drudgery and meaninglessness of their lives . They are Yoshie , an aging widow whose income supports an ailing mother-in-law and two ungrateful daughters ; Kuniko , who's overweight and dangeroulsy materialistic and not as young as she says she is ; Yayoi , a young mother with an abusive husband who's gambled away their savings ; and Masako , the heart of the novel , a former high-powered career woman who now lives in solitude with an unresponsive husband and son . The women coexist in a drab factory , at a job that offers them no hope of increased salary or promotion . They go through the motions in quiet turmoil over their circumstances .
And then , everything changes : One of the women kills her husband on a whim and seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body . From the moment they agree to help their co-worker , the lives of the four women spiral out of control , into a man's world of danger , intrigue , power and money - - a world that can liberate them from their mundane lives . . . if it doesn't destroy them first .
OUT is one of the most atmospheric , disturbing novels I've ever read . The imagery is startling and violent , and the characters are exquisitely drawn . Kirino succeeds better than any author I've read - - Japanese or otherwise - - at creating tension in her narrative . OUT is a harrowing tale , completely unexpected and unflinchingly intense . With expert pacing , Kirino reveals the underbelly of Japan - - a darker , more violent Japan that we Americans rarely see in the country's exported products . She reveals a society where money rules , where women are very much second-class , where the yakuza and loan sharks control all the major industries , where desperation permeates everyday life . And yet , while OUT has a lot to say about Japanese culture , it has even more to say about friendship , about loyalty , and about human nature itself . Kirino reveals the motivations behind her characters ' actions in ingenious ways , as all four of her creations search for a way OUT of their individual circumstances . And kudos to Stephen Snyder for a brilliant , breathtaking translation !
OUT will make you shiver , make you squirm , and make you think . It's an unforgettable reading experience . Here's hoping we see many more of Natsuo Kirino's books on our shores !
010 4 I very much enjoyed this novel , and not just because of its intriguing plot and strong characters , although those are elements I always look for in a good read .
Beyond that , Out presents a distinct twist on the usual crime novel . First of all , its descriptions of urban blight in the neighborhoods of Tokyo and the bleak lives led by the women who live there are haunting and portrayed in a way that allowed me to identify with the characters even though I have never visited Japan and don't know much about its culture . I came to genuinely care about the characters , even though they are not particularly lovable and , in fact , do some clearly evil things .
And there are some dark moments of humor that caught me off guard but provided some relief at points in the plot where the suspense had become a bit too intense . I don't want to give away the plot , so if you plan to read this book and don't want to know too much about the story , stop reading here .
In a nutshell , a small group of women who work the night shift in a depressing factory end up , through a series of incremental circumstances , butchering dead human bodies for money . Odd as it sounds , their actions are at times quite comical , even though this is most certainly not a humorous novel . The author writes with such nuanced descriptions that I could easily picture the most unlikely activities being done by characters who turn out to be quite surprising , and that adds a sort of perverse twist to the story line that kept me captivated as I sat up late at night turning the pages .
I believe that the translator may deserve as much credit as the author for the success of this novel in English . It seems to me that the subtlties of the setting , tone and characters must have been very precisly rendered by the translator , since I had no trouble at all identifying with certain characters and intensely disliking others . One of the women who is quite unlovable , Kuniko , ended up elicting a certain degree of sympathy from me in the end , which I thought was quite an accomplishment given that this character's personality is truly distasteful . I would say that this is an accomplishment of both the author and the translator , since Kuniko is obviously intended to put readers off and serve as a foil of sorts for the heroine ( or perhaps more aptly , anti-heroine ) , Masuko .
So , if you want to read a crime novel that is a cut above most and that truly engages the reader by raising some serious questions about poverty , gender and power , Out is for you .
011 4 I will not go into the plot of this book , as it has been discussed on multiple occasions by various readers .
Out was the first Japanese translated into English crime book I had read . From page 1 , it hooked me , it was enthralling and intense . The book definitely has it's gruesome moments , and I was surprised just how detailed it was - this is not something to read while snacking on food . I think it was easy to like the characters , even though their actions were unspeakable , and the main characters were very well developed . Kirino is a talented writer , and after reading this book , I went on to purchase other translated crime books , because I was so intrigued by the Japanese culture , and the unique styles of writing .
The drawback to this book , without giving away any sort of spoiler , is that the ending is not good . I just flat out did not enjoy this ending . I thought it was fairly warped , unlikely , and not what most readers wanted to read . I noticed many reviewers also felt this way , and I wonder had it ended differently , if it would have made it a full 5 - star book .
In the end , I still think this is a great read , and I would recommend it if you enjoy crime books , and also want to take a look into Japanese culture .
012 4 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 .
Intelligently written mysteries are a favorite genre of mine , and this book is well-written with good charachter delineations and a plot that quite believeably winds up to its conclusion .
It was the first Japanese mystery I have read , and it had the added bonus of giving the reader some good insights into what like is life for those living in , trapped in , the underbelly of Modern Japan .
My only hesitation in recommending the book is that it is quite gruesome . At one point , fairly early on , I put the book aside , nont sure if I wanted to go on reading in . But I found myself compelled to go back to it to find out what happened to the characters I had already cared about .
013 4 Out , to which I was originally drawn because I wanted to learn more about everyday life in Japan through the eyes of one of that country's best novelists , is my first real experience with modern Japanese fiction . Since I am also a fan of hardboiled detective fiction , I actually had two reasons for getting hold of a copy of Natsuo Kirino's prize winning novel . But in reality , this is no detective novel ; it can , in fact , be more accurately described as a crime thriller and , because of its gritty setting , dark plot and tough characters , a perfect representation of Japanese noir .
Natsuo Kirino has written a story about a segment of Japan's underclass that is rarely discussed by outsiders , an underclass that has everything in common with its equivalent in this country : people who work full-time jobs for such low wages that they can barely get by from one paycheck to the next . As their desperation grows over time , some in that predicament discover that the everyday struggle for survival has turned them into people they hardly recognize , people willing to do just about anything that gives them a chance to get a little bit ahead in the struggle to carve out a decent life for themselves .
The four women who work as an unofficial team during the overnight shift at a box lunch factory because it pays a few pennies more per hour than the earlier shifts can feel their lives slipping away from them . For a variety of reasons , each has come to prefer the solitary lifestyle demanded of those who return home just in time every morning to see everyone around them leave for their own day's work . Yoshie , the sole support of an invalid mother-in-law and unappreciative teenage daughter , feels trapped in a situation she can barely afford to sustain . Masako has a husband whose life is so separate from hers that she only sees him at mealtimes and a teenage son who despises her , and she has come to appreciate the way that her night shift allows her to avoid both . Kumiko , youngest of the four , lives only to shop and has gotten so far into debt that she feels physically threatened by bill collectors . And Yayoi has two small boys and a husband who squanders the family earnings on his gambling addiction and the women who work the clubs he frequents .
Of the four , it is Yayoi who cracks first . The almost casual way that her husband discloses to her one evening that he has gambled away all of their savings throws her into such a rage that she finds the strength to strangle him to death . Desperate to cover up what she has done , Yayoi seeks help from Masako , the one person she trusts to keep her secret . The two hatch a scheme to dispose of the body by cutting it into pieces and placing the pieces in garbage cans around the city , a solution that requires the help of Yoshie and Kumiko if it is to have any chance of success .
Tension mounts when enough of the body is discovered to allow its identification and the police begin to suspect that Yayoi may be involved in the murder of her husband . But it is when the group's weakest link decides to cash in on what she knows about the murder that things really begin to come apart for the women ; soon all four are forced to scramble not only to keep their freedom , but to stay alive .
Out is one bloody and gruesome novel . It is filled with brutality , despair , greed and sadism and I can actually only recall one genuinely likeable character in the entire novel , someone I never expected I would grow to admire , a Brazilian / Japanese citizen in Japan to work in the country of his father . It is perhaps somewhat of a feminist novel but only in the sense that the author portrays these women , still very much second class citizens in their culture , as being capable of the same extremes and callous behavior displayed by the worst men in their lives . This is true equality , I suppose .
All four of these women were looking for a way out of their hopeless circumstances . They got more than they bargained for .
Out is an interesting novel , to say the least , but some readers may find its tone and content hard to take for 359 pages . It has certainly given me a view of Japan that I had not considered before , an impression that will haunt me for a good while . I can't say that I enjoyed this book but I have to admit that I found it morbidly fascinating .
014 4 Natsuo Kirino has been hailed as the ` Queen of Japanese Crime ' . Out , her first book to be translated into English , is the story of four women who work the night shift at a factory making boxed lunches . When the youngest and prettiest of them strangles her husband to death in a fit of rage , the women all rally around their friend . They decide to cut up the pieces of the dead body and dispose it off in bags around Tokyo . This sets up the scenes for a grisly and deeply disturbing tale that reveals the underbelly of Tokyo . Out is a harsh and gritty novel , as the graphic cover suggests .
Out has been made into a successful apanese film , and a hollywood version is to be directed by Nakato hideo , the original director of The Ring
015 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
A horrible , horrible book , but very well-written . The main characters are four women working night-shift in a Japanese factory . All four lead depressed lives , crushed in one way or another by the male society around them . When one of them kills her abusive husband , the others come together to help her dispose of the body , but that leads them deep into the underbelly of Japanese society , with no apparent way out .
The above is not a spoiler ; it is revealed on the back cover . Indeed , the description of the book as a mystery is a complete misnomer . There is no mystery here , but a lot of suspense , as events take surprising turns and new characters become involved in unexpected ways .
Kirino writes from a strong feminist perspective , and her female characters ( even a few of the men ) are easy to understand , though difficult to like . She leads one into a world that I can well believe is realistic but which I am heartily glad that I do not share ; this is a very dark book with few glimpses of light . While the mentions of sex on the cover blurb may seem titillating , be warned that the last 40 pages in particular are so steeped in sadistic violence that this reader at least ( not normally a prude ) just wanted the book to be over . But it is a powerful narrative nonetheless , which draws the reader in despite his repugnance .
Incidentally , none of the readers ' reviews that I have read on the Amazon site , including this one , come even close to the account from Publisher's Weekly printed at the top of this page for its ability to sum up the special qualities of this book in a fair and balanced way .
016 4 A horrible , horrible book , but very well-written . The main characters are four women working night-shift in a Japanese factory . All four lead depressed lives , crushed in one way or another by the male society around them . When one of them kills her abusive husband , the others come together to help her dispose of the body , but that leads them deep into the underbelly of Japanese society , with no apparent way out .
The above is not a spoiler ; it is revealed on the back cover . Indeed , the description of the book as a mystery is a complete misnomer . There is no mystery here , but a lot of suspense , as events take surprising turns and new characters become involved in unexpected ways .
Kirino writes from a strong feminist perspective , and her female characters ( even a few of the men ) are easy to understand , though difficult to like . She leads one into a world that I can well believe is realistic but which I am heartily glad that I do not share ; this is a very dark book with few glimpses of light . While the mentions of sex on the cover blurb may seem titillating , be warned that the last 40 pages in particular are so steeped in sadistic violence that this reader at least ( not normally a prude ) just wanted the book to be over . But it is a powerful narrative nonetheless , which draws the reader in despite his repugnance .
Incidentally , none of the readers ' reviews that I have read on the Amazon site , including this one , come even close to the account from Publisher's Weekly printed at the top of this page for its ability to sum up the special qualities of this book in a fair and balanced way .
017 4 This review is from :
Out ( Hardcover )
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 of the mystery community in the US . The combination of the small press putting out a very very long translated book is often a formula for disaster . It is a tribute to the Edgar committee that they discovered this gem and gave it the recognition it so deserves .
OUT is the story of four women living in the Tokyo suburbs . What they have in common is that they all work the nightshift in a food packaging plant . All have very different but highly troubled lives . Masako Katori , separated from her husband and living with an alienated and troubled son is lonely and bored . Kuniko Jonouchi is in major trouble with loan sharks in that she insists on living well above her means . Yoshie Azuma , a widow stuck into the role of caretaker of an invalid mother-in-law has two troubled daughters and Yayoi Yamamoto living with two small children and saddled with an abusive husband who gambles away what precious little they have . All their lives get overturned when , in a fit of rage , Yayoi strangles her husband and asks Masako to dispose of the body . She agrees and with the help of the others , they must do all they can to avoid suspicion falling on themselves . This proves highly difficult when the loan sharks haunting Kuniko find out the truth .
Natsuo Kirino has written one of the most original works of the year . It is character rich with a plot so clever that in spite of the length , the pacing moves relatively rapidly . This is not a perfect work , however . Too much minutiae tends to get in the way of the story progression . Black humor takes over and might remind some readers of the tale of SWEENEY TODD . A major problem with this otherwise carefully written work is the suboptimal conclusion which is the most unrealistic part of the book and proves to be highly unsatisfying .
018 4 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 of the mystery community in the US . The combination of the small press putting out a very very long translated book is often a formula for disaster . It is a tribute to the Edgar committee that they discovered this gem and gave it the recognition it so deserves .
OUT is the story of four women living in the Tokyo suburbs . What they have in common is that they all work the nightshift in a food packaging plant . All have very different but highly troubled lives . Masako Katori , separated from her husband and living with an alienated and troubled son is lonely and bored . Kuniko Jonouchi is in major trouble with loan sharks in that she insists on living well above her means . Yoshie Azuma , a widow stuck into the role of caretaker of an invalid mother-in-law has two troubled daughters and Yayoi Yamamoto living with two small children and saddled with an abusive husband who gambles away what precious little they have . All their lives get overturned when , in a fit of rage , Yayoi strangles her husband and asks Masako to dispose of the body . She agrees and with the help of the others , they must do all they can to avoid suspicion falling on themselves . This proves highly difficult when the loan sharks haunting Kuniko find out the truth .
Natsuo Kirino has written one of the most original works of the year . It is character rich with a plot so clever that in spite of the length , the pacing moves relatively rapidly . This is not a perfect work , however . Too much minutiae tends to get in the way of the story progression . Black humor takes over and might remind some readers of the tale of SWEENEY TODD . A major problem with this otherwise carefully written work is the suboptimal conclusion which is the most unrealistic part of the book and proves to be highly unsatisfying .
019 4 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 .
020 4 I was torn on what to rate this book because I found it to be well written but personally didn't like it . I liked the setting which was unusual and gritty . I appreciated the depictions of class , gender and race injustices . The characters for the most part felt real and were vivid . However , I didn't like any of the characters in this book . I found it hard to believe that in Japan there isn't one genuine good person . Masako is the closet we get but even she deceives her friends when in comes to money and starts cutting murder victims up for cash . This book lacked suspense for me because though I didn't know who would die I also didn't really care . There were some grusome rape scenes which felt a little too voyuristic for me , but I suppose some may find that adds to the suspense . What I find most interesting is that this book has been hailed as feminist . Usually a book in which the female character secretly gets off on being brutalized and raped wouldn't be labeled feminist . ( It was this element that I found most disbelievable . I understand rape fantasies , but if you are actually being savagely raped , are in fear of your life and being badly beaten I don't think your're going to enjoy it . ) I also didn't find the the depiction of Kuniko as feminist . She is the heavy large breasted woman and also embodies the weakest personality . Masako , the strongest character is built more like a boy and dresses like one . This association of the fleshy female body with weakness is charactersistic of a lot of literature , but not a feminist principle . The back of this book says Out is a moving evocation of the pressures and prejudices that drive women to extreme deeds , and the friendships that bolster them in the aftermath . Well , the first part is true , the unfair circumstances of women were depicted ( and is feminist ) but make no mistake this book is not about women bonding together and creating a deep friendship . All of the women except Masako at the beginning are motivated by money , and all are dishonest with each other in order to aquire more money . Perhaps this book is most feminist in that it depicts women who are as dark and violent and greedy as men with the same capacity for evil .
021 4 Reading this novel allowed me to experience one of the best rides ever . It pushed me into a journey full of heightening fear , sadness , and unpredictability . Natsuo Kirino pushed me in all sorts of directions , and I never knew what to expect from the beginning all the way to the end of the book . All the characters were full of personality and seemed so real . As I read I could feel the intense pressure of all the situations the 3 main women were put in . I was fascinated by Natsuo's way of writing , and how she kept me always wondering what would happen next . I would try and guess out the rest of the novel , and she always proved my theories wrong . There aren't many novels that leave you totally clueless to how it will end such as Out . With everything being so unexpected , I enjoyed the novel even more . The only fault in this masterpiece of a novel would be the ending . The more I tried to understand Masako's emotions during her problematic situation at the end , the more confused I got . I didn't understand her joy in what was being done to her , and I didn't understand the way she felt to the person who had done it . The confusion left me unsatisfied and I look forward to reading this astounding novel again to reconnect with her once more in hopes of understanding her psyche . Natsuo Kirino is a genius in the sense of her ability to understand that most humans are confusing . We all have a way of thought that may be confusing to someone else . We all think differently , see situations in different angles , and have the power to react immorally in different settings . Basically she pinpoints that we are all unique , which many authors fail to acknowledge . I definitely look forward to her future works and recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys emotions , Japan , murder stories , or is interested in society in general . Another thing Natsuo cleverly does is show Japan in realistic aspects . Japan isn't full of anime leaping and dancing all over the place , it doesn't have millions of people full of geisha-esque politeness , and it's far from being a perfect country . She reveals Japan for what it is , behind all of its beauty & tradition . She discusses the prejudices towards racial minorites and what it truly is to be a woman living in Japan .
022 4 The best mysteries are those that reflect deep psychological and social tensions , and have a higher agenda . In fact , without these resonating elements , a mystery novel can so easily become just a shallow and superficial mechanism . Luckily , Natsuo Kirino's Out is full of deep , dark resonances and - along the way of a thrilling and engrossing read - makes some profound points about Japanese society .
The novel opens the door on the lives some ordinary women , working part time on the night shift at a lunch-box processing plant , a dead end job that only emphasizes the domestic drudgery of the protagonists , and can be see as a symbol of the frustration and subjugation of higher female aspirations .
Though their backgrounds and situations differ , the four women share a vague but potent desire to escape the confines of their daily lives . Out of this apparently humdrum situation , Kirino creates a real page turner , as one of the women is driven to murder her husband , and her colleagues decide to rally round .
Turning their job to their advantage , the women work together to cut the body up into small pieces and dispose of it . From that moment on , their lives begin spinning out of control , either towards destruction or liberation .
With majestic prose and artistic descriptions , Kirino creates an exquisite level of anxiety and fear in our minds . She deals expertly with the motives that got the women involved in such a heinous crime , and maintains the suspense about what will happen next with unpredictable plot developments that make the reader want to finish the entire story in one sitting .
The characters deal with issues that are of real importance in contemporary Japan - domestic violence , the care of the elderly , the consumeristic allure of famous brands , and the silently impaired family ties that result in stolid apathy .
While the women in the novel wish to break their chains , there is no easy escape , and they have to tough it out , day by day , like so many people in Japan , caught on a complex web of obligations and expectations . It is these resonating factors that give Out its unique darkness and make it a Japanese mystery novel of the highest quality .
023 4 I just have finished reading this book and i can easily say that this is a brilliant piece of fiction . This is not a horror type of novel but a drama wrapped so much with mystery . For a novel like this , is quite gory and suspenseful ; The pacing is great and the narrative structure is quite inventive .
You have four women that work together on a crappy job in a factory the makes fast food , they all work the night shift , their lives are messed up , they are poor and one of the woman is constantly abused by her deadbeat husband . . . she decides to kill him one day and from that day on things get REALLY MESSY and very complicated .
The dialogue is the fundamental part of the novel that makes it work , the characters are too real and they speak like normal people . The thing about the dialogue is that it doesnt sound very novelesque , it sounds like people are actually speaking .
What can i say without giving away spoilers ? not much really ; but the last 50 pages are much more than brilliant , the ending will leave you satisfied , the dramatic structure is reaching for a very long climax and the payoff is quite beautiful .
Im waiting very anxiously for another novel from Natsuo Kirino . I heard her next one translated is called Disaparitions
024 4 This book rocked .
Which sounds juvenile and simplistic but applies all the same . I was looking for something differant to take me away from the doldrums of January and OUT certainly fit the bill .
The four women who sit central to the storyline inhabit lives of quiet desperation and the book chronicles the transition of each into worlds wild and unfamiliar . Some fare better than others .
Without question the coolest aspect of the book is the fact that it outlines a murder committed in a foreign country . A country whose culture is vastly different from ours . This makes the tiniest things new and interesting . Money , home layouts , family relationships are all turned on their head in the unfamiliar terrain of suburban Japan . I loved this and felt like I was experiencing Crime Fiction on a new level . It was great .
As a mystery the plotline is effective and keeps the readers ' attention with unexpected twists and turns . Kirino also manages to make dark and unsympathetic characters compelling . You are repulsed by their crimes yet ache with sympathy for their empty and unrelentingly difficult lives . Obviously we are not talking about CRIME AND PUNISHMENT here . Dostoyevsky can rest easy but OUT is great fun despite the rather bland translation by Stephen Snyder . Tokyo comes alive and if this novel is any indication of Natsuo Kirino's body of work , I for one can't wait for novel #2 to make it's English debut .
025 4 This book was enjoyable - - the writing was to the point , and often very funny . The author makes a very unlikely story seem natural and totally believable .
The ending caught me completely off guard . It felt a little out of sync with the rest of the book , which is why I gave it four stars . But maybe that was the intent , and if so , mission accomplished . I didn't see it coming . . .
027 4 This is a great book ! ! ! I have not read anything so fascinating in a long time . Now all I do is try to find books as compelling as OUT . Natsuo Kirino's imagery pulls the reader into becoming a part of every character and setting . Each page kept me reading well into the wee hours of the night . After a few chapters into reading the book I was telling everybody in ear shot that it is a good book . Now that I've finished it I say that this is an excellent book . If it were a movie with great actors it would definitely be a box office smash . OUT certainly walked me through areas that I never thought I could or would go , and for that I love it !
028 4 I didn't think I'd like Out as well as I might even before I picked it up . Murder / Suspense isn't my usual fare , but I thought it would be a good time to try something new . So I'll try to be as fair as I can when judging it .
For the most part I actually really enjoyed Out . The murder and gruesome handling of it were shocking , and I was always wondering what would happen next . Natsuo Kirino created interesting characters that , no matter how vile they act , you can't help but feel sympathetic for them . The plot , for the most part , is compelling and it was easy to finish it off in the three days it took me .
Problems ? Well as I said , this isn't my genre . But without giving anything away the ending was confusing . And not in a What kind of cliffhanger is that ? way but in a Did you turn the channel ? I think we're watching a different movie . , kind of way . Part of it made a lot of sense with the theme of people trying to get Out , but it was almost as if there was a big chunk in the middle taken out .
Overall I'd recommend Out for anyone that's a fan of psychological thrillers or even possibly just feminism . It is a good book , but not my personal favorite .
029 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
An excellent book on all counts . A great translation from the Japanese and an eye-opening look at modern-day Japan . The 4 main protagonists are all women who work the night shift at a box-lunch factory , who end up being complicit in a murder . The novel alternates points of view , including a few other main characters . The plot is surprisingly intricate , but also surprisingly easy to follow . I would read anything else by this author . I recommend this book very highly .
030 4 An excellent book on all counts . A great translation from the Japanese and an eye-opening look at modern-day Japan . The 4 main protagonists are all women who work the night shift at a box-lunch factory , who end up being complicit in a murder . The novel alternates points of view , including a few other main characters . The plot is surprisingly intricate , but also surprisingly easy to follow . I would read anything else by this author . I recommend this book very highly .
031 4 Kirino has written a novel that satisfies as both a mystery and an insight into the human condition , reminiscent of what Ian Rankin achieves in his best novel , ' Black & Blue . ' Her powers of description are vivid - you can smell the congealing fat in the bento factory the woman work in , and you won't want to be eating when she describes their other work . . . Contemporary Japan is revealed warts and all , with problems women have looking after the ultra-elderly , disaffected kids , estranged marriage partners and shallow consumerism all faithfully depicted . Like other reviewers , I was disturbed and let down by the ending , hence four stars instead of five . However , I have encouraged my friends to read it as it is the kind of ending I want to talk over and hear other opinions on . Finally , congratulations to Snyder on the translation - all too often , Japanese writing fails internationally because of a lack in this area .
032 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
A curiously fascinating Japanese mystery that is a mesmerizing blend of the banal and the brutal . Lunch box production will assume more interest than you thought imaginable . Other activities will , er , bowl you over as well .
034 4 Natsuo Kirino is a prolific Japanese writer , who has published over 30 novels in Japanese . Out is the only novel I am aware of that has been translated into English , although I hope that many more will be .
Kirino gives the reader a view of the real Japan , although that may sound cliche , it is a novel about Japan today . She touches upon many issues that are facing Japanese society - social pressures , immigration issues , prostitution , credit card abuse , marital relationships , work ethic - just to mention a few . These topics are all wound around a killing of a man and a whodunnit scenario . It's a good murder mystery , but it's even better if you are interested in learning about the Japan away from cliches like manga , anime , hi-tech , rich economy etc .
Her recent novel , Grotesque , has not yet been translated into English .
If you like Japanese writers , I would also highly recommend Miyabe Miyuki , who has written over 40 books in Japanese , with just a few having been translated into Japanese . All She Was Worth is a great moden Japanese suspense novel .
035 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
On the surface , Natsuo Kirino gives us a book loaded with nail-biting , page turning suspense . What lies beneath is a scathing commentary on the social climate for women in Japan . Women are seen as beautiful young pets , or useless old bags . Kirino shows a side of Japan that I didn't know existed .
Kirino's brilliant characterization makes this book work . Every person is fleshed out within the context of the story , and flashbacks are only used when absolutely necessary . I never felt like the story was on hold while I learned about someone's childhood . I can't stand it when writers stop a story cold just to fill in holes that they have created . Kirino doesn't have that problem .
The book has a bit of a slow start , but it is necessary for the author to paint a picure of the mundane world the characters live in before things start to heat up . The story picks up momentum and charges through to a brilliant ending ( I have to disagree with other reviewers who disliked the ending . If you don't like the ending , you may be missing the point of the whole book ) . The plot twists manage to surprise the reader without feeling forced . Kirino's style is concise and well-paced .
My one complaint is that it is difficult to keep the characters straight because of their similar names . With names like Yayoi , Yoshie , and Yoko it's hard to know who's who at times . This may show my American ignorance , but I have to admit that this was a problem for me .
This minor complaint aside , I loved this book and I highly recommend it to all fans of crime fiction .
036 4 On the surface , Natsuo Kirino gives us a book loaded with nail-biting , page turning suspense . What lies beneath is a scathing commentary on the social climate for women in Japan . Women are seen as beautiful young pets , or useless old bags . Kirino shows a side of Japan that I didn't know existed .
Kirino's brilliant characterization makes this book work . Every person is fleshed out within the context of the story , and flashbacks are only used when absolutely necessary . I never felt like the story was on hold while I learned about someone's childhood . I can't stand it when writers stop a story cold just to fill in holes that they have created . Kirino doesn't have that problem .
The book has a bit of a slow start , but it is necessary for the author to paint a picure of the mundane world the characters live in before things start to heat up . The story picks up momentum and charges through to a brilliant ending ( I have to disagree with other reviewers who disliked the ending . If you don't like the ending , you may be missing the point of the whole book ) . The plot twists manage to surprise the reader without feeling forced . Kirino's style is concise and well-paced .
My one complaint is that it is difficult to keep the characters straight because of their similar names . With names like Yayoi , Yoshie , and Yoko it's hard to know who's who at times . This may show my American ignorance , but I have to admit that this was a problem for me .
This minor complaint aside , I loved this book and I highly recommend it to all fans of crime fiction .
037 4 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 . The only one in recent memory that I have read was Miyuki Miyabe's _ All She was Worth _ which was a very enjoyable read . Now I have read this book , and let me say I was pretty creeped out without the contents within . The book starts out simply enough describing in mundane detail the daily lives of four women , Masako , Yayoi , Yoshie , and Kuniko , who work at a industry that assembles ready to eat meals . Kuniko is an overweight flashy woman with expensive tastes who also suffers from very low self esteem . Yoshie , called the Skipper because of her hard work ethic , is a long suffering mother of two rebelious girls and the daughter in law of bed ridden woman . Her life is completely dedicated to taking care of others . Yayoi is the beautiful wife of Kenji Yamamoto a man who use to be very affectionate to her , but who has recently fallen for a bar hostess and become addicted to gambling . Then there is Masako a tall , thin 43 year old woman who hides her bitter past from her friends and endures a distant husband and a mute by choice son at home . She is , however , a lady of steel .
Kirino has created an interesting ensemble of characters that the reader can easily identify with . Characters that the reader will both love and pity and readers that s / he will completely loathe . A wonderful book , but please have a strong stomach before you read it . Kirino is quite a graphic writer describing such things as dismemberment and rape . You have been warned . . .
038 4 Masako , Yayoi , Yoshie , and Kumiko work the night shift at a boxed lunch factory in a characterless Tokyo suburb . Each has her reason for working at night and earning a little extra money : Masako's husband and son have grown so distant that she finds it less painful to be away from them as much as possible . Yayoi has small children and a spendthrift husband . Widowed Yoshie cares for an invalid mother-in-law and a teen daughter in the throes of rebellion , and young Kumiko ` s taste for luxury has put her deep in debt . They are ordinary women living in a dull suburb with boring jobs and dead-end lives who manage to find the gallows humor in their situation . . Yet before Out is over , one of them will have murdered her husband , two will embark on a sickening business venture , and one will be dead .
Author Natsuo Kirino won Japan's top mystery award for this novel , which smashes the perception of Japan as a society of either work-focused drones or trendy Ginza teens . These women live surprisingly close to the underworld , and they find that violence and seedy glamour are closer than they think . Out is dark , violent , and psychologically astute - - the very definition of noir . This is Kirino's first book to appear in English , and apparently her other award-winner will be published in English soon . This novel is highly recommended for readers who like to explore the dark side of a different culture .
039 4 I am living in Japan for a few months and books in English are expensive and hard to find . I found a copy of Out and since it was the only thing I had to read in English I read it . I hated the book for many pages but it slowly got under my skin and by the end I couldn't stop reading . I emailed all my friends to rush out and get a copy . I have never read anything quite like this and I msut admit that I am now a fan of Kirino . The chracter development is slow and steady and you feel like you are part of each and every one by the end . You will hate yourself and love the book by the time you are finished . It is not your normal airport trash that I thrive on .
040 4 I kept trying to read it in one go , but it's too long for that . And yet , I didn't want it to end .
Out is a beautifully written crime novel . You start out not knowing how these peoples ' lives are going to converge or change , but then the dominoes start falling . Ordinary people do extraordinary things , but because of how she's drawn the characters , we can understand why . The plotting and pace are excellent - it's hard to believe this is Kirino's first novel .
041 4 I enjoyed the rhythm of the book . It gently pulled me into its world and held me secure with its fascinating characters and interesting details . With each page that I turned I wanted to know more . I look forward to enjoying more books by this author in the future .
042 4 Just when you think it can't get any worse . . . it does . This novel is a great example of noir literature . It has the usual noir elements of darkness , despair , hopelessness and betrayal . Layered on top of this noir novel is a very black comedy of gender warfare .
A young mother , living in the Tokyo suburbs and working the night shift at a boxed lunch factory , wants out of her miserable marriage to a philandering and abusive husband . Her solution ? Strangle him . Unfortunately , this solution creates a new problem . . . a dead body that needs to disappear . Fortunately , this young mother has empathetic lady friends who are equally desperate to get out of their own miserable circumstances and are therefore willing to help dispose of the body .
Unfortunately for these ladies , they find that the nightmare has just begun and this one act has pulled them into the violent underbelly of Japanese society . In usual noir-ish fashion , all does not end well and no solutions are offered to resolve the hostilities between the sexes .
This is not my favorite type of reading , but I thought the story was well done and was an excellent example of noir and black comedy . The translation , by Stephen Snyder , seemed extraordinarily good to me ; I never once thought about the fact that I was reading the book in translation .
043 4 I really enjoyed this novel , but it is very dark . It is not a book you should read if you're not in a good emotional place , because Kirino digs deeper into the more sinister aspects of human nature than most crime / thriller writers , and one of the central ideas in her novel is that any of us is capable of committing or abetting horrible crimes if we are pushed to the brink by the right combination of circumstances .
This is not a novel of cartoonish violence like that in so many other contemporary thrillers . Kirino's understanding of how ordinary people get caught up in desperate situations , and how one decisive act can create a litany of unforeseen and undesirable consequences , is reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor , Jim Thompson , James Ellroy and Andrew Vachss .
Despite the grim subject matter ( a woman murders her husband and three of her female co-workers agree to cut up and dispose of his body ) , I couldn't put this novel down because of Kirino's incisive psychological profiles and spot-on internal monologue . Each character is distinct and three-dimensional , and Kirino does a great job of bringing together seemingly unrelated and dissimilar characters in a narrative that picks up momentum until the dramatic climax .
The first two-thirds of the novel is a combination of crime thriller , unconventional feminist treatise and deconstruction of how seemingly innocuous people metamorphose into efficient criminals when placed under financial , social and emotional duress . The novel gets sensational in the final third , and I was initially disappointed at how the story became too over-the-top , but Kirino rescues the novel in the final twenty pages and I was left breathless .
The murder and the inevitable complications it creates are so real , it's jarring . If you like your crime novels profoundly dark , then you must read this one . It's on par with anything O'Connor , Thompson , Ellroy and Vachss have done .
044 4 I had the great pleasure of seeing Kirino-sensei ( yes , I give her that title ) speak at the Kinokuniya here when Grotesque came out . She was a fascinating and kind woman with an edge that really kept you in a state of deference . Approachable , but still respectable . Her manner was just like her writing , direct but not confrontational . Softened by her speaking . It is a shame that the one star reviews are right on . . . the weaknesses come from translation , but not the translator . There are certain aspects that simply cannot be translated and the work , as a whole , suffers for it a little bit . Still a fantastic read !
045 4 Words cannot describe how well this book captures the reader's attention with the stark reality it presents . It's certainly not a flowery happy ending story ; it's a story of a real woman living a real life , and it certainly shows the reader that real life is never black and white . Kirino-san masterfully paints each image as she shows how one life connects with another , how it all starts with something as simple and complicated as a burst of passing anger .
This being my first heavy adult novel , it's a completely different outlook into the Japanese world , a world I've only been acquainted with through a child's eyes . Certainly , the extent to which a human soul's darkness can go is limitless . Kirino-san exposes this fact marvelously with the excellent characterization . The reader would never even think that the characters are mere fiction , despite the seemingly outlandish things they think of and do .
Definitely not for the faint of heart , this novel paints the darker , more elusive face of the world and of humanity . It most certainly is a page-turner that , once it catches your attention , will never let go .
046 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
Translation can be difficult , but Natsuo Kirino's novel Out really works well in English .
It is a gritty and very realistic novel about modern Japan . It is a novel of crime about 4 women who work at a bento box meal factory who end up ensnared in a murder and its aftermath . All of the characters behave in a very rational manner which makes the plot and progress all the more believable .
It is also a wonderful insight into modern post-bubble economy Japan . This is a very realistic harsh Japan of loan sharks , dead end jobs , and class obligations and duties .
A great read !
047 4 Translation can be difficult , but Natsuo Kirino's novel Out really works well in English .
It is a gritty and very realistic novel about modern Japan . It is a novel of crime about 4 women who work at a bento box meal factory who end up ensnared in a murder and its aftermath . All of the characters behave in a very rational manner which makes the plot and progress all the more believable .
It is also a wonderful insight into modern post-bubble economy Japan . This is a very realistic harsh Japan of loan sharks , dead end jobs , and class obligations and duties .
A great read !
048 4 Natsuo Kirino , Out ( Kodansha , 1997 )
Out has become the literary equivalent of Ring , the latest book from Japan to sett he American literary world on fire . I don't know whether it's because I read a lot more Japanese literature than the average bear , a lot more thrillers , I just don't get it , or some combination of all three , but it just didn't light me up the way it seems to have done for everyone else .
The story : Yayoi is young , beautiful , and down on her luck , working the night shift at a part-time boxed-lunch factory and putting up with an abusive husband in order to keep a stable home for the kids . One night , however , she snaps and murders her husband . Desperate for help , she can only think of one person to call : her co-worker Masako , who agrees to help Yayoi dispose of the body . Masako ropes in two other co-workers , and thus a conspiracy is born - - but one fraught with tension and mistrust , as all four participants have various , and divergent , reasons for getting in on the scheme .
Things do get interesting about two-thirds of the way through the book , when some of the divergent threads come together in an interesting , unexpected , and blackly humorous way , Until then , however , it plays rather like a combination of Les Diaboliques and Memories of Underdevelopment . The pieces fit together , yes , and it's obvious that Kirino is interested in highlighting the plight of lower-class Japanese workers as a sub-theme . Still , it all seems contrived somehow . In addition , Masako is a good character , which serves to highlight the shallowness of detail in some of those close to her in importance in the narrative ( Yayoi , oddly , seems especially sketchy for a main character ) .
Good once it gets off the ground , but takes way too long , and is too predictable , until that point for a wholehearted recommendation . * * *
049 4 This is an intense book about a group of late shift female co-workers at a boxed lunch factory . It is extremely effective in portraying the desperation in their day to lives and effectively shows how even the most gruesome of deeds can become just another yucky job if the pay is good enough . It's so violent that , at times , it's almost funny yet also very sad and frighteningly realistic as well . This was one of those impossible to put down books but isn't for the faint of heart as it gets quite grisly .
050 4 Out by Natsuo Kirino is certainly not my usual choice in reading material , though one I was thoroughly glad to have decided upon reading . I thoroughly enjoyed every last page of it , from beginning to end .
Masako , Kuniko , Yoshie and Yayoi are a group of women who work nights at a boxed lunch factory in Tokyo . After Yayoi strangles her husband , the others attempt to cover up the crime . Along with a host of other characters who get pulled into the plot , these women find themselves in some rather unusual situations .
The characterisations of each is in-depth and gritty . The women each have a host of problems with their own lives , let alone getting hooked up in covering for Yayoi . From issues with family life , money and their own children , these women are real , earthy and very flawed heroines . However , they are also very real , and very human people with their own idiosyncracies .
The world about the women often treats women as mere objects , and this comes out in people like loan shark Jumonji , with a taste for high school girls , and the pimp Satake , whose only real love was someone he knifed to death . Within this world of oppressive objectification , the four women from the factory stand in stark contrast to this overall trend .
Out is a crime novel , but it is also so much more . Despite the problems some have mentioned about it , I did not find them such an issue . For a good story about a murder and its cover up , you will not find much better . It is a great book , and one that I will remember for a long time to come .
051 4 One of those rare books that forces you to surrender to it , like a fevered dream . It sports a large cast of characters , all of whom are strangely disconnected from themselves , their families and each other . Women who work together at a grueling night job find themselves thrust into a noir hell of gruesome dimension when one of the women murders her rotten husband .
The book begins by centering on the four women and their stoic leader , Masako , but in the last act the story shifts and its focal point is a strange relationship between an ex-con , haunted by a murder he'd committed years before , and Masako who has inadvertently destroyed his life .
The book is complicated and byzantine in its details but Kirino's story always seems exactly right somehow . One development send the characters sprawling into the next but the set-up is somehow always believable , even when you can't believe it .
The consummation at the end of the book is horrifying and strangely touching .
This is a fine book , completely fearless . Kirino is walking a tightrope throughout and she never slips . She takes Masako along on a hellish journey , where she and the reader will have to stare into the face of an implacable monster . Masako's choices as she confronts some ugly truths in that moment will outrage some and confuse others .
I can't describe how the book made me feel . I know I couldn't put it down . And I know that Masako's final decision seemed right and inevitable . I will be reminded of this book for a long time .
052 4 I am an English lit major and I've spent the last few years reading all the classics . I have little time for contemporary literature so when I saw that this book was listed on my class syllabi I was thrilled .
When I began reading it for class I could not put it down . It is literally a page turner - - one of those books you wish you could read straight through . It's quite a long book ( 400 pages ) but I finished it in just 4 days ( despite work , school , and other homework ) . I give it a big thumbs up !
Not for the squeemish !
053 4 I will not go into the plot since many others have already . What I will tell you is that Out is a tought thriller that places the lives of ordinary women struggling to get by into a swirling vortex of violence and deception . None of the wives could have imagined , at the outset , the horrible things they would do in the next few fateful weeks .
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good thriller ( you'll keep thinking that they are going to be discovered again and again ) , or is interested in the daily lives of your average japanees housewife , as seen through a funhouse mirror .
054 4 I hate the types of reviews that go into so much details about the charactors , plots etc so I'll keep this one short .
After months of waiting to get a copy of this book - I live over seas and very far from a good bookstore - I wasnt disappointed . The book is surprising thick but you dont realise just how much you have read and digested because it is so well written . It is so brillantly written you find yourself lost in the plots and environments . With heavy emphasis on the charactors and not so much detail about the japanese culture ( you could buy a travel book for that ) this plot could be based in any country and culture .
For a first time reader of this author I would highly recommend it for a good thrill of a read !
055 4 First published in Japan in 1998 , this psychological thriller won the Naoki Prize , a major literary award . ( She was also nominated for the Edgar in 2004 . ) What amazes me is that none of the reviews I've read mentioned the book's thoroughly Hitchcockian atmosphere and plot development . You can see things coming that make you wince in anticipation . And you sometimes want to yell at the characters - - especially the selfish , self-centered Kuniko - - Don't be stupid ! Don't do it ! ( Can't wait for the movie ! ) Kirino , who used to work as a club hostess herself , reveals a desperate , gritty world of female night-shift workers and gambling clubs and small-time hoods , none of which are the slightest bit romanticized . Families won't speak to each other , husbands drink to submerge their depression , women drown in their own desperation . And Yayoi , a young , beautiful wife and mother , passes the last point of patience and strangles her womanizing husband who has thrown away their life savings . She turns for help to Masako , strongest of four friends on the night shift at a boxed lunch factory , and after that there's no turning back for any of them . These are not the quiet , giggling childlike women that writers like Kawabata and Mishima insist are unique to Japan ; they're real people not subject to traditional sentimental male values and prejudices , and they have far more in common with ordinary women in other cultures than Westerners would have thought . And Kirino's willingness to say so has had a groundbreaking effect on Japanese literature generally . But this is not to slight her other characters , especially Jumonji , the on-the-make loan shark who wants to recruit Masako as a business partner , and Satake , the disturbingly bent ex-con who has killed for love - - sort of . In fact , the only thing wrong with this book is the rather flat , uninspired translation , but even that won't keep this story from gripping you by the throat .
056 4 I had high expectations for this book , which is probably part of the problem . I heard a positive review on NPR of Kirino's more recent book , but I decided to read this one instead based on even stronger reviews here . Unfortunately , I found the book to be dull and predictable . The characters are all some mix of unlikeable and unbelievable , with the female characters tending towards the former , while the male characters are ludicrously worthless or demented . Several of the review snippets printed in the book's cover pages refer to its feminist viewpoint , which should have been my clue that the novelist has an ax to grind . I'm giving it two stars instead of one , because although I came very close to abandoning the book midway , I was sufficiently curious to stick with it to the end . It's not clear that was the right choice .
057 4 This is , simply put , an amazing thriller and an astounding story . One can only hope this author will write more books that will come over to America !
But . . .
If you go into this book expecting something that copies how American novels run , you will be disappointed . This is written in Japan - and it's obvious once you read it . There is an amazing amount of subtlety and culture in this book that you will miss if you are not aware of it .
It is a great story - a wonderful satire that had me hooked , laughing , and eager to get to the next chapter . Give it a try - I highly recommend it !
058 4 This very original author can certainly write . OUT is filled with many engrossing chapters and some startling imagery . Overall I enjoyed the book . It was recommended to me by a writer friend who raved about it . Although I don't share his extreme enthusiasm , I'm certainly glad I read it . I did like the weaving of different storylines together , all of which are linked in some way , but ultimately the book became too weight down with characters and I found myself skipping entire chapters about characters that were not central to the plot - - as I felt impatient to get on with the story . But when the story was moviing along it was thrilling . With all the dreck out there it's worth picking up .
059 4 I love this book ! I first read it in January and have started reading it again . Kirino is a master of stirring up the emotions of her characters and , thus , of the readers . She even manages to do this with less primary characters such as Kazuo . Kirino also breaks some ground in her depiction of Kuniko . There's nothing redeemable about this woman , and it's great . I get the feeling that Kirino hates this character as much as the protagonist , Masako , does . This goes against the oft-cited fiction rule that novelists must love even their bad characters . Via Kuniko , Kirino proves that this rule was meant to be broken . Anyway , it's hard to capture exactly why I like this book . Let's just say it feels very real . That's a triumph in an age in which novelists who write pretty or witty prose receive high praise despite the fact that their characters , plots , etc . feel wholly contrived .
060 4 Having read this book in 3 languages ( in Japanese , Korean and English ) ,
I think it's quite safe to say this book is the pinnacle of its own author .
The story is clear and sharp , with characters & background so really Japanese that in whichever translations , you can enjoy the atmosphere of Japanese society .
061 4 This novel is very dark , but has a dark , deep , feminist sense of humor too . It's the best Japanese character study I've ever read , though of course don't take it for more than the thinnest slice of the Japanese ' mind ' . It's difficult , I think , for the Japanese to look at themselves in skewed , unconventional ways , so this story is a ' remedy ' in a sense for countless bland , heroic lead characters in Japanese detective stories and murder mysteries . A slice of very Japanese , very female darkness in all that admirable but not quite true goodness .
062 4 I liked this book . I thought it was a good mystery and had good characters in it . It was a little confusing at fist to tell each of the 4 ladies apart , but easy to get into right away .
063 4 I had to debate a few moments before I could assign a star rating to Out . When I finish a book I typically know exactly how many stars it deserves . Out isnt easy to rate . There are so many things that are horrific about this tale and yet these very things also make it an absolutely complelling read . Almost no character in this book tends to white , They range from a dark shade of gray to black . Each leads an immensely difficult life with unique trials , that I cant believe I did not find this book depressing . Each character is so well developed . I found myself rooting for characters who are capable of extraordinarily gruesome acts . Out is unique compared to anything else in the crime genre that I have read . I found myself laughing through some very disturbing moments , wondering whether the author intended to write these parts as black humor , or whether the dark humor was accidental or a unintended result from the english transalation . Out will grip you from page one and hold you in its spell until the very end .
064 4 To be honest , I didn't know what to expect when I randomly picked this novel up at a Barnes & Noble . I just saw that it was highly recommended by staff members .
I read the first few chapters and let them sink while it stayed on my bookshelf for the next few months . The story seemed a bit slow at first , but as you read , you're instantly captivated by the storyline .
I started from the beginning after those few months of collecting dust and I finished it in just a week . I'm not a fast reader but I know that I was not seen without it once I started reading . Every moment I had I was reading the novel until the very end . I loved every part of it .
I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes the suspense and twists of graphic literature !
If you already own it and the novel is just sitting on your bookshelf after only a few pages of reading it , I advise you to give it a second chance . OUT won't disappoint you !
065 4 Kirino has the ability to weave words into images of realism when it comes to how people act and behave . Her characters have such a depth and inner conflict about the things that unfold before them as we all do in life . Also Kirino strays far away from the cookie cutter type format of stories and the unexpected happens and along you go for the ride .
066 4 this book is remarkable . not the usual noir , it brings together a culture and characters previously unknown to many . very upsetting - not for everyone - this one stayed with me for a very long time .
067 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
One word EXCELLENT ! If you're into learning more about modern Japanese culture while mixing in a little dark humor and mystery , then you MUST read this book . Don't waste your time with the author's other books like Real World . They will never hold a candle to this book .
069 4 This award-winner from Japanese author Kirino is as much a psychological study of the underbelly of Tokyo life as it is a dark and gritty crime novel - and that's to her credit . The story focuses on four women working the night shift in a factory . When one of the women kills her abusive husband in a rage , she seeks help from her co-worker who in turn , must reluctantly involve the other two women as well . In Kirino's expert hands , what unfolds is a fascinating look at these women , each a victim trapped in a bleak life and desperate to get out . Recommended but not for the faint of heart !
070 4 I could not put this book down . Not for the weak stomach . Every page was full of suspense and dark entertainment . The women in this novel reveal so much about life in Japan and the strength needed to live in it .
071 4 Out by Natsuo Kirino was not on my list of books to read in this week or even in the near future , but while perusing my bookshelves it caught my eye and my attention for the next 2 days . I'm not even sure when I bought this ( common condition among book-buying addicts ) but I'm glad I did .
Written by a popular Japanese crime fiction writer , Out is the story of 4 women who work night shifts together in a Tokyo factory . Yayoi kills her abusive husband then enlists the help of her 3 friends . Masako decides they need to dispose of the body with careful and gruesome planning . The only thing they have in common is their bleak lives and disposing of a body does not insure a life-long bond . What occurs next is a mix of conspiracy , blackmail , corruption , insurance fraud , loan-sharking , gambling , and more violence .
I found Out to be gripping , but not just a plot based novel . Kirino takes the reader into the lives of these ordinary women and shows how they can become involved in events they never would have imagined . How far will someone go when pushed , what are we really capable of , and how well do we know ourselves , much less those around us ? Out is a phenomenal but very dark , disturbing read . Not recommenced for those that only enjoy light mysteries . It is gritty and thought-provoking . I highly recommend to fans of suspense novels .
072 4 This book completely blows away any image the reader might have of the Japanese people as simply polite and soft-spoken . The author presents us with four women who work the night shift at a lunch box factory , drudgery work if there evcer was such a thing . They are each different , and each has something to conceal deep within herself .
When there is a brutal murder the women band together to protect one of their own , and the scenes are particularly ghastly . After that , we have several disparate story lines that do not necessarily appear connected , but certainly are by the end of the book .
There are really no likeable characters in this book , but I think that was the intention of the author . She presents us with bleak scenes of dreary lives , with no hope of improvement . The book could be a real downer except for the excellence of the plot . This book is not for everyone , but if you like your thrillers fast-paced ( even if gruesome ) and plot driven , and you enjoy excellent writing , this book is definitely for you .
073 4 After reading ' Grotesque ' , last year , I decided to give ' Out ' a try . I thought it got off to a very good start , as the reader is immediately immersed in the life of drudgery of the four main female characters , who work the nighshift in a boxed lunch factory , in the Tokyo suburbs .
The character development , particularly early on is very good , and the writing is vivid throughout . However , I felt after the inital murder , and body disposal , the novel became less interesting for me . I'm not really sure why , as there were still a number of events unfolding in the storyline . Overall , though a fairly good , creepy novel .
074 4 A story of 4 Japanese women and their desire to escape their mundane and repetitive lives in which they feel trapped . Kirino is an amazing author , and her novels leave you feeling like you know her characters on a personal lever . Beware that this book doesn't leave much to interpretation . I had nightmares for 2 nights after reading it .
075 4 Expertly crafted characters created truly believable nuance in the friendships and tension between female leads in this dark blue collar Japanese thriller . I am eagerly awaiting my next Kirino read .
076 4 Once again I was looking for a novel by a Japanese writer and spied this on the shelf . I had never heard of Natsuo Kirino and how I wish she was more prolific . Not great cover design but covers can be deceiving . This piece of work is nearly flawless and packed with important ideas and critiques : sociology of middle class Japan and Japanese women , femninism , hard boiled crime fiction , mystery ; even immigration . The story moves quickly , is very engaging and at the same time it is powerfully grotesque . One cannot believe that these seemingly bitter , unfriendly women come together in conspiracy and perversity . Sometimes I felt disgusted . Think The Postman Always Rings Twice written from the perspective of a Japanese feminist . This is far shorter and ultimately a bit cleaner and quicker than her previous novel , GROTESQUE ( which is also worth the read ) .
078 4 4 women work the night shift in a food packing factory in tokyo . For different reasons they are all struggling with their lifes - Yayoi is beaten by her gambling husband , Masako is drifting from her husband and son , Yoshie seems to get dumped with looking after her ungrateful mother in law and daughters , Kuniko is a shopaholic with mounting debts . One night Yayoi is pushed to the edge and kills her husband . She turns to Masako for help on getting rid of the body , unknowingly drawing all of them into a downward spiral of violence , redemption , money , longing for love and freedom from their demons from which none of them will escape unscathed .
This is a very well written story that just flows and is impossible to put down . Very highly recommended !
079 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
This story of murder , friends , and corruption is highly original , and I highly recommend it . The plots twists every which way right up to the end . The nuanced view of the Japanese working class and criminal class is fascinating .
A surfeit of violence to and torture of women detracted from my enjoyment , but the underlying plot was strong , consistent , and engaging throughout . This book takes a strong stomach .
The portrayal of women's lot in Japan is dark , with no characters enjoying a balanced or fulfilling family life , as was also the case for the two other books I've also read by Natsuo Kirino . No characters escape corruption when possibilities arise .
This tale is noir at its blackest .
080 4 This story of murder , friends , and corruption is highly original , and I highly recommend it . The plots twists every which way right up to the end . The nuanced view of the Japanese working class and criminal class is fascinating .
A surfeit of violence to and torture of women detracted from my enjoyment , but the underlying plot was strong , consistent , and engaging throughout . This book takes a strong stomach .
The portrayal of women's lot in Japan is dark , with no characters enjoying a balanced or fulfilling family life , as was also the case for the two other books I've also read by Natsuo Kirino . No characters escape corruption when possibilities arise .
This tale is noir at its blackest .
081 4 Natsuo Kirino's Out was simply captivating . The way she sets up scenes and the pacing of the novel is calculated with brilliance , and her characters are down to earth and believable . Yet , a heinous crime is committed by one of them who murders her own husband , and that is when everything spins out of control . Will her friends be able to save her and cover it up , will they all be arrested , or worse , killed ?
The beginning was a little slow , but once the murder happened I could not put the book down . It is so graphic and gruesome , yet somehow real and insightful .
082 4 This is one you cannot forget .
Powerful in its characters and twisting story . It will stay with you long after you have read the last page and closed the book .
083 4 This is one of better novels I've ever read , and not particularly a fan of the genre . There's the mystery and the mayhem , but I was driven to read because Kirino creates real female characters and you care a great deal about what happens to them . While you read because of the main characters , in the meantime the book provides rare , deep insight into the character of Japanese society through its ' outcast ' elements . A much deeper and much more interesting Japan than the wornout ' kimono and sarariman ' one of proper Japanophilia .
084 4 The best book I have read in many months , interesting , different , the unexpected , really enjoyed the insight into the characters - great book
085 4 As someone who likes my reading to be realistic , this novel has it all and puts the story in a most real life situation . I could not put the book down . The worst feature is the long wait for another novel to come out by this author . For reading entertainment this author is the best I have found . . Jim
086 4 ' Out ' is the first book from Kirino I've read and I am * very * impressed . The author clearly has a talent for composing a complex story with keen on characterizations which are realistic and sensitive . As for the story , . . yikes ! It is extremely gruesome . Not wanting to give out spoilers , let me say it involves murder and a very meticulous way of disposing of the corpses . In the middle of this are four women , coworkers at a night shift boxed lunch ( bento ) plant . At first it is impossible to understand how these hausfrauen could get involved with such dastardly deeds . However as the author unveils each character in detail , warts and all , we see that it is all surprisingly plausible . Oh , there are also so male characters central to the story . Most of the men are portrayed as socially inept , slimy , or just plain psychotic . No , not very balanced . Yet this is only a very slight demerit in an otherwise flawlessly executed piece of literature .
Bottom line : wow , what a surprise ! Strongly recommended , but not for the squeamish .
087 4 Very few books actually keep me up past my bed time , but I had to know what was going to happen next in this book filled with twists and turns at every corner . I had read this book a couple of years ago and although , I don't remember every detail , I do remember it was one of my favorite reads in a long time . I don't remember there being any dull moments , every page had you on your toes and you just never knew what to expect next . I recommend this for anyone who likes books that keep you guessing until the very end !
088 4 Although I would not think a grisly Japanese mystery would be one of my favorite books of 2007 , it was very near the top . You need an appreciation for the dark side / black humor to enjoy it , but if you have that Out will be an enjoyable , refreshing read .
089 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
I liked this novel . It is , as the summary warns , grizzly in some of its detail , but the exploration of the characters is what kept me reading . They are entirely familiar and yet monstrous . Add to that the unexpected humor in the midst of mayhem and I am a new fan of this author . My only criticism of the book , which is why I give it four instead of a five stars , is the resolution - - I won't spoil it .
090 4 I liked this novel . It is , as the summary warns , grizzly in some of its detail , but the exploration of the characters is what kept me reading . They are entirely familiar and yet monstrous . Add to that the unexpected humor in the midst of mayhem and I am a new fan of this author . My only criticism of the book , which is why I give it four instead of a five stars , is the resolution - - I won't spoil it .
091 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I picked up Out and at every turn as I progressed through the book , I found new surprises .
To be sure , this tale of four women who work the night shift at a lunch-packaging factory , and what happens to them when they band together to dispose of the body of a wayward husband , was bound to have a darker edge . And so it does , even moreso than expected . As their deceptions mount and attract the attention of loan sharks and yakuza and other less savory characters , their bonds of fellowship become strained to the breaking point , leading to an unpredictable and dramatic conclusion .
I think , more than anything , appreciated Kirino's steady tone throughout the book , and her ability to take seemingly disparate strands of story and character and tie them together in ways that make sense . She plumbs the depths of all her characters , both their strengths and weaknesses , and what emerges is a compelling portrait of friendship tested and loyalties questioned . Her characters quickly become real people , and she portrays them with compassion , but also with a pragmatist's careful eye . All told , it makes for a really good story .
If you think you know how it's going to end , think again . This one's sure to surprise you .
092 4 I wasn't really sure what to expect when I picked up Out and at every turn as I progressed through the book , I found new surprises .
To be sure , this tale of four women who work the night shift at a lunch-packaging factory , and what happens to them when they band together to dispose of the body of a wayward husband , was bound to have a darker edge . And so it does , even moreso than expected . As their deceptions mount and attract the attention of loan sharks and yakuza and other less savory characters , their bonds of fellowship become strained to the breaking point , leading to an unpredictable and dramatic conclusion .
I think , more than anything , appreciated Kirino's steady tone throughout the book , and her ability to take seemingly disparate strands of story and character and tie them together in ways that make sense . She plumbs the depths of all her characters , both their strengths and weaknesses , and what emerges is a compelling portrait of friendship tested and loyalties questioned . Her characters quickly become real people , and she portrays them with compassion , but also with a pragmatist's careful eye . All told , it makes for a really good story .
If you think you know how it's going to end , think again . This one's sure to surprise you .
093 4 Out is a story of four women who work at a bentou-box factory and are tied even closer together by a gruesome murder .
This book is absolutely horrifying ( in a very very good way ) and I recommend this to anyone who loves psychological thrillers . It wasn't scary in a pop out and AHHH ! kind of way , but I couldn't sleep every night while ( and a few nights after ) I was reading it .
I heard that this book even became a tv series in Japan !
094 4 Out is not quite like anything I've read before . It's highly addictive ( I read 518 pages faster that I thought I could ) ; you'll never want to put down the book once you've started . The plot is simple enough : four Japanese women working in a boxed-lunch factory suddenly find themselves trapped in a murder . But it's not like any other crime story , and the twists and turns are thrilling and different from what an ordinary crime writer could conjure . Superbly translated , extremely vivid but also gruesome and haunting , Out is a novel you would never regret reading .
095 4 This novel is like a cyanide martini garnished with a blood-soaked olive . Ms . Kirino writes such an intense , involving , scary tale ( not for the squeamish ! ) that I don't know if I would have the nerve to meet her in person . The female characters are at once mundane , complex and fearless as they are caught up in a nightmarish world of crime , deception and murder . This one is hard to forget , and I want to read more by Natsuo Kirino ; she's the real deal .
096 4 When I learned that this author , Kirno had won Japan's mystery reward , I felt compelled to read it . First , it was very well-written , well-structured and most of all , the translation was excellent ! To translate well is critical , but the correct message and exact feelings told must be conveyed to the reader exactly as the foreign author intended .
I became engrossed in this suspenseful plot that begins with a strangulation , grisly butchering , packing and disposal of a one's husband . The plot involves changing personalities within the characters and there are those we have sympathy for and those we truly learn to despise . We follow them throughout and we have hope and fear for them .
The backdrop is the underbelly of Japan and the story evolves out of a depressed working and home environment , where gloom prevails , and despair sets in . We enter the story as four women who endure rigid labor at a box-lunch factory . A sharp contrasts exists between the dirty gritty environment and the strict rules and regulations for proper hygiene at the box-factory . Aside from the mechanics of the box-lunch factory , you will enter into the world of illegal gambling and loan sharks .
Lucy-san and Ethel-san Gone Real Bad !
When one woman , Yoyoi , strangles her husband with a belt , and her co-worker-friends Masako and Yoshie dismember the body , I couldn't help speculate that when the grisly task is assigned to the small home bathroom in daylight , something is bound to get screwed up . If anything will go wrong , it will ! Then , with the uninvited advance of a third co-worker , the slip-ups unfold and suspense builds .
A Gruesome Twist
With many suspense stories , you can anticipate twists , but the surprise was a chilling revelation .
And not to spoil the ending , it wasn't as much a surprise that what was to happen . It was merely the IDEA that something else . . . . . more gruesome than one can imagine . . . . had to happen .
Movie in the works
Yes , I understand in 2005 , a movie will be OUT . Let's just hope it's an authentic Japanese movie complete with subtitles . Nothing more , because this story deserves a great production , and the Japanese can do it . . . . . Overall , this was an excellent read ! . . . . MzRizz
097 4 Actually , this would really be a 2 - 3 star review . . . except that no one reads 2 - 3 star reviews .
The strengths : Catchy writing , even for a translation , and a good talent for letting the reader into the subject's head . Characters are pretty well fleshed out , none of them seem shallow . Interesting twists and turns and several laugh out loud funny moments .
Weaknesses : As my title says , just too many implausibilities . * * SPOILERS * * Misako is worried about getting to the factory late when the Brazilian guy jumps her . Well , there's a perfect reason for being late , don't you think ? Even just for safety's sake for all the other women , don't you think it might be worth mentioning , hey girls , I just got attacked , I think I know who it was , he's still outside the building , better be careful ? But no , she just ignores the whole thing because it would be better to show up on time ( ? ? ? ! ! ! ! )
There is a lunatic after all of them , who most of the cops consider to be guilty of the murder anyway , and no one even considers telling the police . Yaiyoi doesn't say , hey , that guy who killed my husband , who disappeared . . . well , he is around , stalked me , and took all my money . You could argue she was too intimidated by him . . . but then he murders Kuniko . Mightn't she think yikes ! I'm next ! But no , she thinks , well he's killing us off one by one , he knows where I live and how to get to me . . . but I'll just trust it to luck that I'll be fine . [ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ]
Misako is supposed to be the smart one , the planner and plotter , and even says that we need to make sure Kuniko's murder is pinned on Satake . Too bad that after mentioning it , no plan of any kind is devised , nor does it ever come up again . Worse , it turns out that her master plan for defeating him is just to blithely show up at work , where she knows he will be waiting , with no one to watch her back , no call to the cops , no pepper spray , and just kind of hopes he doesn't attack her and drag her off to some secluded area for abuse and murder . . . which he does . I kept expecting the Brazilian guy to show up at the last minute because a-ha , see , I had him watching from a distance to catch you red-handed . . . which she could have , considering 5 minutes before the attack she was in his apartment . . . but no . After a couple hundred pages of building her up to be this sharp , cold , analytical planner , that was the best she could do ? What is this , a Friday the 13th movie ? ? ? C'mon ! ! !
098 4 Like all the best crime novels , this lengthy Japanese import offers more social commentary than straightforward intrigue . In many ways it's a feminist book , taking as its subject four Tokyo women working a tough night shift factory job packing bento boxes . Each is living a miserable existence in one way or another , and there's little prospect of hope for any of them . Kuniko is a shallow woman in her mid - 20s who has gotten deeply into consumer debt due to her belief that the right car or the right designer accessory will bring her lasting happiness . Yoshie is a widow in her late 50s struggling to stretch each paycheck while being responsible for both her demanding bedridden mother-in-law and her increasingly nasty teenage daughter . Yayoi is a very pretty woman in her late 30s with two young children whose husband has just squandered their life savings on gambling and a bar girl . Masako is in her early 40s , and has a teenage son who completely ignores her and a husband who comes home and locks himself away all night . The first fifty pages establishes their dreary daily routine - - from miserable home life to arduous assembly-line factory work . In it , we are also introduced to an ex-yakuza bar and casino owner named Satake , a psychotic who once killed a woman so brutally that he was exiled from his former gang .
The inciting event in the story occurs when Yayoi snaps and strangles her husband after they fight . With no other friends , she confides in Masako , who coerces Yoshie and Kuniko into a scheme to dispose of the body and cover up for Yayoi . Fortunately for them , when the body does turn up , the police are inclined to think that the husband was killed due to gambling debts - - which leads them to Satake . The middle of the book builds a lot of tension around whether or not the police are going to prosecute Satake and whether the women have gotten away with the deception . Things get even more dangerous for them when the police clear Satake and start poking around again . Satake's businesses have been ruined by the investigation and the psychopath is focused on finding the true murderer and exacting revenge . What's kind of interesting is that the story is told primarily by the four women , who are transformed from normal people to egregious law-breakers to hunted prey over the course of the book . The daily lives of the women , as they struggle to keep their cool is probably the best part of the book .
This is all fairly well done , but the author crams in a few too many subplots . There's the story of Chinese immigrant bar girl Anna , who is doted upon by Satake and is the object of Yayoi's husband's obsession . There is also a Brazilian-Japanese immigrant who works at the factory and has been assaulting female workers . Then there's also a loan-shark who enters the picture , complicating matters . While some of the details of these subplots are interesting in and of themselves , they really bloat the book to a an unnecessary length . The writing style is very straightforward , with a kind of understated deadpan to it which accentuates some of the dark humor . In terms of illuminating the Japanese character , the book does provide good insights into understanding the premium placed on duty and appearances , all of which can lead to incredible pressure , alienation , and outright bizarre behavior . The theme of the normal person snapping is a pretty common one in Japanese crime fiction and film , and this fits into that mold quite well . The book is far too long , but otherwise is well worth it for those interested in Japan .
099 4 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 . But hey , here is her book in English ! Bravo ! Her descriptions of characters and backgrounds are incredibly real and vivid since they are most of the times inspired by the real people on the real problems of Japanese society . Her analysis over those problematic situations is always deep and critical so that it often shocks you by revealing the painful reality and the drama underneath our everyday life . In her books , reality does not byte , but stabs . So , if you are ready to be shocked and stabbed by the undeniable reality , I would recommend her books to you , but if not , you'd better stay away from them because you'll see what you don't want to see . Anyways , I love her books . Gyokuran is actually my favorite book . Hopefully , that one will be translated and brought to American fans soon , too .
100 4 I wanted to recommend this novel to my two book clubs . . . until I finished . _ Out _ is a cleanly written , compelling tale following four Tokyo women with soul-numbing factory jobs as they get sucked into the dark side . It presents a puzzling combination of feminism and sexualized violence against women . ( Should have read the cover blurbs more carefully , . . . sadomasochistic . . . . Yes . )
I liked the cultural insights , humor , and satire : a woman declared over the hill at age 33 , a man not knowing the sound a washing machine makes to alert users the cycle is over . Yet all this plus the riveting suspense and engaging characterization become overwhelmed by the explicit violence . A flashback of a [ . . . ] / torture / murder gets revisited in increasing detail throughout the book , and the climax is a lengthy , similar scene , first from the perp's POV , then the victim's . ( Much skimming required . ) I'm sure I'm missing a deep meaning somewhere . Men and women are bound together no matter the evils of patriarchy ? Or is this just a gritty Japanese noir tale for entertainment ? Go figure . I'm about cured of selecting books off B & N's three-for-price-of-two table .
101 4 Natsuo Kirino's mystery thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat . An arm chair ride through the daily lives of her characters , their personalities , thoughts , experiences and motivations . Set in Tokyo , we get a glimpse of everyday people , their lives and how events unfold that challenge their values , friendships and future . A fast paced thriller until the end .
102 4 This is a real page turner . It will keep you up past your bedtime . You won't be able to put it down . Okay , you may get the point . You will find yourself walking and struggling with Masako .
To me , the central mystery of this book is how Masako could feel anything for Satake . Masako was so logical , strong , and methodical .
A major strength of the book is its depiction of the struggle of the poor working class to survive . Most people have boring and painful jobs that they suffer only for the buck ( or the yen ) . Their poverty wears on their families ; there seems to be no room for familial warmth in this cold world . And Kirino captures that spirit with great skill .
103 4 I wasn't prepared for this novel . I couldn't put it down and I am still thinking about it . Everyone I've recommended this book to thought it was a great read . Sometimes I had trouble getting my copy from friends because their friends wanted to read it .
Out is not for the faint of heart though ; chapters and chapters of plot tend to explode in frightening scenes of carnage that caused my heart to skip a beat ( or two ) .
104 4 This is not your average Stone Barrington / James Patterson / CSI et . al . mystery / suspense pulp . Nor is it a snuggle up with a cat and hot tea cozy mystery . This is hard stuff . It's darker than noir . It's grit : dark , dark points about human relationships may be found in these pages . The complex socio-economic and familial ties become the fabric of this tale , even more so than the mystery .
The only ( minor ) drawback is that he author does tend to tell rather than show charecter motivations and the complexities of situations . This might help some readers unfamilar with the process of making logical and emotive connections between disparate relationships . Often , however , it simply shows a contempt for the reader's intelligence . We don't all read James Patterson's pulp .
Overall , a must-read .
105 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
I feel like I've been walking the mean streets of Tokyo . At times heart-pounding , this book was perfect for a vacation . Each of these isolated characters lives become entwined as they break from their dreary circumstances into something dark , different , and dangerous .
106 4 I feel like I've been walking the mean streets of Tokyo . At times heart-pounding , this book was perfect for a vacation . Each of these isolated characters lives become entwined as they break from their dreary circumstances into something dark , different , and dangerous .
107 4 ( 4.5 stars ) In this haunting and compulsively readable novel of murder and its aftermath , Matsuo Kirino explores the widening web of people drawn into the attempt to hide a murder . Reminiscent of Crime and Punishment in emphasizing the psychological effects of murder on the main character ( s ) , the novel revolves around the murder of Kenji Yamamoto by his wife Yayoi , a beautiful young woman who works nights in a factory that makes boxed lunches . Three of her friends at the factory have united to help her after she reacts in self-defense following a brutal beating - - figuring out a way to dispose of the body so that Yayoi will have an alibi .
Masake Katori , the leader of the group of friends , is the married mother of an uncommunicative teenaged son . The picture of her life , given in detail , and that of the other women involved in the plot to protect Yayoi reveal the limitations on the aspirations and independence of working-class women and their limited opportunities for the future . Though the three are quite different in personality and in the reasons they help Yayoi , their lives are similar in their lack of control over life's big issues . Though their husbands can do whatever they want , including emptying out bank accounts , the wives remain helpless , not partners in the marriage . Helping Yayoi is a way for each of them to get back at the system .
Loose lips compromise the disposal of the body , and soon the three women find that they have come to the attention of loan sharks and the yakuza . As each of the women tries to remain rational and composed in the face of repeated police interrogations and contacts by the underworld , their concerns grow and their fears of discovery increase . Their vulnerability and stresses at work , where they cannot progress beyond their present jobs , increases with the discovery that there's a rapist on the loose .
Kirino cleverly connects every detail from beginning to end - - the difficulties of marriage , the subservient position of women , the casual arrogance of their husbands , the female sense of solidarity , and the ability of the women to capitalize on each other's weaknesses , in addition to the women's individual personalities and the inexorable unravelings of their carefully contrived plan . The author uses descriptions of apartments , offices , parks and clubs to create a realistic setting for the bizarre action , as absurdity combines with irony to bring this compelling novel to its conclusion . A fine noir thriller in which basically good people are stressed to the breaking point . n Mary Whipple
108 4 Having lived in Japan for a number of years certainly helped . When I bought this book , I didn't know of the author but the plot was intriguing , so I bought it and I am quite happy that I did . I recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries !
109 4 This is my first excursion into Japanese fiction after consuming a good deal of contemporary nonfiction , mostly first-hand accounts on everyday life in the country . I must say that this was an eye-opener . It provides a glimpse into a gritty aspect of life in Japan that , although fictional , is obviously based on careful research , and this is melded with a frighteningly deep insight into universal human nature . It's enough to give one second thoughts about a visit to the country . In the end , I'm still planning to go , but I think I'll lay off the bentos . A real page-turner .
110 4 Completely gripping from cover to cover . Life in Tokyo seems very hum-drum with money worries , dysfunctional families , banal even , then the characters ' worlds are turned upside down . OUT makes me want to visit Japan . Everbody has the same worries throughout the globe . I was there throughout . The conclusion to the book is as unexpected as it was welcome .
111 4 Wow , great read . This book is not for everyone . A dark drama which reveals the inner truth of its characters through their actions . Deception , lies and truths are uncovered .
Really a good book that doesn't feel like an ordinary novel written so hopefully it will become a screenplay !
112 4 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 popular accolades , it has only recently seen publication here . Kirino has since gone on to become recognized as Japan's preeminent mystery novelist . Her second novel , SOFT CHEEKS , won the Naoki Prize for literature in 1999 and is scheduled for publication in the United States shortly . Aided by a fine translation by Stephen Snyder , OUT is a dark tale , occasionally relieved by grim humor that transcends cultural differences to tell a riveting story of revenge , betrayal and renewal .
OUT revolves around four women working in a food processing factory , preparing box lunches on an assembly line , performing physically challenging and mentally boring work while they struggle to stay financially and emotionally afloat . Masako Katori is perhaps the best off financially of the four , though she shares a household with a husband who is more like a distant brother and an uncommunicative teenage son who is , in his sullen silence , a total stranger . Yayoi Yamamoto is married to Kenji , an abusive layabout who fritters away his wife's salary and their meager savings in a clandestine baccarat room while showering a prostitute with unrequited love . Kuniko Jonouchi is kind of an odd duck in the group , all flash and no substance , living far beyond her means while she uses clothes and makeup as a quick fix for her physical and emotional unattractiveness . Yoshie Azuma , known as Skipper at the factory , is the oldest of the four and is perhaps the most trapped by circumstance . A widow , she is the sole support and caregiver of her invalid mother-in-law and poorly dispositioned teenage daughter .
The four women are dramatically brought together in a new way when Yamamoto , in a sudden fit of anger , murders Kenji . Yamamoto turns to Katori to dispose of the body . Katori , in turn , seeks the assistance of Azuma in doing so . Jonouchi is brought into the mix when she unexpectedly visits Katori while Katori and Azuma are in the process of preparing Yamamoto's diseased husband's body for disposal . Kirino does not flinch from graphic description , and OUT should by no means be mistaken for a cozy . Kirino infuses the women with a sense of purpose , and while they bring a varying degree of dedication to the task at hand , each is able to bring enough frustration with her respective situation to the fore to get the job done .
It is only Yamamoto , whose act of passion was the catalyst for the conspiracy of concealment , who is ultimately unable to participate in the disposal of the body and who displays the most remorse . Janouchi's poor execution of her task results in Kenji's body - - - or at least part of it - - - being discovered . Satake , a psychotic mobster and owner of the baccarat club , which Kenji frequented , is suspected of the murder . Satake , although eventually cleared , loses everything and seeks revenge by attempting to target the real killer - - - whom he suspects to be Yamamoto . His pursuit results in a catalytic ending that will leave the lives of the four women changed forever .
Kirino , as is the case with the best of mystery writers , combines a strong plot with a canny description of contemporary Japanese mores and culture to make this an unforgettable work . While OUT was initially slow to attract literary attention in the United States , the gradual critical attention and word of mouth that it has achieved will undoubtedly result in much-deserved popularity . This is a novel that will be shared , and discussed , for some time to come .
- - - Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
113 4 The canons of literature have their fair share of dark and dismal books full of dark and dismal people . And if there's anything that can be said of most writers , it's that they tend to be moody people . A book like Out , in which a woman murders her philandering husband and then gets her coworkers to help her dispose of the body , is not exactly the dreariest thing I've ever read , but it comes close to being one of the most tedious .
After Yayoi strangles the drunken and stumbling Kenji , she turns for help to Masako , one of her closest friends at the factory where they work . Masako enlists the help of Kuniko and Yoshie , and together they chop up the body and throw it out with the trash . According to the back of the book , this leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society .
Really ? No , it doesn't . First of all , terrifying ? I'm going to avoid talking about the writing ; there's a good chance that the repetitive and pedestrian prose is the result of bad translating , and there's an even better chance that its lackluster droning is meant to sound hard-boiled instead of just half-baked . Whatever you want to call it ( uninspired , trite , monotonous ) , even if it is by no means terrifying , at least it moves pretty fast .
But where does it take us ?
Maybe it wants to show us a war of the sexes . It's pretty much women versus men in this book , with almost every man being a lying , manipulative , violent jerk . And the men who don't fit that description are sullen , impotent nobodies . Masako , the closest thing this book has to a main character , is married to a man who treats his entire life like it's an embarassing rash that he doesn't want to deal with . Her son is a petulant spectre who is so bummed by life that he lives under a vow of silence ( although he breaks his vow just long enough to tell Masako what a horrible mom she is ) . Masako is stalked and almost raped by Kazuo , a Brazilian coworker who , believe it or not , is set up as one of the book's very very very few sympathetic characters .
I don't mind the allegory of gender warfare , and I'm certainly not one to talk about the rights of women , especially those in Japan , but I do wonder why Kirino made her female characters as despicable as the men . Kuniko is a fat , selfish slob . Yayoi kills her own husband but still comes across as weak and whiny . Yoshie is ridiculously put-upon by her vile and demanding mother-in-law and daughters ; her tolerance at the hands of their abuse is hard to understand , given that she has the spine to chop up a dead body and bike the bloody parts all over town .
Even Masako , the centerpiece , the ring leader , the cool and detached figurehead , even she seems to be hardly anything at all . Kirino , perhaps afraid that the book's darker corners would make little narrative sense , goes on and on for many pages about why the characters do the things they do . Instead of creating realistic portraits and then letting them move around , Kirino feels compelled to explain them to us , over and over . Even the novel's climactic scene is told twice , from the perspective of two different characters . That's not a bad idea if you're planning on revealing new details with each telling ; in this case , it just reads like the publisher accidentally printed the ending twice .
It's a fitting end to a book that meanders without rhyme or reason between characters without virtues or validity , to a story that leaves dozens of boring loose-ends hanging in the wind , to a novel that is too busy analyzing ad nauseum the ways and whys of its world to actually show us something interesting . There's only one thing I connected with when I read this book . Every character , in some form or another , is searching for a way out of the novel's dark , pessimistic world .
I knew exactly how they felt .
114 4 This is a well-written book that is difficult to put down once you start . It is chick lit without the stereotypical feminine sap that pervades so many books targeted at female readers . Perfect vacation / weekend / beach read that isn't too laden with froufrou ! I can't wait to see the movie adaptation .
115 4 Kirino is quite an interesting writer , different from any others I've read . She writes with an insight into women's psyche and is not afraid to expose raw and disturbing behavior , and provided a glimpse into Japanese society in the process .
I once read a Taiwanese reviewer who commented that Kirino is the queen of darkness whereas Miyuki Miyabe ( the top woman writer in Japan ) is the queen of sunshine . After reading both publications , even though Miyabe's books are not entirely of sunshine material , but they at least exude hope .
Anyway after reading this book , I became a fan of Kirino and started to look for more of her books . But it's so difficult to find them in English translation and this applies to many other Japanese writers like Miyuki Miyabe ( whom I'm also a fan ) . Eventually it dawned on me that I might be able to find more of their books in Chinese translation . That turns out to be true and not only that the Chinese versions actually came out much earlier than the English ones . I'm not sure why , is it because it's easier to translate Japanese to Chinese than English or is it because there're alot more Chinese who understand Japanese ? But one thing that interests me is how much difference is there in the translation in Chinese versus English . ( I do have an inkling that the chinese translation may be able to bring out the subtleness better than English . ) So I'm not keen on getting a copy of Kirino's latest English translated book Grotesque especially since reviewers mentioned of censorship . I think I'll stick to the Chinese translation .
116 4 As a fan of both Japanese literature and crime novels , I was anxious to read this book . It started out well and overall the plot is interesting , but the ending just ruined it for me . I won't spoil it for you , but suffice it to say that it was one of the most bizzare , and absurd endings in recent memory . Kind of ruined it for me .
117 4 I bought this due to the plethora of rave reviews . Boy was I disappointed . While some of the actions reminds one of a Coen Brothers script the book is overly long and at times excruciating boring . It amazes me that anyone would describe this work as well written . there were far too many examples of the narrator blatantly telling us what should have been left ot our own conclusions . In one instance a character with a spending problem is contemplating a purchase of a handbag which leads her to realize that if she makes this purchase she will need to buy shoes . Instead of leading the reader to make their own conclusions the author then spends two additional paragraphs telling us how one need for this character leads to another .
Worse still is the ending of the book which has a final and unbelievable twist that is so implausbile you will be tempted to through the book at the wall screaming I suffered through all these pages for this ?
118 4 As one who relishes complex , engaging works of fiction which are character-driven and often quirky ( such as those of Haruki Murakami ) , I can only surmise that Kirino's Japanese prose was poorly served by a translator with little gift for writing . The narrative style was far too literal , much more like a cheap detective novel than a work of literary merit . After about 50 pages , I no longer cared for the characters or their impending plight as described in the cover blurbs , and left my copy on the subway for someone else to enjoy .
119 4 This review is from :
Out : A Novel ( Paperback )
. . . and that's all I intend to reveal of the plot in this blooooody thriller . I suppose I might mention that the principal characters are four women of utterly different temperaments who happen to be working in a scuzzy ' bento box ' lunch factory in Tokyo ; most of the nastiest stuff happens to them , but they have some resources of nastiness of their own .
Three stars here means that I can't decide whether it give the book one or five . It's a cheap-thrills special , crime fiction for the sated palette , but it is grotesquely compelling and I did finish it . It's a book you either have to hate , or to hate yourself for liking it . There's some attempt in the promotion , on the cover etc . , to suggest that a social protest against the ' rules of life ' in the sludgy bottom of society redeems the sado-masochistic exploitation that is the novel's selling point . The depiction of the underclasses in Tokyo is accurate enough - - I've lived there , I've observed it - - but the protest is minimal . Pop fiction thrives on the opposites of glitz and grunge , and the small amount I've read of it suggests that glitz is reserved for spy thrillers and grunge for crime .
The difference for me , as a delicate-flower kind of reader , between this slaughterhouse slease and what Arnoldur Indridason offers in his Icelandic murder novels is empathy . I could get some empathy up for Indridason's characters but I felt no sympathy whatsoever for any of the four women in Out , or for the men they confronted . I thought I might come to ' root ' for the strongest of the women , but all sense of her as a real human faded away from me in the last chapters .
One of the one-star reviewers here in amazoo claims to have read the book in the original Japanese and to think that the translation does it little justice . Mainlines it , simplifies it , makes explicit what was only subliminal in the source . I can easily believe that ; Japanese is , as one Christian missionary stated , the devil's own language for ambiguity and nuance . Japanese novelist , however , from Meiji to the present , including all the greats - - Tanizaki , Kafu , Oe , Mishima , and others - - have all pursued sensationalism , violence , erotic excesses , lurking vilenesses in the human psyches .
120 4 . . . and that's all I intend to reveal of the plot in this blooooody thriller . I suppose I might mention that the principal characters are four women of utterly different temperaments who happen to be working in a scuzzy ' bento box ' lunch factory in Tokyo ; most of the nastiest stuff happens to them , but they have some resources of nastiness of their own .
Three stars here means that I can't decide whether it give the book one or five . It's a cheap-thrills special , crime fiction for the sated palette , but it is grotesquely compelling and I did finish it . It's a book you either have to hate , or to hate yourself for liking it . There's some attempt in the promotion , on the cover etc . , to suggest that a social protest against the ' rules of life ' in the sludgy bottom of society redeems the sado-masochistic exploitation that is the novel's selling point . The depiction of the underclasses in Tokyo is accurate enough - - I've lived there , I've observed it - - but the protest is minimal . Pop fiction thrives on the opposites of glitz and grunge , and the small amount I've read of it suggests that glitz is reserved for spy thrillers and grunge for crime .
The difference for me , as a delicate-flower kind of reader , between this slaughterhouse slease and what Arnoldur Indridason offers in his Icelandic murder novels is empathy . I could get some empathy up for Indridason's characters but I felt no sympathy whatsoever for any of the four women in Out , or for the men they confronted . I thought I might come to ' root ' for the strongest of the women , but all sense of her as a real human faded away from me in the last chapters .
One of the one-star reviewers here in amazoo claims to have read the book in the original Japanese and to think that the translation does it little justice . Mainlines it , simplifies it , makes explicit what was only subliminal in the source . I can easily believe that ; Japanese is , as one Christian missionary stated , the devil's own language for ambiguity and nuance . Japanese novelist , however , from Meiji to the present , including all the greats - - Tanizaki , Kafu , Oe , Mishima , and others - - have all pursued sensationalism , violence , erotic excesses , lurking vilenesses in the human psyches .
121 4 I feel a little bad about my dislike for Out , since a lot of my complaint is how its written , and I have no way of knowing how much of that is thanks to Kirino herself , and how much is due to the translation . Either way , the prose here works hard to take an interesting tale and render it dull and lifeless . Unable to let foreshadowing pass without making sure the reader notices it , explaining to a pedantic degree motivations and feelings , Out so frequently breaks the show , don't tell rule of writing that I felt like I was reading notes for the actors of the eventual movie version , not a novel . It's a shame , too , because the core tale - about a woman who strangles her husband , some friends that help her , and the ensuing chaos - is pretty neat , even if it's occasionally too neat and tidy . Even that doesn't entirely carry the book , though , as Kirino's characters too often come across as horrible people . There's a difference between something like A Simple Plan that makes us understand the characters , even as they make horrific choices , and Out , which just makes us hate them . Kirino's unlikable characters reach their nadir in the climax , in which one character acts in a way that seems unlikely , unreasonable , and frankly unbelievable . ( Speaking of the climax , why in the world tell the event twice , all the way through , from two different perspectives , if the two tellings add nothing to each other ? ) In the end , Out takes a neat premise and tale and beats it into the ground with thudding prose , unsympathetic characters , and an ending that leaves a sour taste in your mouth .
122 4 With Murder . . . . best way to describe it . This actually the second book of hers that I have read . Both novels are excellent ; Natsuo Kirino is a great writer . You will not be let down !
123 4 A housewife murders her husband in a fit of pique , and then is faced with that old problem of how do you dispose of the body ? Solution : get some of your women friends and co-workers to help out by slicing and dicing hubby into small , manageable parts . Put the parts in plastic bags and dump the bags in various garbage cans throughout the community . Well the idea seems great , but for a first effort it didn't totally succeed . The police find and identify one of the parts , and accuse an innocent man of the murder . The women body dissemblers however find that this could be a profitable business .
The reader becomes engrossed learning about one of society's lesser known occupations . But watch out , the innocently accused man is getting closer and closer to exposing the gals .
This is a great black humor thriller . It's fast and funny , but I was a bit disappointed with the bizarre ending . Then again the whole book is bizarre , so why should I criticize its equally peculiar climax ( and , hey , the word climax has more than one meaning ) .
125 4 I found this book so fascinating . The plot is very good and every character is so full of life . Strongly recommended .
126 4 During the reading of this novel I really wanted to be able to read Japanese . The translation at times confused me with euphimisms that I felt pandered to American expectations regarding this genre of fiction . I admired the protagonist but she unfortunatley fell in love with another . That love is what I found revolving around the central theme . . . and what makes the author a worthy competitor in the guessing game of looking into the well of human darkness .
127 4 I loved this book ! It is by far one of the best books I have read in a long time . The first part of the book moved slowly as the author developed the characters . However , once she did , I found that the characters ' complexity and overlapping experiences made this book a rapid page turner . The book is based on the lives of four Japanese women who find themselves trapped in a mundane , frequently sad existence as they carry out their lives as workers in a box lunch factory . The story takes off after one of the women , Yayoi comes to work in a listless state after being injured in a domestic dispute with her husband , Kenji . After her victimization she is glimpses into the futility of life with a man from whom she has grown distant and begun to despise . When her husband returns home the next night beaten and drunk her anger grows . In a fit of rage , she murders him . Helpless after her desperate act , she enlists the help of her solid , sure footed friend Masako . With her leadership , Masako and two other women from the factory dispose of the body . These actions set in motion a series of life changing events for all of the women . I enjoyed how the author wove together the story of four women's lives with a fast , paced murder mystery . With each twist and turn of the story , she also told the tale of four women's struggle in a blue collar world . With each of their perspectives , we are able to share in their angst . But also we are able to share in their triumph as they explore different aspects of themselves and emerge from , or move out of their former existence .
128 4 Outstanding work , gives insight to the daily lives to Japanese , Japanese factory works , and what can happen between friends and family after mistakes are made .
130 4 This was the best book I've ever read . It stands out above all the rest , even the Harry Potter series , Stephenie Meyer books , and even some of Stephen King's books . The book is very symbolic ( at the end ) which I like . It's sort of like a gothic Romeo and Juliet , and the author had me pity the characters as soon as she had made me hate them . The book reminds me of The Hidden Song on Greatest Lovesongs Vol .666 by the band HIM . This book will amaze the hell out of you as it did me . I guarantee you it will probably be on your list of favorite books afterwards .
131 4 I recently had the opportunity to read the psychological thriller Out by Natsuo Kirino . This intriguing novel is plot driven , but much of the story is dependent on character development and change . Each of the major characters is developed in detail , in all of their psychological complexity . Each of these four women go through her own turmoil , in an attempt to come to terms with what she has participated in . The novel also offers a look at the darker sides of Japanese society . Very normal lives are turned upside down by murder yet they must still focus on their day-to-day responsibilities and deal with the criminal world . Out is a good thriller and not for the faint at heart ( there are passages of violence ) . It is a facinating storyline .
132 4 This novel is mesmerizing and tells the story of a brutal murder in the Tokyo suburbs . A young mother who works the night shift boxing lunches brutally strangles her abusive husband and then looks for the help of her coworkers to get rid of the body and cover up the crime . This is just the beginning of their adventures together . They become involved with the Yakuza , the Japanese mafia . Out is a thriller that also tells about women and the pressures that they feel while being consumed by prejudices and pressures from society . She had an abusive husband and probably Battered Wife Syndrome .
This is a mystery thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat !
133 4 I have enjoyed some recent translations of Japanese novels for English-reading audiences and was eager to compare the conventions of American and Japanese crime stories . I think this translation is very good - it captures the tone of the Japanese language and style of speech in English quite well . I found the final 40% of the novel to be a classic page-turner , but I was very surprised that it took nearly half the book to arrive at the point where anything resembling action took place . The first half of the book is more than simply character exposition , but - compared to American books of the same genre - be prepared to wade through a lot of details and background to get the excellent payoff at the end of the novel .
134 4 I had heard some buzz about a novel written in Japan and translated into English . . . Out by Natsuo Kirino . I picked up a copy at the library and finished it last night . . . A very dark story that redefines desperate housewives . . .
The story revolves around four Japanese women who work the night shift at a packaged food plant . It's a nasty job , but it pays better than day shift work and affords them a part-time schedule . But all of these women are living lives of quiet desperation . One is in a marriage where the son doesn't talk to them and the husband has moved into a separate room . Another fancies herself a fashion plate but is overweight and deeply in debt to the loan sharks . The third is widowed with two daughters and an invalid mother-in-law that makes her life miserable ( and has to have her diaper changed multiple times a day ) . And finally there's the wife with kids , a husband who beats her , and has spent all their savings at the gaming tables ( besides chasing around other women ) . He gets roughed up at the club and sent home . She snaps and strangles him with a belt . She enlists the help of her friends to dispose of the body by cutting it up into small parts and trashing it around the city . But the police find some of the bags in the park trash and are able to identify the body . They are trying to figure out if the wife did it or if the owner of the casino was responsible for the death . After all , the casino owner does have a nasty murder on his record . The tale is tightly woven between the women , the casino owner , and other various players who have figured out the truth and are playing it for their advantage . The question is whether any of them will survive the changes that have occurred now that they are highly involved in the murder . . .
Dark doesn't quite begin to cover this story . Not only do you have the dismemberment of the murdered husband , but they are coerced into other jobs because they need the cash . Greed between the friends leads to blackmail , and pretty soon it's hard for each to figure out who can be trusted to keep their mouth shut and not spill the beans to the police ( or others ) . The overwhelming helplessness of each life also is vividly portrayed in the writings . While not condoning the events that happen , you understand how they play out . I'd have given this a top rating if not for the ending . While I don't have a problem with what happens in the end , the emotion and mental conclusion were entirely lost on me . I really didn't get what the writer was having the woman feel . . .
A good read with cultural elements that will probably be unfamiliar and fascinating to you . . . Just a little confusing at the end . . .
135 4 The writing style is great but the plot is terrible . It ends up going nowhere , which is frustrating after spending so much time getting to know the characters ( none of which really pulls you in ) . I don't recommend this at all and agree with all the reviewers giving low ratings . I'm very surprised that this book received such high ratings . The reader is informed about a murder early on and the rest of the story revolves around that , but there is no mystery . It's a depressing read that goes nowhere .
136 4 I picked up this book with a gift certificate not quite sure if I would like it . It is an excellent read . Lots of little twists that I didn't expect . My husband is reading it now and he is having the same reaction . I could not stop reading it .
137 4 Four ( 4 ) women , various ages , all work together on the late night shift in a Japanese food factory . Each woman's personality dictates the particular place she takes on the assembly line . Their jobs are simply making lunch sandwiches - but about 600 sandwiches a night . On top of their awful low paying and boring jobs , each has a hard and miserable personal life . Early on in the novel one by one they come together to help one of the group who needs to cover up a murder she has committed . The women then justify their particpation in the cover up by claiming they are doing it for much needed money . The characters and scenery come to life in the way the details are presented , no matter the subject . In fact , it is because of these details that this book immediately sets itself apart from most others . The book is a real page turner . As the story draws to a close the pace quickens and what was already interesting is now compelling . This book a winner . For me , it's not just great storylines but those in combination with the fascinating and unusual Japanese customs and traditions , brings it way over the top . I'm glad I've found a new source for crime fiction that I'd never have predicted .
138 4 Four women who work the night shift at a boxed lunch factory become involved in a nightmarish spiral of murder , mutilation , and cover-up when one of them kills her husband in a fit of passion . Each of them is caught in a domestic trap that makes them vulnerable to desperate schemes born of hopelessness . Masako is a strong , capable woman who lives in a sterile , loveless household . Beautiful Yayoi has two children and is saddled with a philandering gambler for a husband . Skipper is a widow who barely ekes out a living caring for her mother-in-law , a teenage daughter , and a grandson . Kuniko is a vain , despicable woman , self-centered and deep in debt . One of the many pleasures of this suspenseful novel is watching how the consequences of their actions radiate , like ripples from a stone dropped into still water , until they awaken the long-repressed sadistic passions of a disturbed killer .
Perhaps Kirino could be faulted for telegraphing some of her plot developments earlier than necessary , but this remains an exceedingly powerful suspense novel . I was drawn into the lives of these women and was sorry when the story came to an end . An added bonus is the glimpse it provides of Japan's dark side , a much needed humanizing touch for Americans who still hold a stereotypical view of Japan as a society of polite human worker bees . I hope more of Kirino's novels will be translated into English in the near future .
139 4 I found the first third of this book riveting . It was absolutely a page turner as most people who reviewed the book here found it to be . I was compelled by the characters ; found them both moving and complex . However , when Kirino introduced the male characters of the novel her strength dwindled . She didn't have as strong a handle on her guys as she did on her women . Where the women broke stereotype , the men stayed put . I grabbled w / the misogyny as well . It felt a bit heavy handed w / o needing to be .
All in all , a good story and a great start .
140 4 Most mysteries fade from memory within days . Once an author establishes a recognizable anchor , all his novels become one of a piece . OUT breaks the molds of typical whodunit fiction . We know who the bad guys / gals are from the outset . The suspense is created by the question of which one will be the next to have their body disbursed into 15 garbage bags .
Set in present day Japan , the characters are mostly ordinary middle class people beset by difficulties that can tap our sympathies . The heroine of OUT is especially clever with great instintive presence . When she's on the page , things crackle as well as clarify . The mixture of eroticism with physical torture and death is a taboo pleasure more explored in Japanese sub-culture than in the West . It is the paramount theme in this novel and we keep reading because it is repellent yet bewitching . Most of these people are like somebody we know . . . yet they are caught in this gruesome business .
This novel is very insistent about keeping the reader informed . We are always clear about what has transpired as well as what the characters feel about each other . It satisfies extraverts and introverts . The climax is actually related twice , so we can hear it from both pro and antagonists . I would guess Kirino was spent at that juncture , for the novel concludes leaving a number of minor loose ends . I would have preferred that she had tucked them away before the climax , but that is a small criticism . You will not forget this engrossing work .
141 4 I was entertained and drawn into the very dark and bizzar world these fine ladies found themselves a part of from the very beginning .
I loved the way Kirino took a lot of twists and turns through out the book making me say to myself . . . I can't believe what just happened . . I don't think I have read anything with this much characture in along time .
142 4 For those that said they didn't like it , it seems more of a biased opinion . Now as a reader why WON'T one like elaborate and not to mention RICH description to add to the feel of the story ? The negative reviews are mindless , as if someone who hates romance novels , insisting on reading one , then going on to judge the book .
On the book , wonderful ! Couldn't put it down , read it at every waking moment I had a chance to . Suspenseful and genius .
143 4 What I liked most about this book was the glimpse into the lives of these lower-middle-class Japanese women . In fact , I was kind of disappointed when the murder took place . . . I would have been happy had the story continued on its very naturalistic mode .
Even so , the murder plot would have been more satisfying if the monster antagonist had been more realistic , much like the four factory women . And many of the erotic death scenes were just too gruesome and tasteless .
Still , this was a very well written book , and I will look for something else by the same author .
144 4 this opens up so many vistas I failed to observe during my time there . Truly a Thelma Louise story of the brutality of men towards women in Japanese society , the book says even more about the day to day struggles of the every Japanese .
145 4 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 place in their world and struggling to find one .
146 4 No need for me to give the short summary of the book again , others have done a great job doing that for me . I've enjoyed the book , that puts the reader into the lives of very believable characters in modern day Japan . It's well written , probably part due a very good translator . But I should make a note about the category the book is put into : a mystery novel . I can not understand this fits into this category . There's nothing of a mystery in this book . Everything is either obviously predictable , or just plain written before it happens . Nowhere in its 360 pages have I ever wondered Mmmmm , what would happen next or who would be that misterious man . No , don't expect any suspense , thriller , or mistery . Just a plain , though bloody at some times , story . If you set that expectation , you'll have a lot of satisfaction reading it .
148 4 I bought this book because of all the glowing reviews - but , although well written , it is one of the worst books I ever read .
By way of example , the author need only have described a character as incontinent . . . I neither needed nor wanted page after page of description about the diapers , stench , etc . Learning how hourly workers on the night shift live and work in Japan was mildly interesting , but not for so many pages - and the plot seemed depressing and contrived . The book was sick , and I can't even imagine liking it . I love mysteries , and read and buy many each year - but this wasn't a mystery ; IMHO , the only mystery is why anyone liked it .
149 4 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 gruesome . This is just an old trick . Come on ! Can you be a little more
original ?
A bunch of housewives getting together to kill someone and writing about them in gory detail is not creative . This is a novel for beginners .
147 4 Satake-San , the most memorable character in the same par as Masako .
. . . at the end , Masako travels to Kabuki-Cho . A bleak place illuminated by a weak afternoon sun , and faded billboards . Satake-Sans birthplace ! Masako yearns to breath in the same air he breathed , to see the same things he did !
Beautifully written .
124 4 A breathtaking novel that , for once , lives up to its hype . In fact it surpasses it . It is darkly , grotesquely humane .
129 4 wonderful detail , engrossing narrative , beautifully written . it is hard for me to imagine you not enjoying this book , especially if you like japanese things , or murders , or introspection or interpersonal relations .
