Real World by Natsuo Kirino

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Natsuo Kirino "Real World" - 4.5/5

This is the first book I've read by Kirino, but I have Out on my shelf and Grotesque on my wishlist, and I'm really looking forward to reading both.

I wasn't sure what style of book this was when I picked it up (in fact, I didn't even read the cover blurb). The cover looks like it could be horror, and I see people have tagged it as a thriller, but I wouldn't call it either (definitely not horror). It's a book about five teenagers, four girls who are all good friends, and a boy who lives next door to one of them. One day the boy kills his mother and goes on the run, and although none of the girls have ever spoken to him before, they all end up getting involved with his escape in some way. But even though there's a murder and someone's on the run from the cops, it's not a thriller or an adventure. It's more...character studies, almost. Kind of typical literary fiction, really. I really liked it a lot.

I read this in translation, and I'm happy to say that it reads really well in English. (I'm always kind of hesitant because the popularity of all things Japanese these days means a lot of shoddy translation, not just in manga (though that's probably where it's worst), but in novels as well. I tried to read The Ring in English out of curiosity and it was horrible.)

Comments

[livia-llewellyn.livejournal.com]

I have Real World and Grotesque in my "to be read" pile - I read Out when it was first published in English, and I have to say, it's one of my favorite books of all time.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

I definitely recommend this one! :)

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Kirino is usually slotted under "noir" fiction, with an option to exercise the "feminist noir" niche.

I love her beyond the telling. :)

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

I see she's actually written a bunch more books than have been released in English. I'll have to take a look at Book Off next time I'm there.

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Reading Out after Real World (I reviewed it here (http://tatterpunk.livejournal.com/tag/a:+natsuo+kirino)) was an interesting experience for me -- Out is about as subtle as a bat to the head, but it's got this immense energy and drive that allows you to overlook some otherwise clunky exposition. I look forward to hearing what you think!

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Nice review! Whenever I review stuff, I always end up feeling like somehow I never actually got across what I wanted to say. ;_;