Out [Hardcover]

"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

Natuso Kirino's "Out" won prizes in its native Japan, and was also shortlisted for America's prestigious Edgar Award, making her the first Japanese author ever to up for the award. She didn't win (Ian Rankin's Resurrection Men did), but she easily could have. This is a super book; a harrowing and cloying read that has a whiff of Ruth Rendell about it (it's odd and yet telling how the best crime fiction from anywhere in the world is compared to Rendell's considerable yardstick). It's the story of four women who work the Night Shift at a boxed-lunch factory in Tokyo. Eventually, under pressure from an overbearing and abuse husband, one snaps and kills him. She turns to her co-workers for help disposing of the body. Thus they're drawn into a dark work of death and violence. The police come to suspect a wealthy local businessman, and that suspicion ruins him. From that point on, he wants revenge on the real killers, and becomes increasingly convinced he knows just who they are...

This is probably set to be one of the crime novels of the year. It's superbly written, and, to use that old comparison again, the psychological insight Kirino shows toward her characters is distinctly of the Rendell quality. It's probably not an easy book to read, but it's certainly a rewarding and very tense one. In the best traditions of Eastern art (film, books, etc) it is originally and ever-so-slightly twisted. Despite it's length - which makes it a meaty read - it's paced quickly as the plot moves so effectively, shifts along smoothly. It's a deceptively clever book, too, as well as serving as a great window onto a certain section of Japanese society. It could almost be classed as feminist in its progressive portrayal of women in a society that generally views them with eyes very different to those of the Western world.

To people who like cheap thrills, this may not satisfy, as it's rather too full of detail, fascinating though it is. But to people who like complex, challenging and dark crime fiction (a la Mo Hayder, possibly), Out receives a hearty recommendation from me.