New podcast: The Devotion Of Suspect X By Keigo Higashino | Japanese literature | episode 131 Book Review
The Review
A unique crime novel. I discovered this novel from watching YouTube videos on Japanese literature and this appeal to me as I like reading crime novels. That fact is that Japanese literature will have different storytelling.
I also for a long time had the idea of including reviews of novels in my podcast but didn’t know which selection of novels to review or discuss.
Characters name list:
- Yasuko – The lady who works at the bento shop
- kusanagi – The detective
- Togashi – the Ex husband who got killed
- Yukawa – the professor
- Ishigami – the Mat Teacher
- kudo – Yasuko friends
- Misato – Yasuko’s daughter
At the begging of the story you already know the murder and already find out who commit it. but the interesting part is the whole story is about how the Math teacher is going to outwit the police. it is a battle of wit and illigentance. The investigation becomes complex and the detective is having a challenging finding the evidence of the crime he noticed doesn’t add up with the lady’s story. his friend the professor is also very intellect and somehow decodes the mystery of the case. but give the detective a lot of riddles and theories.
The story is low-key, with not much action, just the detective going away asking questions and investigating. at the end section of the book, the situation becomes an intended and dramatic plot twist that leaves the reader questioning and taken by surprise.
it is a different direction to a crime story as the reader already know who committed the crime. I think it is about the main intention than the crime and what other events will lead into. Ishigami was a mystery, why would he do all things for Yasuko and willing to go so far for her. Ishigami is a man who doesn’t display emotions and does things in a logical manner. but his intentions were the key to this story.
it is well-written and easy to read thought. it is straight to the point. the story was engaging. very well translated, the translator did a fantastic job in translating. it was the first Japanese crime novel I have read and I was impressed and felt I had a good read.
i am interested in reading more of Keigo Higashino’s other crime titles because they are well written and different to the crime novels i am use to in English crime novels.
I highly recommend reading The Devotion Of Suspect X. it is a good choice of book if you are a crime enthusiast and looking for Japanese crime novels.
Summary
Yasuko lives a quiet life, working in a Tokyo bento shop, a good mother to her only child. But when her ex-husband appears at her door without warning one day, her comfortable world is shattered.
When Detective Kusanagi of the Tokyo Police tries to piece together the events of that day, he finds himself confronted by the most puzzling, mysterious circumstances he has ever investigated. Nothing quite makes sense, and it will take a genius to understand the genius behind this particular crime…
One of the biggest-selling Japanese thrillers ever, and the inspiration for a cult film, The Devotion of Suspect X is now being discovered across the world. Its blend of a page-turning story, evocative Tokyo setting and utterly surprising ending make it a must-read for anyone interested in international fiction.
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