Grotesque

Kirino's Out was a truly memorable read a few years back. Grotesque is only her second work translated into English. Both cover similar themes, although for context the title of this work is misleading. A more faithful capturing of the Japanese would express the idea of "inner darkness" — the darkness within us or our souls. From this readers can begin to form an impression of what to expect. Grotesque is a psychological thriller that begins with the murder of two prostitutes. From this we work back to their origins and the circumstances that precipitated their demise. The commonality between them is the de facto narrator, older sister to one of the victims and school friend to the other. Through oral text, letters, diaries and a police transcript, we learn there is no consistent account. Put another way, not only are all narratives unreliable, but people tend consistently to misjudge the actions of others. Kirino's broader angle (as in Out) is to critique the hierarchical nature of Japanese society. Strong women are often undermined by convention; the male order dominates. In this worldview, readers should perhaps not be surprised by the darkness that may enter souls. Lots to think about. This 400-plus-page account was rarely boring. I found myself dreaming about its action too. 9 out of 10.

By Natsuo Kirino