Out

A Novel

By: Natsuo Kirino

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark, tension-filled, plot-driven realism of Natsuo Kirino's award-winning literary mystery Out.

This mesmerizing novel tells the story of a brutal murder in the staid Tokyo suburbs, as a young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and then seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime. The coolly intelligent Masako emerges as the plot's ringleader but quickly discovers that this killing is merely the beginning, as it leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society.

At once a masterpiece of literary suspense and pitch-black comedy of gender warfare, Out is also a moving evocation of the pressures and prejudices that drive women to extreme deeds and the friendships that bolster them in the aftermath.

©1997 Natsuo Kirino; English translation 2003 by Kodansha International Ltd. (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Terrifying!

End of your seat listening! Like something terrifying around every corner, an end you never saw coming!

A thrilling ride with a great ending!

Loved the fast pace and the thrilling story. If you like strong emotions and deep characters, this one is for you.

Awkward

Would you try another book from Natsuo Kirino and/or Emily Woo Zeller?

No

Who was your favorite character and why?

didn't develop one

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Her reading was not good for me -- her character voices were annoying, like the way one might read a children's book to a circle of third graders.

Was Out worth the listening time?

No

Any additional comments?

I think a lot of the quality of the writing was lost in the translation. It seemed stilted to me, and a bit ponderous.

Good Story

I liked the story overall. I'm not a huge fan of how it was narrated, but if you can get past it then it's a good listen.

very dark

I am a huge fan of literary Thrillers and this is definitely one of them. I would warn the faint of heart though, it is very dark. the only thing negative I have to say about it, is that I wish I would have read this instead of listening to it. The narrator can be quite annoying at times. When she's narrating, she's great. But, when she tries to create different voices for the characters, especially any male voices, it was almost laughable. And in a story as dark and intense as this one, wanting to laugh at the narrator's voice can really take you out of the story. I know it is hard for women to do male voices audio books, but I have definitely heard it done much better than it was done here.