Out

A Novel

De: Natsuo Kirino

Narrado por: 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.

Great characters with very real feeling writing

Great characters with very real feeling writing, many of which are deplorable. It also touches a lot on the struggles of lower class families and women left to support for them in different ways. Arguably one of the main villains of the book is money itself. I love Natsuo Kirino's writing and was sucked into everything. Both the exciting and mundane parts as they all felt integral to either the plot or characterization of the main POVs. The switching of POVs as well were very satisfying. The plot was interesting the whole way through. Just all around amazing minus an issue I have with a certain character's ending. Loved it. The voice performance was great, some of the male characters took a little getting used to but they grew on me and I loved the vast majority of voices and tones taken.