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.

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.

Chilling...

This book creeps up on you and gets into your head. Not for the faint of heart.

Could have been much shorter

Although I listened all the way to the end, I couldn't help feeling like the story was taking WAY too long. I think a little was lost in translation as well. And don't get me started on the narrator - by the end her voice was grating on every nerve I had! The story itself was good, just drug on too long.

Japanese suspense novel

should appeal to anyone who likes Noire the Japanese atmosphere is a great touch. Very absorbing.

Complex, unpredictable.

I did enjoy the book in its entirety, but at times it was painful to listen to. The ending was a bit torturous because it lasted so long, like the author enjoyed it. If you like Japanese contemporary literature (and who doesn’t) I recommend it.

Out...

I saw on the website that this book was for fans of "Gone Girl", so I used a credit. Here's some thoughts for those of you wanting to know if this was worth the listen.

1. This was the first Japanese book I've ever listened to. I think actually reading the names of the characters would be a little bit easier to keep track of them. I'm not very familiar with Japanese names and had a hard time at the beginning deciphering one name from another.
2. The narration was just okay. Not great, not that bad.... just okay. Some characters were better developed and easier to listen to than others. I've never listened this narrator before and thought she was a bit heavy handed in her portrayal of the older women giving them an unpleasant whining tone to them.
3. As described in the notes for this book it has some very very "pitch-black" humor. It is also somewhat graphic for those of you with a timid stomach. I personally like this but it's definitely not for everyone.
4. I'm not sure where I get what the "Gone Girl" comparison was all about other than each of these books are classified as Suspense/Mystery/Thriller. That's about as close as it comes other than it has a female protagonist.

Overall, it wasn't bad. I don't think I'll remember this book for very long though and definitely will not be listening to this again. If you are looking for a suspense novel, I've listened to worse. I enjoyed the change of scenery for me with it taking place in Japan.

Great Book with a Deeply Unsatisfying Ending

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have changed the ending to make it more in line with feminist values.

What about Emily Woo Zeller’s performance did you like?

I think this reader did a great job except for some of the male characters. Some of them sounded like muppets.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book is too long for one sitting.

Any additional comments?

This is a great book with well developed plot and characters. You definitely feel the desperation and the desolation in every facet of the story. The very ending of this book was terrible. It could've easily turned a completely different direction to become an almost perfect story.

Story? Rated R. Narrator's voice? More suited for something rated G.

Nails on a chalkboard are only slightly more annoying than the narrator's voice. Slightly.

First half of the book was really interesting. Loved the way the author set up the scenes and introduced some of the characters/plot lines.

Second half was tedious and boring. Ending was lame.

reluctant fan

I didn't like this book but I couldn't stop listening. It could have had a better ending. I'm reluctant to say but I did like it.

the most human experience

you get the nitty gritty and grime of every day people as well as their joys hopes and dreams. and even some denial