#Iyamisu

[felix-arsyanendra]

Pojok Penulis: Iblis di Pekarangan, sebuah kolaborasi Detectives ID dan Penerbit Haru

Mau memberi rekomendasi buku lagi untuk para penulis pecinta misteri khususnya misteri thriller yang berjudul "Iblis di Pekarangan"

Sebelumnya perlu diperhatikan bahwa buku ini adalah genre iyamisu seperti yang tertera di pojok kanan buku. Jika kalian belum tahu arti iyamisu itu apa bisa dicek di gambar ya!

Buku ini adalah kumpulan cerpen yang merupakan kolaborasi dari Penerbit Haru dan Detectives ID serta salah satu penulis yang turut andil adalah Akiyoshi Rikako, salah satu penulis favorit saya.

Jadi tentunya saya tidak akan melewatkan kesempatan ini.

Bagi kalian yang baru pertama kali membaca genre misteri saran saya jangan baca buku ini terlebih dahulu apalagi jika Anda sekalian tidak kuat dengan segala perbuatan keji yang dilakukan oleh manusia karena mereka yang ada di novel ini sejatinya adalah iblis.

Bahkan bagi saya sendiri seorang penggemar misteri, buku ini rasanya berat untuk saya baca karena tingkah biadab dari tiap tokoh yang sungguh diluar nalar.

Setiap selesai satu cerpen biasanya saya istirahat untuk menjernihkan kembali moral saya.

Tapi sejatinya buku ini tidak mengecewakan, at least selalu ada kejutan dibalik alur yang ditulis.

Disana, kita akan melihat wujud iblis dari segala jenis usia dan jenis kelamin.

Kalau bisa dibilang, novel ini adalah wujud dari iyamisu itu sendiri. Kalian mau tau iyamisu itu apa? Ya baca buku ini tapi bacalah dengan konsekuensi Anda sendiri.

Buku ini akan saya beri rating 9/10. Novel yang bagus dimana setiap penulis memiliki alur ceritanya sendiri dengan tokoh mereka yang biadab.

[fukuroukekinoto]

Apa yang akan kamu lakukan setelah membaca pengakuan pembunuhan dari orang yang kamu kenal?⁣ Membawanya ke polisi? Menjauhinya? Melakukan penghakiman sendiri? Atau tetap bersikap seperti tidak ada apa-apa?⁣ ⁣ Saya... tidak tahu harus bagaimana. Mereka, memang hanya karakter fiktif, tapi rasanya saya kenal dengan mereka. Dan saya benar-benar tidak tahu harus bagaimana setelah membaca pengakuan mereka. Mau dilaporkan ke polisi, mereka nggak nyata. Mau dijauhkan, Bocah A sudah dijauhi plus mendapat penghakiman, sementara Bocah B sudah menjauhkan diri duluan. Maunya juga bersikap kayak nggak ada apa-apa. Tapi kayak ada yang mengganjal. Aneh dan nggak nyaman. ⁣ ⁣ [Begini kali ya, perasaannya Ander setelah denger pengakuan Polo 🤧]⁣ ⁣ Seperti kebohongan yang bisa jadi berlapis demi menutupi kebohongan lainnya, pengakuan masing-masing karakter seperti terjalin layaknya lintingan benang tipis takdir. Yang sayangnya bukan takdir baik.⁣ ⁣ Pengakuan seringkali dikaitkan dengan hal-hal baik, seperti pengakuan cinta. Mengakui kesalahan bukan hal buruk. Setidaknya, diri kita mengakui hal buruk yang dilakukan. Tapi cukup berhenti di diri kita sendiri (juga sama Allah), untuk jadi pelajaran, lantas memperbaikinya menjadi hal baik. Bukan malah dipamerkan dan dibanggakan. ⁣ ⁣ Saya rasanya sedikit mengerti alasan karya ini mendapat banyak penghargaan. Narasi sensei mengenai sisi jahat manusia terasa nyata. Rasanya seperti sisi jahat saya sendiri yang dikorek lantas dipamerkan untuk saya nikmati. Mungkin hal ini juga yang membuat saya tidak nyaman. Karena (seperti) melihat bagian jelek diri saya, dan membuat saya merasa bersalah karena memilikinya.⁣

[mothersins-a]

@iyamisu ❤’d for a starter

             BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE. You are not a nice girl who’s timid and shy. You are not a girl who takes what is thrown at them no matter how much it hurts. You are not the girl who is frail and unable to defend herself. YOU ARE SOMETHING MUCH WORSE. Living the lie, living in a way that would benefit herself Anri trudges through the day as someone who is no one. Doesn’t stick out, don’t make a scene. This was her life and she was neither happy or sad about it. POURING RAIN caused the horizon to appear blurry. The sky looming overhead with the darkest clouds. She had an umbrella and scraped knees bloody, dirty and residue caking her skin. She didn’t even notice the slight BURNING, the pain it caused. It was normal wasn’t it? Mundane to be harassed by those girls at school. Laughed at, pummeled, heckled. Anri was walking down her street towards the apartment she never called home.

               A vague shape in the distance, that of a girl sopping wet from the downpour. Anri walked closer, close enough to call out.   ❛   E-Excuse me? Are you alright?   ❜

[libraryspectre]

Checked off my first box for the Books in the Freezer podcast reading challenge!

For "horror in translation" I read Confessions by Kanae Minato, translated by Stephen Snyder.

Kanae Minato is a popular Japanese mystery writer who's works are just recently being translated into English. She's described as the "Queen of Iyamisu" which apparently loosely translates as "eww-mystery" and is a subgenre that deals with the grisly, dark side of human nature. Cool!

Confessions begins with a teacher standing in front of her middle-school class and proclaiming that she knows who murdered her daughter, and they're in the room. From there it spirals into a twisted tale of revenge with a horrible, bizarre domino effect. And to fully appreciate the plot, the reader gets to see it from every angle - there are six sections of the book, each one a confessional of a different narrator involved with the crime(s) in a different way.

Its a very short book that I had a hard time putting down. Initially I struggled with the narration (the opening section is an unbroken monolouge from the teacher to her students) but by the end of the second section I was hooked and beginning to appreciate what the author was doing. By the end I was blown away.

[weibuzz]

Confessions

Kanae Minato has been dubbed the “Queen of Iyamisu” for her thrilling, grisly episodes and her ability to showcase the dark side of human nature.  “Confessions” was her first book and was published in 2008 and earned Kanae her first Japanese Booksellers Award.  A movie adaptation was filmed in 2010 that earned Best Picture at the 34th Japan Academy Prize and 53rd Blue Ribbon Awards and was…

[metissagesanguemisto]

Kanae Minato has been described as “’the queen of iyamisu’ , a subgenre of mystery fiction which deals with grisly episodes and the dark side of human nature. #penance #kanaeminato #iyamisu. #mystery #fiction #japanesebook #book #bookstagram #letteraturagiapponese #letteraturanipponica

[inkantation18]

Hold Digging #1

Photo by iam Se7en on Unsplash

My birthday month has arrived and with it, changes to this blog, content and how I obtain my books.

Originally I had a change of heart and entertained the idea of a kindle. I am in the midst of a job promotion that would force me to change workspaces, where I'd ultimately lose the bookcase I currently have. The e-reader was the perfect solution; I'd be able to continue to read books at a cheaper cost and save physical storage space. That was, until my father suggested a free and more simple option: the library. Shout out to the parents for having common sense when their children lack it. 

I haven't been a member of one since college when I would spend my summers back home in New England. I've been a Philadelphia resident for a year this month. It's time for a new experience.

This is also the end of my BOTM membership for the reason stated above. While I love the books I currently own, I know that there isn't much space where I stay to house over a year and a half worth of books. I'll still be using the monthly selections to help me choose my library picks; they just won't be my primary source of reading anymore.

Moving forward, what is Hold Digging? It's my monthly roundup of titles I have selected to read. (That I'm at the top of the hold list to read.)

Penance by Kanae Minato Four girls were tricked into leaving their other friend alone, who is ultimately murdered. The surviving girls are cursed by the victim's mother and are haunted by the childhood trauma once more as adults.

I chanced upon Penance a few weeks ago venturing through bookstagrams. Unfortunately I can't find the book club that was reading it, but was instantly intrigued by the story's plot. In Japan Minato is hailed as "the queen of iyamisu" (eww mystery), which focuses on grisly episodes and the dark side of human nature. Like my May read, I love a good read that relies more on the shock value of the psyche than just the dreadful descriptions of disturbing scenery. I'm also glad to continue with my pursuit of Asian female authors, so my hopes are high for this book.

Paper Ghosts: a novel of suspense by Julia Heaberlin Carl has been picked up by his daughter to take a ten-day road trip. Except she's not his daughter , but a woman hellbent on proving that the elder once murdered her sister and countless others across Texas. Is the old man lying about his failing memory or is this mystery woman the real liar?

Like a previous author from February, Heaberlin has a past with the media as an award-winning editor for several newspapers. Her interest with true-crime translates into many of the previous novels she has written. This is my first book in the serial killer genre, but it fits along with June's dark theme and looks equally as promising as the first book for the month. Not to mention it reminds me somewhat of that same February read minus the haunted school in snowy Vermont and a multiplied obsession with a siblings death. 

There may be one or two book reviews, depending on how this month's transition from an after-school program to summer camp goes. In the meantime, site changes will continue and my summer TBR post will be published this month, so there are many things to look forward to.

Let me know what you're looking forward to reading this month too!

Happy reading,

A

[madexpressway-blog]

[BOOK REVIEW] Penance by Kanae Minato

Four girls, one traumatic childhood incident, and their final penance.

In a town so small and unheard of, the grisly murder of a 10-year-old girl made headlines as the murderer remains on the loose. Nearly 15 years later as the statue of limitations draws close, the four girls who bared witness to the murder scene looked back upon their lives, how they paid the price. 

While the premise might seem like a crime thriller, Penance explored the more complex dynamics and consequences of the incidents through the view of these four girls after they grew up post the death of their friend, Emliy. Sae, a quiet girl who was broken into a doll; Maki, the leader with expectations to fill; Akiko, withdrawn into her circle where she believed she belong ; Yuka, a girl whose negligence by her family formed her new-found obsession. Bringing them to one place is Emily’s mother, who imposed a penance upon all of them before she left the town.

Fast-paced with disturbing revelations around each corner, the book inched closer and closer to the truth as the stories unfold. Each character had their points of view written and their stories out in the open, from the beginnings, to the murder, and to the days leading up to the Emily’s 15th death anniversary. The characters are flawed and raw, and their actions will have you in sympathy, in rage and in disbelief. Yet, you couldn't help but wonder the possibility of it in real life, problems simmering under the peaceful surface of our society.

There is a tad of convenience in how the many incidents intersect, but the book moves at such a pace that one could almost overlook that. The critique on the covert Japanese society woven in between, albeit seemingly exaggerated at some points, also binds the story together in a more realistic tone.

Kanae Minato no doubt proved herself as the Queen of Iyamisu ('ew' mystery) with the horrors of the dark side of human beings. Penance is a book that leaves a bad taste in your mouth by the end of it, and has no remorse in doing so. In fact, it should. 

[miss-mesmerized]

(via Kanae Minato - Geständnisse)

Ein vierjähriges Mädchen ist tot. Ein vermeintlicher Unfall, aber die Mutter weiß, dass es Mord war. Ihre eigenen Schüler haben ihre Tochter umgebracht. Sie nimmt Rache auf ihre ganz eigene Weise. Doch was hat die beiden dazu getrieben, einem unschuldigen Mädchen das Leben zu nehmen? Nacheinander gestehen die Figuren ihre Beweggründe und geben einen tiefen Einblick in die Abgründe der japanischen Gesellschaft. Bisweilen kann Kanae Minatos Roman „Geständnisse“ verstören, er gehört zum Genre der iyamisu, den japanischen Thrillern, die die dunklen Seiten der menschlichen Seele zum Vorschein bringen.

#kanaeminato #geständnisse #rezension

[hemlockdumpling]

Confessions (2010) ~ My Thoughts

Confessions (2010)

“Even if you might be protected legally, I will never forgive you.” — Yuko Moriguchi

So, anyone ever heard of Confessions? It’s based on a novel by Japanese writer, Kanae Minato, that went on to an award winning movie, which I watched this morning.

In a very powerful opening, middle school teacher – Yuki Moriguchi – delivers her last speech to her class, which turns into a long dialogue about juvenile law protecting minors, her personal life, the loss of her daughter and the two students responsible… and the start of her revenge. Without spoiling anything (because you really need to experience the shocks and twists for yourselves,) what is revealed in the opening pages is only the beginning of justice for a woman who has lost much and wants to convey how precious life is, though falls prey to the ironies of her own quest to punish those the law would protect. It’s Personal.

I had the pleasure of reading a translated copy of the book a few years ago in the library I worked at and it really remained with me in a strong way long afterwards. From the heart wrenching and crowning moments of payback, Confessions leaves a lasting impression on its readers (and viewers) by proposing difficult questions about revenge, loss, bullying, parental issues, criminal responsibility (especially when minors are involved) and the grey areas that only society moulds, especially in Japanese society. The strongest theme is that of morality when it has you thinking who your sympathies lie with when everyone dabbles in dark behaviour in one way or the other over the course of the story (or the Humans are Bastards trope.) Barely anyone in this story comes out squeaky clean.

The film version of Confessions won many award films, including the Blue Ribbon Award, a prestige honour, and it’s not difficult to see why. Given that the book conveyed differing narratives for key characters, the movie does an excellent job at illustrating each character’s viewpoints, expanding on their pasts and the events of the story themselves. Even the soundtrack, ranging from lyrical and sound dissonance to crowning music of awesome, just nails the mood and setting every time. A lot of care went into Confessions and I’m super glad it did. I loved the book and had sky high expectations of the film and I’m not disappointed.

Great whopping brownie points to Director and Screenplay writer, Tetsuya Nakashima, who also directed Kamikaze Girls, Memories of Matsuko and The World of Kanako. The amount of care that went into this movie was phenomenal and it really shows.

Big thanks to the author, Kanae Minato, who gave birth to Confessions. An excellent writer of crime fictions and thriller that more than earns her place on the committee of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honhaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. Described as the “Queen of Iyamisu” (eww mystery, fiction that makes you say “eww) and with Confessions being labelled “the Gone Girl of Japan,” I really hope we get more of her talent again soon.

Mega levels of love for the cast in the Confessions production for really giving unforgettable performances in what had to be difficult on an emotional level with the topics involved. Takako Matsu as the Stoic Chessmaster of a Teacher, Yuko Moriguchi gets a personal recommendation for her outstanding performance that blends heart wrenching emotion to cold, calculating detachment, all while staying involved in the story. That can’t have been an easy role, but you were perfect. You also gave us the Japanese voice of Elsa from Frozen (another performance I loved,) as well as Villon's Wife, K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces, Hero and 9 Souls.

You need to experience Confessions blind, to get the authentic feeling of those twists and turns first hand without having it ruined by spoilers. It’s really not the same going in, knowing what’s going to happen. Read the book. Watch the movie. Spread the word. Confessions needs love, especially in the West. I know I’ll be recommending this one at my library. <3

[felix-arsyanendra]

Pojok Penulis: Pasien by Naomi Midori

Habis selesai baca novel Pasien karya Naomi Midori yang satu ini dan menurut saya kalau kalian suka dengan misteri harus segera masukin ke wishlist!

Kalau dilihat dibagian pojok kanan atas ada tulisan iyamisu. Nah apa sih sebetulnya iyamisu itu? Bisa dicek di gambar ya untuk penjelasannya

Seperti yang diterangkan diatas, novel ini bakal membuat kita berpikir lebih dalam, "Sebetulnya apakah baik dan buruk itu serta apakah arti hukum sebenarnya?"

Novel ini akan terus menerus membayangi kita bahkan sampai selesai membaca.

"Pasien" membahas beberapa hal yang 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 mulai dari hubungan sedarah sampai pembunuhan yang sadis jadi please consider it before you buy it.

Saat membaca, kita akan dibawa ke dua sudut pandang yaitu sang psikolog dengan pasien serta kita akan menelaah lebih jauh lagi tentang pikiran seorang pembunuh yang lebih mendekati kearah psikopat.

Bukunya sendiri terbilang tipis karena total halamannya hanya 117 yang merupakan novel tertipis yang pernah saya baca dan perlu kalian ketahuan sang penulis sendiri bilang bahwa kisah ini berdasarkan kisah nyata.

Itu tadi ketahuan maksudnya ketahui ya maklum panas banget disini makanya lagi error😔🙏

Dan funfact dari novel ini adalah saya kira Naomi Midori itu orang Jepang terus waktu baca kok nama tokohnya Indo sekali dan pas tanya temen ternyata memang org Indo

Harganya sendiri 75.000 kalau e-book mohon maaf saya kurang tahu😔🙏 masih ada satu buku lagi yang otw dateng judulnya "Iblis di Pekarangan" dan nggak sabar buat baca dan kasih review ke kalian nantinya! Ohya ini covernya ya

Kelupaan satu hal, rating yang akan saya kasih ke novel "Pasien" adalah 9.5/10. Novelnya terbilang singkat namun kompleks, yang membuat novel ini kehilangan lima poin lagi adalah karena menurut saya bagian ending terlalu singkat tapi worth it.

[fukuroukekinoto]

Penyakit Tanah Miring. Menurut Ayaka, penyakit ini hanya diderita oleh orang biasa, yang memaksakan diri tinggal di tempat tak biasa, yang bisa jatuh terguling kalau tidak menjejak sekuat tenaga. Sayangnya, semakin disadari, semakin miring tanahnya.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Nama penyakit yang aneh. Tapi bisa saja kita pernah menderitanya. Sebab rasanya, nggak beda sama rasa iri dan cemburu, yang kemudian dibalur dengan keinginan meniru orang lain. Kurang lebih begitu menurut saya penyakit tanah miring yang dimaksud Ayaka.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Saya suka bagaimana Minato Kanae sensei menjelaskan sebab akibat kejadiannya. Walau beberapa kali membolak-balik halaman untuk sekedar konfirmasi, tapi jadi paham. Saya juga suka bagaimana masing-masing karakter terjalin dan tersangkut garis kehidupan masing-masing. Seperti ketidaksengajaan, kebetulan, padahal pilihan.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Satu hal yang tidak saya sukai, hanya perasaan sepanjang membaca. Sebab rasanya seperti sedang dikuliti, lalu ditemukanlah perasaan iri yang terselip di dalam. Mulai dari iri nan cemburu yang sudah saya akui, yang saya jadikan penyemangat, yang masih berat untuk diterima, sampai yang saya tidak sadari keberadaannya. Membuat saya tidak nyaman.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Hanya saja... rasa nggak nyamannya beda dari rasa nggak nyaman ketika baca Penance. Kali ini nggak nyaman karena seperti ketahuan mencoba sepatu orang lain yang ternyata nggak nyaman dan cocok. Trus bukannya nyari sepatu yang pas, malah maksa sampai kaki luka. Kurang lebih. ⁣ ⁣

[fukuroukekinoto]

Kenyering. Itu kata yang terlintas di kepala saya ketika ingin mendeskripsikan buku ini. Nggak ada lagi yang menurut saya pas. Sebab after effect-nya adalah geli bercampur jijik, yang membuat saya tidak nyaman berhari-hari.⁣ ⁣ Kenyering itu, dalam bahasa sasak berarti jijik. Tapi ada juga yang mengartikannya geli bercampur jijik. Manapun pengertiannya, kenyering adalah salah satu dari sekian banyak ekspresi orang sasak dalam mengungkapkan ketidaknyamanan. Sama seperti Penance, yang membuat pembaca merasa tidak nyaman setelahnya.⁣ ⁣ Minato Kanae sensei, menuliskan Penance dengan baik dan bagus. Dari dan tentang masing-masing karakter. Saking bagusnya, sampai rasa aneh (campuran dari simpati, jijik dan lainnya) itu mengelilingi saya. Seperti warna krayon yang tumpang tindih, lantas menjadi berwarna gelap nan aneh. Seperti itu warna Penance di dalam kepala saya.⁣ ⁣ Saya tidak tahu, apakah ada satu kisah atau karakter tertentu yang membuat saya kenyering, atau semuanya. Sebab semuanya dituliskan dengan detail, sehingga membayangkannya tidak sulit. Bahkan mungkin, kalau dilihat dari sudut pandang lain, perempuan-perempuan itu hanyalah korban dari orang-orang yang memiliki niat buruk, yang ketika mereka memberi keterangan seperti membuka lapisan buruk diri mereka sendiri (yang boleh jadi juga ada pada kita).⁣