When you are
presented with an opportunity to read something that has apparently been a “best-seller”,
having sold over 2 million copies, you would obviously not let go of that,
right?
Title: The
Devotion of Suspect X
Author: Keigo
Higashino.
About The Author:
Keigo Higashino was born in Osaka Japan
Do I like this book:
Hell yes! Having read snippets about the book, we realize that the story
revolves around a single mother (Yasuko), and her Daughter (Misato), and how
their world turns upside down, when her ex-husband (Togashi) returns after 5
years. The novel starts of, with a murder being committed, and that takes up 2
chapters of the book, and you are left with wondering, what comprises the
remaining chapters. However, the author has interwoven his story with such brilliance,
that you would not feel like letting go of the book without a complete understanding
of the story.
The characters
in the story are so strong, and independent in their own space, that they leave
a mark on your mind. Each character has been described with such perfection,
which makes it easier for you to imagine their activities. The plot is a murder
mystery, in which the reader is already aware of the murderer, and are a step
ahead of the Detectives, however as simple as it may seem in the beginning, it
tends to become more complex, and unravels more than what the reader may have guessed.
We
are introduced to Ishigami, Yasuko’s neighbor. Ishigami's existence is presented as a matter of
uninteresting facts:. "He worked at the private high school just before
the park. He was a teacher. He taught maths." But gradually, these facts
begin to add up. Insular and intense, Ishigami is a mathematical genius and one
of life's great observers. What truly absorbs his attention is his next door
neighbour, Yasuko Hanaoka, who works at a local food shop. Although the pair
have hardly spoken, Ishigami is devoted to this single mother of a single
daughter, Misato.
A tandem then begins between the three: the mathematician and physicist who are both geniuses and the detective who is bright but not quite in the same league. Ishigami doesn't know how much Yukawa is acting on behalf of the police: are his questions innocent or does he suspect something? Yukawa is acting strangely and Kusanagi doesn't know why. The three circle each other until somebody apparently falters. All the while, the reader knows who the murderer is. But what keeps them hooked is the want to know whether he will get away with it???
The murder mystery is woven around as a cat and mouse game
between two intellectuals, who in their own ways are “genius”, and how, the
entire mystery is unraveled to reveal a brilliant twist, which is both chilling
and moving. A twist, that covers an emotion that is so rarely seem in crime
fiction that makes you wonder about Humans, and their certain emotions and the
way they react to certain situations. The Suspect
of Devotion X is not simply an extraordinary thriller but a love story. A
strange one, it is true, but a love story nonetheless. It will linger long in
the memory.
His style of
writing is gripping, and one that makes you want to continue reading the book o
the very end. He describes each character with such perfection, that you seem
to wonder if they are for real. The pain, the agony, loss, guilt, has been so
beautifully described, that you tend to relate with the story.
Would I recommend
you to read it: I would recommend you to add, The Devotion of Suspect X, to
your list of International Crime fiction.
My Rating :
9/10.
Go grab your
copy, it’s worth a READ.
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It does sound pretty good. The kind of thing I'd expect Japan to handle very well indeed. Jeez I hope that doesn't make me sound racist.
ReplyDelete@ MArk : true that!!, trust me, this one is totally worth reading. lol nah, not one bit ;)
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