Out

by Natsuo Kirino | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1400078377 Global Overview for this book
Registered by meexia on 9/6/2007
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by meexia on Thursday, September 6, 2007
Got this book from Popular book sale with voucher I won from Singapore NLB.

Journal Entry 2 by meexia on Monday, October 15, 2007
It’s a thriller/mystery book. Not the type I normally would read. But I was just intrigued by the good reviews from Amazon, and the mere fact that it’s authored by, again, Japanese, my recent obsession :). From the front cover, it’s Winner of Japan’s Grand Prix for Crime Fiction and Edgar Award Finalist.

From the back cover:
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 the in the aftermath.

Meh, I’m not sure about that ‘friendship’ in that last sentence. Every action in this book is done out of desperation more than anything, IMO. If I had to summarize it in one word, that’s the central theme of the book. Desperation. All characters are desperate in some ways, to get OUT of their sticky situation. Is that probably where the title comes from?

The gender prejudice and inequality are especially thick in this book. Work especially well with Japan setting and four women as the central characters. (Well, this reminds me of Desperate Housewives out of the blue. But rest assured, it’s nothing like it. Doesn’t mean I don’t like Desperate Housewives :)

Some parts can be too gross to read. I did read every single word with some effort. I thought I couldn’t go on but I could. It’s totally a page-turner however. I finished the book fairly quickly, finishing the last 2 chapters in 1 night (ie a few hours), because I just had to know what happened next!

Journal Entry 3 by meexia on Wednesday, October 17, 2007
** This book is on International Ray **


Please make a journal when you get the book so we all know you have received the book and it's safe with you.
Try to keep it with you no more than 4 weeks (The book is un-putdown-able so I don't think you'd have any problem :D)
After you finish the book, either make a journal entry or updated your first one and tell us what you think about it! (not required of course, but I would REALLY appreciate it if you do. I'd love to read what you think about the book! So pretty please? ;)
PM the next person in the list to get his/her address (good to do this about 1 or 2 weeks before you actually finish the book so there's time for the other person to reply).
Last make another journal entry or again updated the existing one when you have sent the book to the next person on the list, so we know that it's on its way!

So the journey goes this way: (it may change depends on newcomers, requests, etc) PM me if there's any problem

1) UnwrittenLibra, US (Intl)
2) Wordsnark, Canada (Intl)
3) arugh48187, India (Intl)
x) katayoun, Iran (Intl) asked to be skipped
x) okyrhoe, Greece (Intl) asked to be skipped
4) Plinius, Netherland (Intl)
x) bilbi, France (Intl) asked to be skipped
5) Fifna, Netherland (EU preferred)
6) Midlifecrisis, UK (EU preferred, Intl OK)
7) Wijntje, Netherland (EU) <== the ray was finished!

Journal Entry 4 by meexia on Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Posted it today to UnwrittenLibra. I had to use surface mail so it may take a while. Hope it's traveling well :)

Journal Entry 5 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Monday, January 28, 2008
Book arrived here in Amherst, Massachusetts, sometime while I was away. I have it now and am looking forward to reading it.

Journal Entry 6 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, March 23, 2008
I finished this book over a week ago, but haven't had a chance to journal it...things have been going crazy at my end.

I really did enjoy the book...though it confused me a little at times, the pages flowed and I just identified so much with these characters. They went through so much to gain so little...it really shows the power (or lack thereof) of humanity. I know this is a generic review, but I'm kind of tired after a day full of travel. Either way, I'm really glad I read the book and will pass it off to the next reader shortly. Thanks for your patience, everyone!

Journal Entry 7 by UnwrittenLibra from Middleton, Wisconsin USA on Thursday, March 27, 2008
Finally got this one on its way to Canada via Amherst, MA. Go book go!

Journal Entry 8 by Wordsnark on Monday, April 7, 2008
Received in Niagara. I look forward to some flaying gender vengeance. I think. But first, I shall watch the conclusion of "Sense and Sensibility" on PBS to fortify me.

Journal Entry 9 by Wordsnark on Friday, May 30, 2008
Out, by Natsuo Kirino. I like "noir fiction," and this was a pretty good specimen. The Japanese settings and assortment of types were further enrichments. I do have to add, though, that the psychological climax left me in the dark ... and I prefer it so. You will understand when you have read the book.

[Sent off today to arugh48187 in India, from Lewiston NY. Sent 'Priority Mail,' so it should arrive in 10-14 days.]



Journal Entry 10 by arugh48187 from Highland Park, Illinois USA on Sunday, June 15, 2008
This one was waiting for me when I got back from vacation. I have a few bookrings in front of it, but I am a fast reader so it shouldn't take too long. You can keep track of its progress via my bookshelf.

Journal Entry 11 by arugh48187 from Highland Park, Illinois USA on Sunday, August 3, 2008
This one for me was very difficult reading, and I have no idea why. I don't know whether the language was just complex or the fact that I was somewhat distracted at the time. It was pretty riveting, but it just took a long time to read. I liked the protagonist, Masako, but didn't really relate to her reasoning behind disposing of her first body. I am a firm believer that if you start down that path, there is no way out. You only become more and more embroiled until you are either caught or die, one of the two. That said I liked Masako and am glad she found peace at the end.

Thanks for sharing. I will be posting this one to the next reader shortly.

Released 15 yrs ago (8/5/2008 UTC) at Bangalore, Karnataka, India, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

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Katyoun asked to be skipped, so this one is going out to Plinius. Happy reading!

Journal Entry 13 by Plinius from Schiedam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, August 11, 2008
thank you arugh48187!

Journal Entry 14 by Plinius from Schiedam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, August 18, 2008
A wonderful story! Grim, because most people in this book are more or less out of choices and just trying to cope with what comes their way. The two main characters have had experiences that made them withdraw into themselves, isolated from other people.
'She had no desire to go back to them, no desire to change the way things were now. When stones lying warm in the sun were turned over, they exposed the cold, damp earth underneath; and that was where Masako had burrowed deep. There was no trace of warmth in this dark earth, yet for a bug curled up tight in it, it was a peaceful and familiar world.'
When they meet in the end, there's a burst of recognition, acceptation and energy, and both manage to break from their isolation.
Natsuo Kirino works out her characters exceptionally well, I couldn't find a flaw. The world she describes feels very cold and full of sexism, but then I've often heard that Japanese men still cannot see women as their equals. Thanks for sharing, meexia!
Bilbi writes that she has already read the book, so now I'm waiting for Fifna's address.


Journal Entry 15 by Plinius at Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (8/20/2008 UTC) at Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands

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travels to Fifna today

Journal Entry 16 by wingFifnawing from Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, August 21, 2008
Arrived today, thank you Plinius, and thanks for the lovely card! Nearly finished my current read, and this will be up next.

Journal Entry 17 by wingFifnawing from Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, September 6, 2008
Despite the grim content, the style of writing and the suspense made it easy to keep reading. The characters get themselves into a pretty dire situation and as one of the previous readers said, it's all about desperation. I really enjoyed reading this, thank you for sharing meexia!
Have PMed Midlifecrisis for their address.

Journal Entry 18 by wingFifnawing at St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (9/9/2008 UTC) at St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom

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Sent to Midlifecrisis today!

Journal Entry 19 by Midlifecrisis from St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Friday, September 12, 2008
Received today - thank you. I am a little bit snowed up with three simultaneous arrivals but will do my best to keep it moving as quickly as I can.

Journal Entry 20 by Midlifecrisis from St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Thursday, September 18, 2008
Once I got started on this I just could not put it down. In fact I have guiltily spent the first FIVE hours of my day off finishing it. The writintg style seemed a little clumsy in places, but perhaps this was due to translation. Even so this was a real page turner, certainly full of horrors, but I find these things easier to take in print than visually, I guess because I can exercise my own censorship of imagination. If this book were ever made into a movie there is no way I could watch it. Like wordsnark, I could not really understand the final psychology of Masako and Satake and (without wishing to give anything away) heaved a sigh of relief at the eventual outcome. Great reading and thanks you so much for including me. I will journal again as soon as it is on its way to the next reader.

Journal Entry 21 by Wijntje from Hengelo, Overijssel Netherlands on Thursday, October 2, 2008
Received... thank you :)

Journal Entry 22 by Wijntje from Hengelo, Overijssel Netherlands on Sunday, October 19, 2008
This is a very disturbing novel, some parts are almost to gross to read. But I liked the writing-style and I kept on reading because I was so curious about what would happen to the main characters.

Thanks for sharing this book with me Meexia.

I'm trying to let this ray go on an other round in the Netherlands.

- rroos --> the book is here now
- Betje

Journal Entry 23 by Wijntje at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (10/20/2008 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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Enjoy :)

Journal Entry 24 by rroos from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thanx Wijntje, I just found the book! Really looking forward to reading this book, especially because I saw that I have another book of this writer (unread still) in my bookcase....

Edit 22-12: Apologies, apologies, this book stayed with me for far too long... Once I started I almost couldn't stop reading. What a gruesome but good read...As I stated above: I have another book of this author in my private collection, Grotesque, and although it counts more than 500 pages, I'm gonna try to start it soon! Thanx for sharing this book! I will send it to the next one on the list.

Journal Entry 25 by rroos at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, December 22, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (12/22/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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On its way to Betje, have a good read!

Journal Entry 26 by wingAlfa-Betjewing from Apeldoorn, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, December 25, 2008
I received this book yesterday. Thanks, rroos, for sending it and for the extra's!

I have three other rings waiting plus exams coming up, so it will be next year before I will start reading OUT.

Journal Entry 27 by wingAlfa-Betjewing from Apeldoorn, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, January 22, 2009
Once started, I finished the book in no-time. It is a real page-turner, with every page it is "What's next?!"
It has some nice unexpected turns, it intrigues untill the last pages.

I am not sure if I have to send this book to some-one else. I will check with Wijntje first.

Released 14 yrs ago (6/20/2009 UTC) at OBCZ-Schlemmer (gesloten) in Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands

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This book has been with me far too long! Time to travel on. I will take it to Den Haag, and leave it in OBCZ Schlemmer (near Central Station). I hope it will find a new reader soon!

Journal Entry 29 by wingOBCZ-Schlemmerwing from Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, June 27, 2009
Last thursday it still sat on one of the shelves.

Journal Entry 30 by wingOBCZ-Schlemmerwing from Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, July 24, 2009
Nu niet meer op de plank bij Schlemmer...

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