06 Book Notes - Murder in the Crooked House 斜屋犯罪
Book by Sōji Shimada, 岛田庄司
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 stars
I spent a long time reading the prologue of this story. The author's vivid descriptions of Landscape, architecture were impressive, and the writing was excellent. The mention of interesting buildings added a lot of imagery to the text.
For example, there's this passage:
When the sun goes down, the north wind roars across the plain, and the glass tower turns golden in the sunset. Behind it stretches the northern sea. Here, the cold north sea is a deep shade of indigo blue. If you were to run down the hill and dip your hand into its water, you’d expect to see your fingers emerge blue with dye. In front of this sea, the gold-tinted glass tower looks as solemn and imposing as any place of religious worship.
Agatha Christie once used a "slanted house" design in a short story, but it seems Shimada's architectural concept is even more complex and imaginative, which left me full of anticipation.
After finishing the book, I was more pleasantly surprised than nitpicking about minor details.
This was my first Shin Honkaku mystery (Honkaku mystery: A modern take on classic mysteries, often more complex and experimental.), and I realized that compared to Socially-conscious mysteries, I personally prefer Honkaku mysteries. That said, I’ve recently been reading a mix of Socially-conscious mysteries with varying quality. Then, this Shin Honkaku novel came along and was a breath of fresh air.
What I really liked about this book:
1. The beautiful, almost essay-like prose, which is just the right length. It stands out without feeling sparse and doesn’t drag on with excessive or redundant details.
2. The controversial introduction that sets the stage for the story through an architectural backdrop. I loved this part personally. The historical buildings mentioned added depth to the book. For example, fascinating structures like Linderhof Palace and the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval, created by a postman, were introduced.
3. The case itself revolves around architecture, with various uncontrollable (or high-risk) elements in the execution. However, the method used was carefully constructed and required some spatial imagination.
4. Though the detective enters the story later, he has a lively, unique personality. He's full of jokes, with a character that feels like an impromptu stand-up comedian.
5. Some details had a comic book-like feel, with a touch of chūnibyō (overly dramatic, imaginative). For instance, the description of a lightbulb appearing over someone's head or a flash of lightning in the background.
6. The story also subtly references social issues, like criticism of the real estate bubble and the relationship between capitalists and labor unions. Some of the character dialogues were witty and humorous.
What I didn’t like:
1. Some minor characters weren’t fully developed. The author’s attention to these characters felt uneven, with some unrelated to the case receiving more detail, while others involved in the case felt underdeveloped. For instance, Eiko had a lot of description (though unrelated to the case), while the servant, who was more relevant to the story, was barely mentioned. Some characters could have been better fleshed out.
2. The portrayal of female characters felt stereotypical and shallow. It seemed like the author didn’t fully understand women. For example, a wealthy woman is inexplicably jealous of another woman, while a character who trades her looks for material gain is portrayed more tolerantly—though still through a male gaze. The story suggests that hallucinations or dreams are the only explanations for a woman witnessing something unusual, which everyone readily accepts.
3. There’s a scene where two women argue, and although it's intended to add humor, you can still detect some gender bias in the writing.
4. In contrast, the male characters are portrayed in a much more positive light, with traits like intelligence, deduction skills, loyalty, and compassion spread across different characters.
Thank you for reading!
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43321712-murder-in-the-crooked-house
Read my other book notes:
03 Book Notes - How China Works: An Introduction to China’s State-led Economic Development
04 Book Notes - Parable of the Sower
Subscribe to my blog for free to see more of my reviews:
Share to your friend if you like my blog: