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Out

Author: Natsuo Kirino
Creator: Stephen Snyder
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

45 reviews
Sales Rank: 1323

Media: Paperback
Pages: 388
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5 x 1.4

ISBN: 0099472287
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780099472285
ASIN: 0099472287

Publication Date: September 2, 2004
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 45

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Don't start unless you have time to finish June 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Even when you have finished this book, it stays with you and you find yourself thinking about it at odd times. This is strangely disturbing given the subject matter (which many have already outlined, so I won't repeat). The relationship between the 4 main women is beautifully drawn, both before and after the impact of what they have done together. The reader is curiously sympathetic to all the main characters, which is unusual in a thriller/murder story.
Initially I was worried that the Japanese names and setting would be confusing and I wouldn't be able to engage with the story, but after a handful of pages, I was completely immersed in the book. Not only was I not confused, but I relished the descriptions of everyday life in Japan - not something we in the West tend to be aware of.
I understand this is Natsuo Kirino's first book to be translated into English - I will certainly be keeping an eye out for anymore.

5 out of 5 stars

excellent book June 16, 2008
i had seen this book in the book shop for ages but never fancied it then when it was on special offer on amazon i decided to buy it, i am so pleased i did what a great book, after you get used to the characters i can assure you that you wont put it down, it is so different and i recon it would make one hell of a good film.
just buy sit and enjoy one of the best reads ive had in ages

4 out of 5 stars

A surprisingly good read! June 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I found this book for a sale in an airport bookshop when it first came out and having read the back of it, I thought it would be worth 1.50 of anyone's money. I wasn't expecting it to be particularly brilliant, more of a timefiller for the plane. I thought the shop didn't have much faith either in it as it was so cheap! But I couldn't have been more wrong! I found it a little irritating in the beginning due to the poor grammer and badly formed sentences, but its a translation so I guess its to be expected to some extent. After a while your brain allows to you stop re-writting the sentences and actually enjoy the story. I throughly enjoyed it and found it to be a real page turner - I would definately recommend it! Its certianly memorable and an unusual read, I've certainly never read anything like this before. I won't go into all the detail about it as it will spoil the story - the back of the book does that a little which is a shame, but there is plenty there to keep you intrigued.

4 out of 5 stars

A major work May 31, 2008
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

I can't say that this is the type of book I would normally gravitate to, but for some reason I picked up a copy in a bookstore and began to read it. Later, I wished that I'd bought it and did so online.

The plot is intricate and almost impossible to go into here, as are most great Japanese novels (Kobo Abe's THE FACE OF ANOTHER comes to mind), and so it's best to let you read the other reviews to get a sense of that. But what makes this book so exceptional is the style, translated or not, and the handling of the materials. Normally, when I hear a book has won this many awards, I shy from it. Not so with OUT.

The "idea" of this book was depressing to me at first---four women who work in the suburbs of Tokyo on the night shift--but the insight that Natsuo Kirino gives to them, their reasons for being there, and their motives for the most part, are fascinating. Regardless of their backgrounds or motives, they share a need to get OUT.

I'm normally one for a less bizarre book such as BROTHER ODD by Koontz or a light read like THIS CHARMING MAN, but couldn't resist this great read. OUT is violent and disturbing, like AMERICAN PSYCHO or some of even James Patterson's works. But this works for the text and feeling that Kirino wants to achieve.

My only hesitation in giving it five stars is the violence and the bit of a downer it was at times. I would have liked a bit more humour in this book, but I can see what the author was attempting and the overall outcome was successful. If you're looking for a lighter read (THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES or the odd BROTHER ODD by Koontz), then look some place else. If you want an intense thriller, OUT is the place to be.

5 out of 5 stars

So Good, I Bought it Twice !! May 27, 2008
This is a really good book ! I don't need to expand on other readers comments on the story / plot,but its so good that after reading the paperback I decided to purchase the hardback & pass on the p/back to a friend !!
I believe there plans to make it into a film ! Yes please !

1 you must be joking !!!