Out Audiobook By Natsuo Kirino cover art

Out

A Novel

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Out

By: Natsuo Kirino
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
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Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark, tension-filled, plot-driven realism of Natsuo Kirino's award-winning literary mystery Out.

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 them in the aftermath.

©1997 Natsuo Kirino; English translation 2003 by Kodansha International Ltd. (P)2016 Audible, Inc. Thriller & Suspense Crime Mystery Suspense Fiction Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Scary Detective Exciting
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Thanks to the work of translators and publishers, Japanese literature is now more accessible than ever to English-speaking audiences. If you've ever wanted to learn more about Japanese culture and literature, you cannot go wrong with listening to audiobooks from Japan. We've compiled a list of the most famous Japanese authors who have helped define Japanese literature, and their notable works across genres and time periods.

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All stars
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End of your seat listening! Like something terrifying around every corner, an end you never saw coming!

Terrifying!

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Loved the fast pace and the thrilling story. If you like strong emotions and deep characters, this one is for you.

A thrilling ride with a great ending!

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Would you try another book from Natsuo Kirino and/or Emily Woo Zeller?

No

Who was your favorite character and why?

didn't develop one

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Her reading was not good for me -- her character voices were annoying, like the way one might read a children's book to a circle of third graders.

Was Out worth the listening time?

No

Any additional comments?

I think a lot of the quality of the writing was lost in the translation. It seemed stilted to me, and a bit ponderous.

Awkward

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I liked the story overall. I'm not a huge fan of how it was narrated, but if you can get past it then it's a good listen.

Good Story

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I saw on the website that this book was for fans of "Gone Girl", so I used a credit. Here's some thoughts for those of you wanting to know if this was worth the listen.

1. This was the first Japanese book I've ever listened to. I think actually reading the names of the characters would be a little bit easier to keep track of them. I'm not very familiar with Japanese names and had a hard time at the beginning deciphering one name from another.
2. The narration was just okay. Not great, not that bad.... just okay. Some characters were better developed and easier to listen to than others. I've never listened this narrator before and thought she was a bit heavy handed in her portrayal of the older women giving them an unpleasant whining tone to them.
3. As described in the notes for this book it has some very very "pitch-black" humor. It is also somewhat graphic for those of you with a timid stomach. I personally like this but it's definitely not for everyone.
4. I'm not sure where I get what the "Gone Girl" comparison was all about other than each of these books are classified as Suspense/Mystery/Thriller. That's about as close as it comes other than it has a female protagonist.

Overall, it wasn't bad. I don't think I'll remember this book for very long though and definitely will not be listening to this again. If you are looking for a suspense novel, I've listened to worse. I enjoyed the change of scenery for me with it taking place in Japan.

Out...

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