Piercing

A work of stunning originality that explores the relationship between two equally damaged people- an S&M call girl, and her would-be murderer. Although the content is often graphic and almost always disturbing, both characters are portrayed in a sympathetic and engaging light, and the darkness of the story is never allowed to choke the narrative flow. Very cleverly done.

A lot of other reviewers mention how brutal this was but I didn't really find it so. It's more of a messed up love story than horror. Yes, there is violence and there are a few turns of phrase that gave a more visceral reaction, but it isn't as raw or griping as In the Miso Soup, which was violent, bloody and hilarious. It's also much milder in violence than American Psycho, which I disliked and at times found hard to read. The tone of this one is, to me, quite a bit different. It's more life of two messed up individuals and what led them to that point. It starts out with what I assume was going to be an aspiring serial killer and his victim and ended up where I almost think that these two will end up having a (completely unhealthy and show more whacked out) relationship after these events. show less

When a book opens with a man standing over his own child's cot with an ice pick in his hand wondering if he's going to use it or not you know you're not in for a pleasant or cheery read. This is a study in psychopathic behaviour and a look into what drives someone to this state in the first place.

Kawashima Masayuki looks to have it all. A loving wife and new baby daughter and a successful career as a graphic artist. His only problem is that he occasionally suffers from pavor nocturnus (night terrors) and they've just returned and he's afraid that he might actually go though with the act one of these times. He decides that the only way he can avoid stabbing his own daughter is to actually stab someone else instead so he starts to make show more plans. Unfortunately his chosen victim has problems of her own. What will happen when he puts his plan into action?

This is a short novel and despite the subject matter is fairly easy to read. Nowhere near as good as In the Miso Soup but a little better than Audition which are the only other books I've read by the author. show less

Reading this book made me glad that I possess at least a little sanity. Kawashima has this obsession with ice picking his baby girl and figures the only way to overcome this desire is to ice pick a lady in the stomach (he did it before). Problem is he finds a lady that is as messed up as he is. This is a twisted psychosexual thriller and the second ‘modern’ Japanese writer that I’ve read this year (the first being Hitomi Kanehara). Both made my scrotum hurt. I did learn about pavor nocturnus (night terrors) and realized that I had that problem when I was a kid mostly due to constant high fevers… I just didn’t know what it was called. And like the two mental cases I also remember floating in the corner of the room looking down show more at my body during a ‘night terror’ attack. But I never had piercing issues. And I grew out of pavor nocturnus just like I quit eating potted meat. show less

My second Ryu Murakami book and the second book I have been too horrified to put down. I sat here and read ferociously in hopes that everything would be okay. But are they ever okay? This story really has two main characters who meet under insane circumstances and for a while you kind of hope they fall for each other. Then you realize that you think that and feel that you must be cracking up.

Crazy book. Lot's of sick fun.

Damaged people misunderstand one another and conduct audits of their respective wounds while mutilating one another. Wasn't that refreshing?

Having thoroughly enjoyed the eerie, soullessness of In the Miso Soup I jumped at the chance when I saw this on offer. I wish I hadn't bothered. Part of the problem is that it starts with such a strong image: It's midnight and a father is staring down at his new born child, not with love but horror: he is holding a ice pick and he is terrified he will use it.

After this tense, frightening beginning the book seems to loose aim, the plot shifts as he struggles to cope with his desire and then suddenly we are dealing with story of a fledgling serial killer. Then just as tension start to bleed through again Murakami shifts the plot again to, well I am not sure what, an odd sort of psychopathic farce? He meets stereotypical messed up, abused show more girl and hilarity ensues as they misunderstand each other. Yawn. It's banal in its kookiness, clichéd instead of clever and tries too hard to be surreal.

Don't get me wrong it wasn't that bad just dissatisfying. show less