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Very much a traditional mystery, in somewhat unexpected ways.
Book #35: Inspector Imanishi Investigates
Author: Matsumoto Seichou
Provenance: Gift from my father... probably 4 or so years ago
Here we have another Japanese book that I've read in translation this year, and this one's been kicking around in my collection for quite a long time. Turns out, I probably should have gotten to it sooner.
Plot-wise, there's a dead body found at a train station in Tokyo, badly beaten, and there are very few clues to go on; the guy had an accent associated with the Tohoku region of Japan, and he referred to "Kameda." From there, our intrepid detective, Imanishi, has to figure out what happens, and in the process, work out a lot of related issues. It's a fairly roundabout plot, with a lot of red herrings, and a course of investigation that seems to have little to do with the main case. Things come together nicely, though, in the end, and I found the ending quite interesting.
The characters, beyond the main one and the two main suspects, are pretty thin; even the secondary detective character doesn't come across that clearly. Imanishi's family, and such, only seem to be there in order to say that he has one, in some ways. Still, those characters that are important have enough detail to follow and predict and such, and that can be enough.
Mysteries, because they may take a look at a broader slice of a country than other forms of literature, can shed a light on areas in a culture which otherwise might go unnoticed. This book is a good example of that, I think; there's some oblique commentary on the onset of a new generation and the effects that has on a society, and also of the way people are treated when they don't fit the society norm. There's also a fair amount of dissonance for me brought on by a fairly contemporary but much less technologically advanced Japan; as has already been pointed out to me, this is a factor in older books from many cultures, but Japan in my mind just stands out, considering its image as so tech-oriented. (I mean, 16 hours from Tokyo to Akita by train? Or 20 to Okayama? Weird.)
Anyway, it's a pretty good read, but the translation is a bit choppy, and that gets it a few demerits. All in all, it's enjoyable, though, and it's considered a masterpiece of Japanese detective fiction, so if you've an interest in that sort of thing, giving this a shot would make sense.
Next up: The Complete Robot. Not actually the last of the pre-Montreal books, but it's close.
Book #35: Inspector Imanishi Investigates
Author: Matsumoto Seichou
Provenance: Gift from my father... probably 4 or so years ago
Here we have another Japanese book that I've read in translation this year, and this one's been kicking around in my collection for quite a long time. Turns out, I probably should have gotten to it sooner.
Plot-wise, there's a dead body found at a train station in Tokyo, badly beaten, and there are very few clues to go on; the guy had an accent associated with the Tohoku region of Japan, and he referred to "Kameda." From there, our intrepid detective, Imanishi, has to figure out what happens, and in the process, work out a lot of related issues. It's a fairly roundabout plot, with a lot of red herrings, and a course of investigation that seems to have little to do with the main case. Things come together nicely, though, in the end, and I found the ending quite interesting.
The characters, beyond the main one and the two main suspects, are pretty thin; even the secondary detective character doesn't come across that clearly. Imanishi's family, and such, only seem to be there in order to say that he has one, in some ways. Still, those characters that are important have enough detail to follow and predict and such, and that can be enough.
Mysteries, because they may take a look at a broader slice of a country than other forms of literature, can shed a light on areas in a culture which otherwise might go unnoticed. This book is a good example of that, I think; there's some oblique commentary on the onset of a new generation and the effects that has on a society, and also of the way people are treated when they don't fit the society norm. There's also a fair amount of dissonance for me brought on by a fairly contemporary but much less technologically advanced Japan; as has already been pointed out to me, this is a factor in older books from many cultures, but Japan in my mind just stands out, considering its image as so tech-oriented. (I mean, 16 hours from Tokyo to Akita by train? Or 20 to Okayama? Weird.)
Anyway, it's a pretty good read, but the translation is a bit choppy, and that gets it a few demerits. All in all, it's enjoyable, though, and it's considered a masterpiece of Japanese detective fiction, so if you've an interest in that sort of thing, giving this a shot would make sense.
Next up: The Complete Robot. Not actually the last of the pre-Montreal books, but it's close.
