Sex, serial killers, and the psyche of Japanese youth. That pretty much sums up Ryu Murakami's awesome 1997 novel, In the Miso Soup, which came out as a translated paperback in the US last spring.
The protagonist of the story is Kenji, an ordinary Japanese guy in his twenties who gives red light district tours to foreigners. He speaks good English, knows all the sex club owners in the area, and has a forgiving girlfriend who waits around at his house while his clients are getting off. He makes good money doing it, and hasn't had much of problem—that is, until he gets a phone call from an American named Frank. In this page-turning thriller, Murakami takes us on a journey through blowjob bars and batting cages in the back streets of Kabukicho AND through the twisted mind of this scary American man, who has these random dark psychotic moments and a horrendous New Years Eve killing spree. The story is peppered with Murakami's insightful analysis of Japanese culture and youth, so really, it's a psycho thriller, a lesson in Japanese culture, and engaging entertainment all in one book.
I finished it in one day.
In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami = 3.5/5 stars
Oooh. It sounds really interesting. I'll have to add it to my reading list. Thanks, Lisa!
Posted by: Jenanime | July 16, 2007 at 12:45 PM
If you enjoyed ITMS, try reading PIERCE by Ryu as well. That'd probably take half a day, but equally disturbing.
Posted by: Harvard | July 16, 2007 at 04:33 PM