Out

By Natsuo Kirino

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TW: rape, murder, gore, domestic abuse, pedophilia, violence, stalking

First published in 1997, Out is a Japanese crime novel by Natsuo Kirino. It wasn’t translated into English until 2004 and was the first of Kirino’s books to be translated. Over the years the book has won many awards, in both Japanese and English versions. 

Kirino started her career as a romance writer but because she “could not make a living” on it, she changed to crime novels. In an interview with Indie Bound, she states her inspiration came from “many friends who are homemakers or housewives,” who are “financially helpless because they depend so much on their husband’s incomes.” Kirino said she “wanted to write about human beings going into that sliver of a moment when anything becomes possible.”

One line that struck me was when the interviewer asked what the response to Out was in Japan. Kirino responds that there was much shock and controversy around it. Some people looked down on her and others praised her. All in all, she said,“It was a mess.” 

That line, I think, encapsulates Out perfectly. The book is a slow, relentless mess. It’s filled with the smallest details that at first are inconsequential until they collide with others and later on, even more to create a strange anticipation. 

One of the characters has eyes like a “dark pool” that don’t let you see what’s lurking at the bottom. This book is that pool. You’re unaware of how much you're slowly sinking into its depths until all the gruesome truths are revealed when you hit the bottom. 

This book tells of a brutal murder in the Tokyo suburbs. A mother kills her husband and asks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime.

The book itself is long and the pace meanders along. The story lingers on scenes and small moments. For a murder mystery, it takes time to get to each step of the plot. For me, I like that about this book. I felt truly immersed in the story. Masako, the leader of our characters, showed strength in adversity and vulnerability in her courage. 

The ending (no spoilers here) just didn’t live up to the rest of the novel. It felt rushed and didn’t pay off like I thought it would. In saying that, I think this novel is still worth reading. The characters are unique and complex, their relationships change and grow over the story, and the commentary on what it means to be a woman and the violence forced on them creates a dark, gritty story.

If you want something fast-paced with a killer end, this may not be your pick. But, if you’re looking for a languid, immersive thriller about gender and economic inequality, this is your book.