A stunning new work of the feminist noir that Natsuo Kirino defined and made her own in her novels Out and Grotesque.
In a cro... read full description
In a cro... read full description
reviews
Jul 26, 2008
Yulia
rated it: 
A deceptively game-like excitement about news of a male neighbor's matricide leads four female friends into a surprisingly harsh look at the masks they've put on to maintain appearances, at our fascination with and empathy for those who are driven to do an unthinkable act, and at the meaning of life's struggle to be honest with ourselves and our closest friends and to accept the consequences of our actions. The boy's young neighbor doesn't want to get involved in the police investigation and pr
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Aug 09, 2008
Amy
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I gave up on this book. Real World follows the lives of one teen guy and 4-5 girl teens after the guy murders his mom. Perhaps it is the translation that is the problem. Maybe it is not the writing....I found the writing to be very unconvincing and awkward (I guess maybe that fits the teen POV). Kirino gives the reader too much. Each chapter is from a different teens perspective and it just goes on and on about how horrible their lives are (not saying I don't agree).
I think Kirino does cap More...
I think Kirino does cap More...
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Sep 30, 2008
William
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Another mesmerizing masterpiece from Kirino. I thought going in that at just over 200 pages it might be somewhat unsatisfying but as it turned out, calling it "satisfying" would be an extreme understatement. Every page was wrapped in such intensity it was a thoroughly exhausting read (I mean that in the best possible way).
I was under the impression that her books that have been translated into English (this one plus Out and Grotesque) were the totality of her novels, but reading More...
I was under the impression that her books that have been translated into English (this one plus Out and Grotesque) were the totality of her novels, but reading More...
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Jul 31, 2008
Ed
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There are at least two distinct “real” worlds described in “Real World”, Natsuo Kirino’s most recent novel to be published in the United States. There is the world of parents, teachers, police officers and other adults and there is the world of high school students being driven insane by the pressure exerted on them from the other world. The two worlds are almost but not completely discrete—when they come together it is a disaster for all concerned.
On one level the central action is More...
On one level the central action is More...
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Feb 24, 2009
Tamara
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It's easy to read, but I just didn't love it. I wasn't convinced that the characters' actions made sense. I liked Out way better, but there just may be something to her writing that doesn't seem real to me. I didn't get their teenage angst and it didn't make me understand their ridiculous actions.
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Oct 29, 2008
Jessica
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Sometimes wishes do come true. Or rather, sometimes serendipity happens. I'd been wanting to read this novel; I finished 'Grotesque' earlier in the summer, and had read 'Out' some summers ago. Coming back on a commuter plane from JFK I found a copy of this book in the pocket of my airplane seat. Left behind or intentionally forgotten? I dunno...but I consider it a gift. Just for me. Thank you Noelle from Arizona! (who left her ticket stub in the book as well).
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I liked the book More...
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I liked the book More...
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Aug 04, 2008
Mariko
rated it:
I thought Natsuo Kirino's Out was a pretty interesting book. It was very detailed and justifiably creepy. Her other two books that have been translated to English just seem like lame attempts at sensationalism and cheap thrills--the characters are not particularly realistic or interesting and the plotlines ludicrous. I didn't think the translation was all that great, either (though I don't really know how true the translation really was). It's like the translator is trying really hard to be edgy
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Feb 11, 2009
Aaron
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Set in Japan not far from Tokyo, this import (translated by Philip Gabriel) presents Worm, a teen who has killed his mother after years of unhappiness. Interestingly, the story is presented not only by Worm, but also by four friends who seem to be drawn into the resulting confusion of the murder because Worm has stolen the bike and cell phone of one of them.
Each of the narrators, interestingly, seems to have his or her own troubles with their mother. Toshiko, who goes by the alias Ni More...
Each of the narrators, interestingly, seems to have his or her own troubles with their mother. Toshiko, who goes by the alias Ni More...
Jan 11, 2012
Coleen
rated it:
This is the first book by Natsuo Kirino that I have ventured a read through, but many blogs that a frequent has suggested her more recent books. This piqued my interest and when I saw this novel in a used book store I decided to give it a go. First off, let me explain a bit (or perhaps, a lot) of the plot:
The story follows a group of vapid and egocentric high school girls (Toshi, Yuzan, Terauchi, and Kararin) and a young, fairly idiotic, narcissistic and, at times, very smelly Japa More...
The story follows a group of vapid and egocentric high school girls (Toshi, Yuzan, Terauchi, and Kararin) and a young, fairly idiotic, narcissistic and, at times, very smelly Japa More...
Feb 20, 2011
Monique
rated it:
Was all set to rate this book a strong three stars but upon reviewing the points of the novel with my boyfriend I realized it had one amazing trait of a great novel and that is that is was unforgettable and made me think..for that it deserves the four stars and a commendation. After reading Out by this author I knew I wanted to read other books by her because as other reviewers commonly state her work is chilling, haunting and so tragically real. This book also centers on life in Japan where the
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Jan 06, 2011
Travis
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This is the first book I've read by Kirino, but I have Out on my shelf and Grotesque on my wishlist, and I'm really looking forward to reading both.[return][return]I wasn't sure what style of book this was when I picked it up (in fact, I didn't even read the cover blurb). The cover looks like it could be horror, and I see people have tagged it as a thriller, but I wouldn't call it either (definitely not horror). It's a book about five teenagers, four girls who are all good friends, and a boy who
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Sep 15, 2010
Karen
rated it:
“Real World” is my third Natsuo Kirino novel and the first to fall flat. At first I thought that maybe it just wasn’t a very good translation, but after finishing the novel, I think it was more the overall plot and characters.
The story centers a boy who kills his mother and flees the scene of the crime. He steals the cell phone of a girl who is his neighbor and proceeds to call her and her friends. The story is really only concerned with two things, neither of which held my interest… More...
The story centers a boy who kills his mother and flees the scene of the crime. He steals the cell phone of a girl who is his neighbor and proceeds to call her and her friends. The story is really only concerned with two things, neither of which held my interest… More...
May 02, 2010
Lucinda
rated it:
Real World (Knopf 2008) [Riaru warudo (Japan 2003), translated by Philip Gabriel:] explores the teenage wasteland from the viewpoint of four girls and one boy, all high school seniors during midsummer vacation in Tokyo. For most of them, life revolves around cram school to get into college, and finding air conditioned refuge from the stifling heat. Toshi’s neighbor, a boy she’s nicknamed Worm, has committed a terrible crime and is now on the run. But this is the age of cell phones and text messa
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Jul 11, 2009
Gary
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Real World by Nasuo Kirino
New York: Alfred A. Knopt - 2008
$23.95 (hardback), $9.99 (Kindle)
In Japan the school year begins in April and ends in March of the following year. It consists of three terms, separated by short vacations in the spring and winter, as well as a month-long summer break. Students attend elementary school for six years, middle school for three years and high school for three years.
- Preface, Real World
Things are not good More...
New York: Alfred A. Knopt - 2008
$23.95 (hardback), $9.99 (Kindle)
In Japan the school year begins in April and ends in March of the following year. It consists of three terms, separated by short vacations in the spring and winter, as well as a month-long summer break. Students attend elementary school for six years, middle school for three years and high school for three years.
- Preface, Real World
Things are not good More...
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Jun 25, 2009
Sophia
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A Japanese housewife is beaten to death. Her son, nicknamed Worm, having fled with the neighbor's bike and phone, becomes the main suspect. So begins Natsuo Kirino's third novel available in English, Real World, a set of dark psychological portraits of five Japanese teenagers.
In each chapter a different character--Worm, his neighbor Toshi, or one of her friends--picks up the first-person narration. The plot moves surprisingly well given this technique. As each girl reacts differentl More...
In each chapter a different character--Worm, his neighbor Toshi, or one of her friends--picks up the first-person narration. The plot moves surprisingly well given this technique. As each girl reacts differentl More...
Jul 30, 2008
Ab
rated it:
For a book that got such an interesting review in this month's New York Times Book Review, it was very disappointingly one-dimensional and boring. The story follows about 4 girls and a guy, Worm, each with chapters from their respective points of view. But these characters are teens and very underdeveloped and just flat.
I tried reading "Out" by Kirino several months ago but didn't finish b/c it wasn't my thing. But this book seems more of an easy-read-young-adult novel if
I tried reading "Out" by Kirino several months ago but didn't finish b/c it wasn't my thing. But this book seems more of an easy-read-young-adult novel if
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Sep 14, 2010
Friederike
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REAL WORLD, Natsuo Kirino's third novel available in English, is as much a modern coming of age story as a psychological thriller, set in suburban Tokyo. At the centre are four girls - teenagers - and their inner musings. They are apprehensive about growing up and question who they really are. They also realize an increasing alienation between their own "real world" and that of the adults around then. They feel controlled by parents, teachers, and, by extension, pressured by the strict
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Apr 24, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
One summer morning, Toshi's next door neighbor, whom she hardly knows and calls "Worm" behind his back, steals her bike and cell phone and flees Tokyo . . . right after killing his own mother. Soon, Worm starts calling Toshi and her friends, who each develop a unique fascination with Worm's decision to kill his mom. Each girl begins to see her own pain and alienation reflected in Worm's life on the run. Needless to say, the girls' interest in Worm quickly starts to spiral out of con
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Jul 09, 2010
christa
rated it:
Natsuo Kirino has a way of describing heinous death scenes, and subsequent clean up, in a lazy clinical monotone typically reserved for reciting the tasks on a to-do list. This can either create chilling suspense for the lack of emotion, or it can lull a reader into a desensitized state where the word "Smush!" in reference to skull-implement contact barely causes pause.
In her novel "Real World," a high school boy nicknamed "Worm" bludgeons his mother to More...
In her novel "Real World," a high school boy nicknamed "Worm" bludgeons his mother to More...
Aug 02, 2009
Erin
rated it:
Grim and dark and probably not the best book to be reading if you're feeling a little down already.
However, even though this is a book in translation the use of language and story are amazing. I have read one other book by this author and as with that one, I will not easily forget this story. Each chapter is told first person voice, diary style, from one of the Japanese teenagers in the story. The author somehow manages to capture in print the tumult of thoughts and mercurial emot More...
However, even though this is a book in translation the use of language and story are amazing. I have read one other book by this author and as with that one, I will not easily forget this story. Each chapter is told first person voice, diary style, from one of the Japanese teenagers in the story. The author somehow manages to capture in print the tumult of thoughts and mercurial emot More...
Feb 05, 2009
Natsuo Kirino's latest noir thriller, a grim look at teen culture, elicited varying reactions from critics. Kirino focuses intently on her characters' inner lives as she delves deeply into their nihilist worldviews and feelings of alienation. But some critics found the angst-ridden, self-absorbed teens melodramatic and unconvincing, their slang-studded dialogue often cringe-worthy. Tension mounts as narrators shift and events are gradually revealed from different perspectives; however, some revi
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Jun 15, 2011
Kyra
rated it:
I'm both shocked and not shocked after all at the fact that many of the negative reviews seem to stem from not understanding either characters' emotions or their rationales. (If you don't follow, I'd suggest reading up on some thematic crit on the book and in general before listening to the negative reviews, but I'll still leave a hint: the entire book is about emotions and rationales, as well as confusion about the two!! It's about the emotional alienation that people put into their relationshi
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Oct 25, 2009
George
rated it:
After a teenager kills his mother, four girls are drawn into the aftermath. Their reactions to this event reveal a lot about the different characters, and the strategies they employ for interacting with the world. There is much talk of secrets, but the rotating narration style, which gives each of the characters the opportunity to discuss the others, suggests that no one is as misunderstood as he/she suspects (and seems to wish). Unlike with other books that move from one narrator to another, I
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Mar 06, 2010
Palindrome
rated it:
This is the third of Natsuo Kirino's books that I've read, and again, although it failed to reach the heady heights of "Out", it definitely surpassed the last Kirino book I read ("Grotesque") and had me gripped to the end.
The novel focuses on a group of high school teenagers, one of whom commits a terrible crime and is then aided and abetted by the others in his bid to escape from the "real world". What makes the book compelling is the way in which Kiri More...
The novel focuses on a group of high school teenagers, one of whom commits a terrible crime and is then aided and abetted by the others in his bid to escape from the "real world". What makes the book compelling is the way in which Kiri More...
Jul 27, 2011
Lindy
rated it:
Unlike Out and Grotesque, Real World reads more like teenage fiction than an adult novel... But I didn't dislike it as most people here seemed to. When taken on its own it isn't anything other than good writing. I loved the different characters of the girls and their hidden sides. Comparatively it isn't as strong as Out or Grotesque (for the record, again unlike most people here, I preferred Grotesque by far - Out struck me as a tad contrived).
All in all, Real World is definitely worth a read fo More...
All in all, Real World is definitely worth a read fo More...
May 22, 2011
S.J.
rated it:
This is about a group of high schoolers on the cusp of adulthood (some already there) who are trying to get a thrill out of the life they had. At least that's how I understood the four girls helping out this kid who offed his mother. Which, when looking at it like that, I really do like this novel. I have some particularities with it which I'll get into in a bit.
What I liked about this is the voices throughout. I think Kirino did a good job cycling through the viewpoints. While somet More...
What I liked about this is the voices throughout. I think Kirino did a good job cycling through the viewpoints. While somet More...
Dec 11, 2010
Adam
rated it:
Natsuo Kirino's REAL WORLD follow four high school girls in modern Japan who are discontent with their lives. Their run-in with a boy who has killed his mother leads each one to change the course of their lives in a different way. Kirino uses these interactions as a way of illuminating the personality and history of each of these characters.
Her portrayal of High School characters is impressive; it manages to get the egocentric and naive personalities so right; most authors put either More...
Her portrayal of High School characters is impressive; it manages to get the egocentric and naive personalities so right; most authors put either More...
Jun 08, 2011
William
rated it:
Certainly it a "different" kind of book. A story of 4 Japanese teenage girls. The author a noted feminist scewers Japanese patriarchal society but in the process makes the 4 BFF's seem vapid and amoral to the point of criminal. While some rather odd reactions and thoughts of the characters might be attributible to cultural and differing social norms, some of the behaviors are universally repugnant. Certainly sheltering a murderer and planning more deadly crimes is held in contempt in a
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Oct 11, 2011
Michael
rated it:
As a character study, Real World is every bit as believable and realistic as Out and Grotesque, but compared to these other two, I didn’t feel as invested in the story. It lacked any sense of danger, which simply reduced it to a book about five high school students dealing with the turbulence of growing up. It was like a Japanese The Breakfast Club, except in this version the Michael Anthony Hall character kills his mom with a baseball bat. I guess I was more dependent on the gore and ultra-dark
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Feb 09, 2011
DW
rated it:
Well, that was a mind-f*ck. I enjoyed this story, but the story was really effed up. I'm having a hard time reviewing it in my head let alone on paper. I do like how the story is told in multiple first-person. That was interesting and it allowed me to feel, relate, and connect with all the characters. I enjoyed that the story takes place in Japan and I was able to learn a few things about the modern day culture and machinations of it's society and youth. What also makes the story vivid, tangible
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