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呪怨 #1
Ju-on Volume 1
In Japan, ju-on is a deadly curse that takes on a life of its own. Always seeking new victims, it's a grudge that doesn't stop-it can't be stopped. Anyone unfortunate enough to meet up with a ghost killed by the grudge is then killed-and so it spreads. When a senior citizen outreach volunteer goes to work in a house in a quiet residential area, she soon starts to hear odd noises. As the strange events get more and more ominous, she discovers that some acts of violence can attach themselves to a house and that some evils can reach out and touch you-even after death. Few stories have influenced modern horror as much as Ju-on. The Japanese films set a new standard for horror filmmaking and storytelling with their blend of slow-burning terror and nightmarish imagery. The novel is just as chilling-and just as unforgettable.
235 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
October 2, 2010
You must have seen this boy quite a number of times. Hope not in your dreams but in those funny startling email jokes. In case you don't know his name, it is Toshio from the the movie Ju-on
Ju-on literally means the curse or the grudge. It is said that when one person dies with a deep and burning grudge, a curse is born. This curse accumulates in the place where that person lived, and becomes a "karma." Anyone who comes into contact with this curse dies, and the curse is recreated anew.
If most of movie adaptations come from successful books, Ju-on case was the reversed. It was originally released as two low-budget straight-to-video Japanese television movies in 2000. Due to the success of the two videos, a movie adaptation was made in Japan and was distributed in the US. The Americans, following the commercial success of The Ring, patronized this so it had a sequel, Ju-on: The Grudge 2 and so the Japanese movie had a American version starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Like The Ring, it was not as scary as the Japanese version though.
In short, this Ju-On: A Novel is the novelization of the two videos and movies. My first.
This is a story of a extremely shy and introverted young lady, Kayako. She marries a sadistic man, Takeo who has a medical condition called oligospermia or low sperm count. Despite this condition, the couple have a child 7-y/o son, Toshio who has witnessed the time when his father killed his mother. The reason: the doctor failed to explain well to Takeo that a man suffering from oligospermia can be a father. Enraged with jealousy, Takeo tortures and kills Kayako while Toshio, fearing for his life, is hiding in the attic.
I am not really into horror books so I have not enough benchmarks to say that this deserves a 5-star rating. However, what I like about this book is its minimalist approach in writing and the scary ambiance that this creates (quite contradictory but that is how effective the writer is). Plot also puts you on the edge of your seat. This is the type of story that if your daughter suddenly slams the door of her room, you would get startled. Because she normally does that and I am used to it by now. I started reading the book in the morning today and I could not put it down and shift to another like whenever I try to continue reading Haruki Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Ju-On is an easy yet engaging book. The format is also interesting. Each chapter is entitled with the name of the character who, following the trend that you will realize while reading, will most likely die. So, when you are reading and you see the name of a character, you will say: "Oh my, she is next!"
The killing time starts with one of the characters, either possessed or demented, uttering the name of the ghost-mother:
and this lady shows up
Ju-on literally means the curse or the grudge. It is said that when one person dies with a deep and burning grudge, a curse is born. This curse accumulates in the place where that person lived, and becomes a "karma." Anyone who comes into contact with this curse dies, and the curse is recreated anew.
If most of movie adaptations come from successful books, Ju-on case was the reversed. It was originally released as two low-budget straight-to-video Japanese television movies in 2000. Due to the success of the two videos, a movie adaptation was made in Japan and was distributed in the US. The Americans, following the commercial success of The Ring, patronized this so it had a sequel, Ju-on: The Grudge 2 and so the Japanese movie had a American version starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Like The Ring, it was not as scary as the Japanese version though.
In short, this Ju-On: A Novel is the novelization of the two videos and movies. My first.
This is a story of a extremely shy and introverted young lady, Kayako. She marries a sadistic man, Takeo who has a medical condition called oligospermia or low sperm count. Despite this condition, the couple have a child 7-y/o son, Toshio who has witnessed the time when his father killed his mother. The reason: the doctor failed to explain well to Takeo that a man suffering from oligospermia can be a father. Enraged with jealousy, Takeo tortures and kills Kayako while Toshio, fearing for his life, is hiding in the attic.
I am not really into horror books so I have not enough benchmarks to say that this deserves a 5-star rating. However, what I like about this book is its minimalist approach in writing and the scary ambiance that this creates (quite contradictory but that is how effective the writer is). Plot also puts you on the edge of your seat. This is the type of story that if your daughter suddenly slams the door of her room, you would get startled. Because she normally does that and I am used to it by now. I started reading the book in the morning today and I could not put it down and shift to another like whenever I try to continue reading Haruki Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Ju-On is an easy yet engaging book. The format is also interesting. Each chapter is entitled with the name of the character who, following the trend that you will realize while reading, will most likely die. So, when you are reading and you see the name of a character, you will say: "Oh my, she is next!"
The killing time starts with one of the characters, either possessed or demented, uttering the name of the ghost-mother:
Ka... ya... ko
and this lady shows up
I thought I saw the Japanese version of this movie but it was long time ago. As in most cases, the book is better than film.
December 28, 2020
When I bought this book I wanted to know if a book can be as scary as a picture movie. Well it doesn't. I have seen both the Grudge version and both are scarier (the japanese is more scarier and simpler). This book adds many things to the plot and after reading this book I u nderstand more of the ju-on and the whys and some questions I wondered after seeing the movie.
Well the initial parts are way better and the plot was well conceived.I enjoyed the book and read only at night. It has some parts that make you kind of scare or disgusted if you want.
There is a part in the end when the ju-on says that of all human emotions , none is more primitive and has a longer effect on the body than hatred. The immutable proof of this can be seen in the millennia-old hatred between the jews and the palestians, serbians and muslins, the hutu and tutsi and other parties... Even love cannot erase such intense hatred. Mere love is powerless against hatred.
I would advice this book to anyone who wants to know more of japan ghost stories and learn more of the Ju-On saga. In the end is a good horror story.
Well the initial parts are way better and the plot was well conceived.I enjoyed the book and read only at night. It has some parts that make you kind of scare or disgusted if you want.
There is a part in the end when the ju-on says that of all human emotions , none is more primitive and has a longer effect on the body than hatred. The immutable proof of this can be seen in the millennia-old hatred between the jews and the palestians, serbians and muslins, the hutu and tutsi and other parties... Even love cannot erase such intense hatred. Mere love is powerless against hatred.
I would advice this book to anyone who wants to know more of japan ghost stories and learn more of the Ju-On saga. In the end is a good horror story.
March 12, 2017
As I expected it was REALLY INTERESTING BOOK. Not scary at all. It was very sad.... and of course terrifying. Some scenes made my face pale from emotions the characters felt.
Poor Kayako. I would hug her and wouldn't let her be so sad and angry anymore. I can imagine what she felt all her life. I felt exactly the SAME. I understand her hatred because I feel the same. If dead people can take revenge for real, my soul after death will do the same as Kayako did. I also want to take revenge on so many people who hurt me.
So in any cases this book touched my heart. I was reading this book like crazy because I wanted to see how the author and the movie are similar. Very much. But in the book I found out more facts about Kayako's life, more details, so of course a book is much better. I cannot wait when the second book will be translated into English. I so want to read more because this author writes in a very simple sentences, very easy text to read, everything easy to understand and maybe a person who cannot speak English very good, could read this book without problems. But of course this book is not for children. Too cruel. This is an adult book.
Besides, I'm a huge fan of Grudge movies. They are my favorite horror movies. When I saw Ju On for the first time in my life, I was trying to run through the wall from my room. I was so scared that I put hands on my face and leaned to the wall screaming. But it was for the first time. Later I watched these movies and I just laughed. I wasn't scared anymore.
So, this was an AMAZING book to read. I had great time reading it and money I paid to get it from USA, was worth it.
Poor Kayako. I would hug her and wouldn't let her be so sad and angry anymore. I can imagine what she felt all her life. I felt exactly the SAME. I understand her hatred because I feel the same. If dead people can take revenge for real, my soul after death will do the same as Kayako did. I also want to take revenge on so many people who hurt me.
So in any cases this book touched my heart. I was reading this book like crazy because I wanted to see how the author and the movie are similar. Very much. But in the book I found out more facts about Kayako's life, more details, so of course a book is much better. I cannot wait when the second book will be translated into English. I so want to read more because this author writes in a very simple sentences, very easy text to read, everything easy to understand and maybe a person who cannot speak English very good, could read this book without problems. But of course this book is not for children. Too cruel. This is an adult book.
Besides, I'm a huge fan of Grudge movies. They are my favorite horror movies. When I saw Ju On for the first time in my life, I was trying to run through the wall from my room. I was so scared that I put hands on my face and leaned to the wall screaming. But it was for the first time. Later I watched these movies and I just laughed. I wasn't scared anymore.
So, this was an AMAZING book to read. I had great time reading it and money I paid to get it from USA, was worth it.
October 8, 2025
I love this book. Let me clarify. I love the vibe. It’s not scary in the least; it’s creepy and it’s sad. Very early-2000s PG-13 horror. I like that. Maybe it’s a nostalgia thing? Idk.
The story jumps around between different people who all cross paths with Kayako and Toshio, and that format is kind of perfect here. It’s not so much about jump scares or monsters hiding under the bed; it’s about this feeling that something terrible happened and never really left. The sadness and the anger are what linger. The writing is simple, almost too much so, at times. I’m not sure if that’s Kei Ohishi’s style or the translation, but either way it works.
I've only seen the first American “Grudge” movie, so the book feels familiar but also surprisingly different. It’s the same basic curse setup with angry ghosts and a tragic backstory, but told with more melancholy. I get why some readers might call it “just okay,” but for me, it was exactly what I wanted.
The story jumps around between different people who all cross paths with Kayako and Toshio, and that format is kind of perfect here. It’s not so much about jump scares or monsters hiding under the bed; it’s about this feeling that something terrible happened and never really left. The sadness and the anger are what linger. The writing is simple, almost too much so, at times. I’m not sure if that’s Kei Ohishi’s style or the translation, but either way it works.
I've only seen the first American “Grudge” movie, so the book feels familiar but also surprisingly different. It’s the same basic curse setup with angry ghosts and a tragic backstory, but told with more melancholy. I get why some readers might call it “just okay,” but for me, it was exactly what I wanted.
June 15, 2012
Brilliant Book. Better than watching Films it's based on in my opinion. Really felt sorry for poor Kayako. The epilogue was very sweet aswell. Highly recommended.
July 19, 2013
The Ju-On series of movies are my favourite horror series ever, so of course, I was desperate to read the book! I was very glad I did. I bought it from Amazon and you can get it quite cheap.
Having seen all the Ju-On films (and American remakes), I know the stories pretty well, and it was great to see that the book wasn't exactly the same, so it was like a whole new story. The ending was very sad, and you get far more of a sense of Kayako's feelings, thanks to her journal entries. You get a far better idea of the power of her obsession and how angry she really became. I loved it. It wasn't scary, like the films, but it was creepy, especially seeing Kayako's diary entries, and knowing the feelings of all characters involved. I really recommend you read it, even if you've never seen the films or liked them.
Having seen all the Ju-On films (and American remakes), I know the stories pretty well, and it was great to see that the book wasn't exactly the same, so it was like a whole new story. The ending was very sad, and you get far more of a sense of Kayako's feelings, thanks to her journal entries. You get a far better idea of the power of her obsession and how angry she really became. I loved it. It wasn't scary, like the films, but it was creepy, especially seeing Kayako's diary entries, and knowing the feelings of all characters involved. I really recommend you read it, even if you've never seen the films or liked them.
February 11, 2025
Kijk Japanse horror is gewoon heel goed. Dit boek was heel creepy echt heel creepy maar tegelijkertijd ook super tragisch. Vond het vooral jammer dat vrouwen in dit boek soms nog al werden geobjectiveerd. Zoals het stuk waarin Kobayashi tegen zijn zwangere vrouw zegt of ze nog wel zo veel yoghurt moet eten (implicerend dat ze aan kan komen) en constant de nadruk op hoe een vrouwen lichaam er slank uit ziet en dat mannen dan kijken. Vooral dat laatste is uiteraard een probleem wat benoemd mag worden maar ik geloof niet dat dit boek daar veel mee bezig was om op dat vlak maatschappij kritisch te zijn.
May 31, 2020
I can't think of a movie that scared me shitless more so than the Americanized remake of The Grudge in 2004. I was 14 and didn't sleep for a week.
Recently a friend of mine recommended Noroi: The Curse, a weird and very fun horror flick conveniently on youtube, and just as conveniently the original Ringu was in the recommendations, complete with English subtitles. I liked it and was interested in the differences in adaptations (The Ring, which came out when I was 12, also left me sleepless for a week). From there, I ended up watching Ju-On: The Grudge because I was curious, and why not scare myself with ghosts instead of the news, you know?
I knew that The Ring was originally a book by Koji Suzuki, and, hark! Here we have a novelization of The Grudge too, though the movies and short films came first for this franchise. So, how do all these grudges hold up in comparison to each other?
There are more disturbing elements revealed here about Kayako's backstory (), and the novel is not shy about presenting misogynistic characters in full light that I don't really remember in either movie. One of the more subtle aspects of its horror is just how people treat each other and don't know or don't care about the repercussions. This includes Kayako, who certainly suffered in life and is an incredible asshole as a ghost.
And the husband? Yeesh. The scariest part of the book for me was definitely the first 50 pages, with the murder that begins the cycle.
Kayako is portrayed somewhat sympathetically in Ju-On the movie, an aspect that is DEFINITELY removed from both the novel and the remake. While the husband is the most vile character by a long shot, the way the ghost justifies her endless revenge on humanity is something to behold.
I will say that I definitely think the Americanized remake is scarier than both the Ju-On: The Grudge and this particular book (there are a few of them, and they cover multiple movies; Ju-On seems to be like the Japanese version of Saw or Paranormal Activity, so there's a lot). You just don't get the same affect reading Aahh-aaahh-ahhh and hearing the croak, you know?
Fun book though and fast to get through.
Recently a friend of mine recommended Noroi: The Curse, a weird and very fun horror flick conveniently on youtube, and just as conveniently the original Ringu was in the recommendations, complete with English subtitles. I liked it and was interested in the differences in adaptations (The Ring, which came out when I was 12, also left me sleepless for a week). From there, I ended up watching Ju-On: The Grudge because I was curious, and why not scare myself with ghosts instead of the news, you know?
I knew that The Ring was originally a book by Koji Suzuki, and, hark! Here we have a novelization of The Grudge too, though the movies and short films came first for this franchise. So, how do all these grudges hold up in comparison to each other?
There are more disturbing elements revealed here about Kayako's backstory (), and the novel is not shy about presenting misogynistic characters in full light that I don't really remember in either movie. One of the more subtle aspects of its horror is just how people treat each other and don't know or don't care about the repercussions. This includes Kayako, who certainly suffered in life and is an incredible asshole as a ghost.
And the husband? Yeesh. The scariest part of the book for me was definitely the first 50 pages, with the murder that begins the cycle.
Kayako is portrayed somewhat sympathetically in Ju-On the movie, an aspect that is DEFINITELY removed from both the novel and the remake. While the husband is the most vile character by a long shot, the way the ghost justifies her endless revenge on humanity is something to behold.
I will say that I definitely think the Americanized remake is scarier than both the Ju-On: The Grudge and this particular book (there are a few of them, and they cover multiple movies; Ju-On seems to be like the Japanese version of Saw or Paranormal Activity, so there's a lot). You just don't get the same affect reading Aahh-aaahh-ahhh and hearing the croak, you know?
Fun book though and fast to get through.
September 7, 2021
Ju On
5/5 stars
The only reason this book took me a while to finish is because of work and lack of motivation, but I will say that this is one of the scariest and most compelling horror novels that I've ever read. I have not been able to stop thinking about it from the moment I picked it up to when I finished it on the 31st of last month it's just taking me a while to get to reviewing it. I am actually angry now at how little fan art and fan culture there is for this in comparison to other horror gems.
I will admit it's became a bit hard for me to keep track of all of the characters after a while and how those storylines cross paths with one another but overall I love the vibe of this I love how it felt a lot like American Horror Story murder house. I liked the haunted house aspect where you just slowly get the creeping sense of dread as each new family enters this home and establishes themselves there kayoko, her stalker Journal, her young son and their black cat, it all unraveled so beautifully and intricately as each new person was exposed to the story these people and this environment.
I am now so into the idea of watching the original version of the movie The American version, and the new Netflix series. I'm actually a bit worried at how badly that might scare me though because there were moments where I would try to read this book at night that I would genuinely feel my skin crawl and feel a sense of unease at how well this painted scary and horrific picture. This does not happen to me usually with horror media whether it be books or movies.
Overall I don't know why this book is so rare or expensive online I found it at the used book store that I work at somebody had traded it in. But if you can get your hands on it I am floor people to pick up the story if not even though I haven't seen the adaptations I would assume that there are equally well done and waiting for people to pick up then. I think that this should be more of a universally consumed horror product it is so good and so compelling and it was beautifully and expertly told.
5/5 stars
The only reason this book took me a while to finish is because of work and lack of motivation, but I will say that this is one of the scariest and most compelling horror novels that I've ever read. I have not been able to stop thinking about it from the moment I picked it up to when I finished it on the 31st of last month it's just taking me a while to get to reviewing it. I am actually angry now at how little fan art and fan culture there is for this in comparison to other horror gems.
I will admit it's became a bit hard for me to keep track of all of the characters after a while and how those storylines cross paths with one another but overall I love the vibe of this I love how it felt a lot like American Horror Story murder house. I liked the haunted house aspect where you just slowly get the creeping sense of dread as each new family enters this home and establishes themselves there kayoko, her stalker Journal, her young son and their black cat, it all unraveled so beautifully and intricately as each new person was exposed to the story these people and this environment.
I am now so into the idea of watching the original version of the movie The American version, and the new Netflix series. I'm actually a bit worried at how badly that might scare me though because there were moments where I would try to read this book at night that I would genuinely feel my skin crawl and feel a sense of unease at how well this painted scary and horrific picture. This does not happen to me usually with horror media whether it be books or movies.
Overall I don't know why this book is so rare or expensive online I found it at the used book store that I work at somebody had traded it in. But if you can get your hands on it I am floor people to pick up the story if not even though I haven't seen the adaptations I would assume that there are equally well done and waiting for people to pick up then. I think that this should be more of a universally consumed horror product it is so good and so compelling and it was beautifully and expertly told.
September 22, 2010
I was at Half Price books, lounging back and forth across the horror section when I came across this book. I'm not a fan of the movie at all but I had some good feeling about the book. The cover says that it's "Based on the International Film Sensation" but don't let that faze you. If you read it you never would have known that it didn't come first without the cover screaming it at you. "Ju-On," the book says on one of it's first pages. "The curse of a person who dies while holding a very strong hatred or rage. This curse accumulates in the place where that person lived, and becomes a 'karma'. Anyone who comes in contact with this curse dies, and the curse is recreated anew." So in general, it's about people who have entered the house. It's no simple "haunted house," mind you! It's graphic detail, indepth background information and writing style is completely original and it was just what I needed at the time. I was already reading a few other books but this book is a short read with a lot in it. Kei Ohishi doesn't waste time with small irrelivant entertainments that don't disturb. And yeah, this book was pretty disturbing. So if you like horror, I recommend this book completely. There are a series of characters. Most of them I didn't really like (not to say I disliked), but I did come across a couple characters I became rather fond of. So maybe there's enough characters that you gotta like at least a couple. All in all, I might give it an 3 out of 5 rating. There was nothing really bad about it except some parts were a little repetitive. But the writing is straight to the point enough that you get the idea and you can buzz over some parts. But the book was good enough in that there were points that would just completely get me and I'd have to pause from reading to utter a wide-eyed "woah!" It even got to a point where I wondered if it was based on a real legend...
April 4, 2015
Maybe it's because it's a translation, or maybe it's because it's a media tie-in, but in my opinion, the writing kind of... sucked. I mean it wasn't full of grammatical/spelling errors (although it did have one or two of those), but the writing style really put me off. It killed the suspense. I had spent years avoiding The Grudge, where just a single still image of Kayako would give me nightmares throughout my later childhood (I think I first learned of its existence when I was six or seven). It took me a long time to muster up the courage just to watch the American remake (which sucked, by the way, but it was still a little creepy). So when I picked up this book from my local library, I was expecting to be utterly terrified.
I wasn't. I was let down by the author's writing style and the repetitiveness of the plot. Not a single shiver went up my spine as I slogged through this book. I finished it in three sittings, having gotten other books that looked more interesting and having been more eager to read those.
Still, for what it was, it was decent for the first hundred pages. But like I said, once the story starts repeating itself, it starts to get boring (although the segment involving the two detectives who plan on burning the house down showed promise and was the most interesting part of the latter half of the book). I guess I'd recomment this for anyone who's a fan of this franchise, or a casual horror reader. For anyone else looking for a more-than-decent time, I wouldn't recommend this.
I wasn't. I was let down by the author's writing style and the repetitiveness of the plot. Not a single shiver went up my spine as I slogged through this book. I finished it in three sittings, having gotten other books that looked more interesting and having been more eager to read those.
Still, for what it was, it was decent for the first hundred pages. But like I said, once the story starts repeating itself, it starts to get boring (although the segment involving the two detectives who plan on burning the house down showed promise and was the most interesting part of the latter half of the book). I guess I'd recomment this for anyone who's a fan of this franchise, or a casual horror reader. For anyone else looking for a more-than-decent time, I wouldn't recommend this.
July 5, 2020
as it's common in Japanese literature,
this book is short, simply written but also
deeply meaningful, love it, utterly creepy.
this book is short, simply written but also
deeply meaningful, love it, utterly creepy.
October 19, 2020
There's just something about Japanese horror.
It never disappoints.
It never disappoints.
October 4, 2024
Second re-read. Bias ko na talaga to hahahaha
March 12, 2016
I just finished this book, and I don't know yet what I feel about it. I know it deserves all of the stars, because it's very good, but I don't know if I really love it or not.
I'm a huge fan of the movies, seen them all, both the japonese saga and the american trilogy, so yeah, this book was amazing for me. But there were some changes, specially to one character - changing the gender and most of the back story - and the ending. The ending was very different. One particular thing that happens I didn't really like - it wasn't exactly out of character, I guess, but felt unnecessary. I suppose I understand what the author of this novelization was trying to do, going with the themes of repetition that happen in the novel, just like in the movies, the curse forcing things to happen the same way to different people - but still.
I guess I just don't understand why the ending was so different, just like I don't understand why things were changed along the way. All 3 of the movies this is adapting were already out, it wan't written while they were being made like most novelizations, where the author doesn't know what will be left in the cutting floor, and was using a script as inspiration.
The more I think about it, the more I feel this is a simple case of I DON'T LIKE CHANGE, being over judgmental of changes done to a property so dear to me - I basically felt the same way with the Beginning of the End movie, a reboot that changed the backstory of the characters. Like I said, the ending fits the franchise, and it works - minus that one particular thing Takeo Saeki does -, and it did throw me of balance while reading it, feeling confused, not knowing what was going on and what would happen next. Maybe that was the point - the unexpected. Yep, that's such a "Ju On thing" hehe.
Unfortunately this is not as scary as the movies. That's normal, the story really relies on visual cues, that sometime get lost in the translations, with the author being forced to describe somethings and then explicitly say that the characters aren't noticing it.
If you like the movies, read it - you won't be disappointed. Maybe you'll even prefer the changes that were done to the story.
I'm a huge fan of the movies, seen them all, both the japonese saga and the american trilogy, so yeah, this book was amazing for me. But there were some changes, specially to one character - changing the gender and most of the back story - and the ending. The ending was very different. One particular thing that happens I didn't really like - it wasn't exactly out of character, I guess, but felt unnecessary. I suppose I understand what the author of this novelization was trying to do, going with the themes of repetition that happen in the novel, just like in the movies, the curse forcing things to happen the same way to different people - but still.
I guess I just don't understand why the ending was so different, just like I don't understand why things were changed along the way. All 3 of the movies this is adapting were already out, it wan't written while they were being made like most novelizations, where the author doesn't know what will be left in the cutting floor, and was using a script as inspiration.
The more I think about it, the more I feel this is a simple case of I DON'T LIKE CHANGE, being over judgmental of changes done to a property so dear to me - I basically felt the same way with the Beginning of the End movie, a reboot that changed the backstory of the characters. Like I said, the ending fits the franchise, and it works - minus that one particular thing Takeo Saeki does -, and it did throw me of balance while reading it, feeling confused, not knowing what was going on and what would happen next. Maybe that was the point - the unexpected. Yep, that's such a "Ju On thing" hehe.
Unfortunately this is not as scary as the movies. That's normal, the story really relies on visual cues, that sometime get lost in the translations, with the author being forced to describe somethings and then explicitly say that the characters aren't noticing it.
If you like the movies, read it - you won't be disappointed. Maybe you'll even prefer the changes that were done to the story.
July 12, 2011
i was curious to read this because the movie had come out first and the book was wrote after so i was very curious and im glad i was. i really enjoyed this novel, it was capturing and fast moving, i really liked how the story was told, through the points of view of many people i thought at first that it was too much the way it flickered but when i finished it i realized that for the story to have been told it needed to have different narrators at certain points and i think this really made ju-on stand out for me. also the characters were very normal besides from the family who caused the curse, they were presented as being very supernatural and fantastical they brought a certain element of fear to a normal family and a normal situation which i found very capturing
October 13, 2021
It was good.
Really creepy.
Unfortunately, it had a BUNCH of spoilers within the book in the form of OBVIOUS foreshadowing.
For example: "little did he know that would be the last time he would see his wife"
DON'T DO THIS!! Now we know he is going to die. Way to bury the lead!
Anyways, besides that, I found this book VERY violent compared to the PG-13 movie. That came as quite a shock, although it is par for the course with the other PG movie adaptations of things like The Hunger Games, such cut a lot of violence out.
All in all, good book.
Really great ending.
3.6/5
Really creepy.
Unfortunately, it had a BUNCH of spoilers within the book in the form of OBVIOUS foreshadowing.
For example: "little did he know that would be the last time he would see his wife"
DON'T DO THIS!! Now we know he is going to die. Way to bury the lead!
Anyways, besides that, I found this book VERY violent compared to the PG-13 movie. That came as quite a shock, although it is par for the course with the other PG movie adaptations of things like The Hunger Games, such cut a lot of violence out.
All in all, good book.
Really great ending.
3.6/5
September 8, 2012
This book is even worst than the movie, in terms of scaring me to death! It gives you insight into Kayako's reason for killing, why Takeo killed her and how the curse is spread. It's chilling and will make you think that you are the next victim. I know I do
August 3, 2009
Good ghost story, it was very graphic...which I like. The only thing was that 3/4's into it it became repetitive.
May 18, 2021
Chilling, utterly chilling!
Read
October 2, 2021As chilling as the film!
April 13, 2025
For an adaptation based on the straight to video releases plus the theatrical movie, it’s not bad. It helps to give clarity into what the characters were thinking and makes it clear that Kayako was insane well before she became a vengeful spirit.
It does leave a lot of the mysteries unanswered though. Why can clean up crews, contractors, realtors, and some emergency workers enter the house without being cursed? Where did the “missing” characters really go? We don’t need all the answers, but it’s odd to have something like Takeo’s reasons for snapping written so explicitly clearly while other questions are given a shrug.
In this particular publication, I found a few errors. Words that made zero sense, and once a character being misnamed. It seems pretty clear they rushed writing this book and then rushed translating to cash in on the popularity of the series at the time.
The one thing I really enjoyed, was the author including some real or “real” tales at the beginning of chapters to show how horrors can and do happen every day. The Netflix series did something similar by seeding hints of real life horrors in the background (from the Hanshin earthquake to the otaku killer, it was quite clever).
If you enjoy the film series, and desire more insight, you’ll find some answers here. But just as with the films, the story is repetitive. The horrors are repeated again and again and it gets tiring to read the details over and over. And certain effects from the movies such as Kayako’s croaking, Toshio’s meowing, the hands in the shower, reflections, etc really don’t translate well to text. You can see them well because you’ve already seen them, but if this was your intro to the series, you’d find it pretty cheesy.
It does leave a lot of the mysteries unanswered though. Why can clean up crews, contractors, realtors, and some emergency workers enter the house without being cursed? Where did the “missing” characters really go? We don’t need all the answers, but it’s odd to have something like Takeo’s reasons for snapping written so explicitly clearly while other questions are given a shrug.
In this particular publication, I found a few errors. Words that made zero sense, and once a character being misnamed. It seems pretty clear they rushed writing this book and then rushed translating to cash in on the popularity of the series at the time.
The one thing I really enjoyed, was the author including some real or “real” tales at the beginning of chapters to show how horrors can and do happen every day. The Netflix series did something similar by seeding hints of real life horrors in the background (from the Hanshin earthquake to the otaku killer, it was quite clever).
If you enjoy the film series, and desire more insight, you’ll find some answers here. But just as with the films, the story is repetitive. The horrors are repeated again and again and it gets tiring to read the details over and over. And certain effects from the movies such as Kayako’s croaking, Toshio’s meowing, the hands in the shower, reflections, etc really don’t translate well to text. You can see them well because you’ve already seen them, but if this was your intro to the series, you’d find it pretty cheesy.
July 4, 2021
I sent the passage from the book, where Kayako does her signature croaking sound, to a friend and asked him over the phone to reproduce it. He sounded like an 80s porn star – “Aah-aah-aah-aah-aah-aah!”.
The novelization of the Ju-On movies, tells the well-known story of Kayako Saeki and her son, Toshio, left to haunt their former house, in Tokyo, after they were viciously killed by their husband/father. All the rage Kayako felt when she was murdered created this curse that will spread towards anyone unlucky enough to set foot inside the Saeki house.
The book works a little different than the movies – it starts with the story of Kayako’s death and then follows the stories of those unlucky enough to cross path with her curse; I think this way of storytelling took something from the story – I would’ve liked the reason for the killings to be kept more as a mystery and revealed gradually throughout the book. But no, we get the whole reason of the story from the first pages and then there are several chapters were we read the same story, with different characters, killed mostly in the same ways.
The story felt creepy enough, but I’m not sure if it would’ve been scary on its own. Some of the elements of the novels were extremely well imagined, but only because I already have the images from the movies imprinted deep inside my mind.
There weren’t major differences from the movies, except for a more detailed backstory for Kayako and her days of stalking boys. ** ½ stars
The novelization of the Ju-On movies, tells the well-known story of Kayako Saeki and her son, Toshio, left to haunt their former house, in Tokyo, after they were viciously killed by their husband/father. All the rage Kayako felt when she was murdered created this curse that will spread towards anyone unlucky enough to set foot inside the Saeki house.
The book works a little different than the movies – it starts with the story of Kayako’s death and then follows the stories of those unlucky enough to cross path with her curse; I think this way of storytelling took something from the story – I would’ve liked the reason for the killings to be kept more as a mystery and revealed gradually throughout the book. But no, we get the whole reason of the story from the first pages and then there are several chapters were we read the same story, with different characters, killed mostly in the same ways.
The story felt creepy enough, but I’m not sure if it would’ve been scary on its own. Some of the elements of the novels were extremely well imagined, but only because I already have the images from the movies imprinted deep inside my mind.
There weren’t major differences from the movies, except for a more detailed backstory for Kayako and her days of stalking boys. ** ½ stars
October 7, 2025
The translator, Joe Swift, did a good job. Not only can I imagine the scene unfolding as I watch a Japanese motion picture, but I can also grasp the colours of the Japanese language and culture in the sentences/dialogues. On scary notes, I’ll give it a 2.7 out of 5.0. I admit, on many scenes, meremang bulu romaku, but rarely lingering scary thoughts till you can’t sleep or go to the toilet at night alone. Gruesomeness score, 4.3/5.0? If you can’t stand bloody content, you probably should not read this novel.
Everything was creepy, getting on my nerves, yet I couldn't seem to put the book down. From the penmanship, we can deduce (I’m stereotyping, yes) that the author is definitely a man. This book is for readers at least the age of 16. The content frequently contains adult scenes/notions. Men-centric, women objectifying.
Overall, I can’s shake the thoughts that this “incident” reflects the shallowness of the Japanese society and beliefs. One thing I tak puas hati is, the book did not explain the Mariko incident, I mean, how???
K bye.
Everything was creepy, getting on my nerves, yet I couldn't seem to put the book down. From the penmanship, we can deduce (I’m stereotyping, yes) that the author is definitely a man. This book is for readers at least the age of 16. The content frequently contains adult scenes/notions. Men-centric, women objectifying.
Overall, I can’s shake the thoughts that this “incident” reflects the shallowness of the Japanese society and beliefs. One thing I tak puas hati is, the book did not explain the Mariko incident, I mean, how???
K bye.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2024
"Do you see how much I suffered, how much pain I was in, how miserable I was?"
I've never written a book review before so this won't exactly be long, but since Ju-On is personally my favorite series I pretty much consume every piece of content pertaining to it, including this now lol.
It's not a long read (even though it took me forever to get back to it once I started it because life lol) and personally while I have some issues with it, I do really enjoy the lore it adds to not only the Saeki Family, but a lot of the other characters from the original movies. It's nice to see their internal thoughts sometimes. So if you really love the movies like I do you might enjoy this as a quick read, especially since it digs deeper into Kayako and Toshio as characters and I adore that personally (even if I'm not fond of some of the choices made in it).
I've never written a book review before so this won't exactly be long, but since Ju-On is personally my favorite series I pretty much consume every piece of content pertaining to it, including this now lol.
It's not a long read (even though it took me forever to get back to it once I started it because life lol) and personally while I have some issues with it, I do really enjoy the lore it adds to not only the Saeki Family, but a lot of the other characters from the original movies. It's nice to see their internal thoughts sometimes. So if you really love the movies like I do you might enjoy this as a quick read, especially since it digs deeper into Kayako and Toshio as characters and I adore that personally (even if I'm not fond of some of the choices made in it).
September 26, 2018
The movie was scary, but this book isn't. It's terrifying.
Humans can do some unthinkable things to each other. I can't say I've enjoyed reading the book. It just made me sad knowing that this could actually happen and I'm not talking about the supernatural stuff. We watch the news these days and it doesn't seem any different from the story in the book. I pray people can heal and treat others with dignity.
Don't read this book if you still want to believe in the good in humanity.
And one last time it's not scary.
Humans can do some unthinkable things to each other. I can't say I've enjoyed reading the book. It just made me sad knowing that this could actually happen and I'm not talking about the supernatural stuff. We watch the news these days and it doesn't seem any different from the story in the book. I pray people can heal and treat others with dignity.
Don't read this book if you still want to believe in the good in humanity.
And one last time it's not scary.
March 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this novelization of Ju-on. I wasn’t really scared by it, there were points that disgusted me or made me cringe at the thought of something so terrible but I was never scared; to be fair the movies never really scared me either as I’m pretty desensitized to horror at this point. None the less I loved this book it gave more details than the movies did and made my love for the franchise even greater. I wish the other novelizations would have been or would translated to English!
December 19, 2024
The grudge will always scare me. It was the first horror movie I saw as a kid that genuinely still scares me. This book basically plays out like the movies but was so much more graphic??? I was shocked and it was unexpected. The writing got a bit repetitive and I could have gone without the sexual assault
April 7, 2025
This novel consistently delivers on providing truly baffling adaptational choices. From a ghost story about Franz Ferdinand’s car, to daring the reader to find and visit its fictional locations, to Kayako keeping her diary updated after her death or her hatred being compared directly to 9/11 this book had me shouting utterly incredulously at its pages at least once a chapter.
February 9, 2020
3.5 stars ⭐️ It is a translated novelization if the Ju-On Grudge movies so it doesn’t flow easily, but it definitely gave me the creeps! If you’ve seen any if the movies you can hear the sounds in this book 😵
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