Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

The True Nature of the Monster A Review of Grotesque By Natsuo Kirino Translated by Rebecca Copeland Review by Kenneth Holm Senior Staff Writer             When I first picked up Grotesque from my local library, I had no clue that I even wanted it. Truly, my wife decided that it looked like something I would like to read. I had never heard of the author, and by reading the dust jacket I thought that I was in for a slightly more feminist retread of any of the Ringu series by Koji Suzuki. As usual, if I would just calm down a little bit and think, I would not have these botched first impressions. This book is about jealousy, power, sexuality, and cultural differences. This review is about misconceptions and how they almost forced me to stop reading one of the most satisfying books I have read in a long time.             The book begins with two sisters, as everything worth reading or watching usually does. The first sister, who remains unnamed throughout the book, is rather unremarkable in her looks and stature. She goes through life hating her sister Yuriko because she is “heart-stoppingly” beautiful. It is the typical story of sisters who have been pitted against each other since birth. Yuriko's elder sister has no looks, but is the brains of the family, while Yuriko is beautiful, but dumber than a bag of hammers. While Yuriko goes through life charming everyone she meets, her sister grows increasingly upset that no one can see Yuriko for the monster she is. It was at this point that I almost put the book down. It quickly became apparent to me that this book was not a Ringu or Ju-On riff, and I wanted nothing more to do with it. However, a nagging little voice in the back of my head told me to keep going, that I would not be disappointed.             This next part I can tell you with full confidence that I will not spoil the story. Many years down the road, Yuriko has become an old, dried out prostitute. An illegal immigrant who is now going on trial for his crimes has murdered both her and a friend from school, another prostitute. Now, this is where the story really gets good. Kirino combines equal parts film noir, feminist literature, and good old-fashioned storytelling to get to the end of the case. Right from the start, we know who did it. Well, kind of. However, getting there is half the fun.             The story consists of four different narratives, which are each more interesting than the last. With Yuriko's older sister narrating, we see the lives of Yuriko, fellow prostitute Kazue, and would-be murderer Zhang. Like Rashoman before it, each narrative unfolds slightly differently so you can never tell the truth of the matter. Just like Kurosawa's masterpiece, the truth itself does not matter, as it is in the eye of the beholder. What matters is the believability of the subject at hand, which Ms. Kirino excels at amazingly. Her rendering of a Japan not everyone sees is amazing. The dilapidated housing, love hotels, and the sordid circumstances that would drive an intelligent and competent woman to sell her body spun around wildly in my head even after I finished the book.             I think the most complimentary thing I can say about this book is that it struck a chord with me. It is not that easy to do so, so when it happens, I am usually duly impressed. This book's fifth main character is loneliness. The kind of loneliness that most people around the world can identify with. Whether you come from money or from the gutter, loneliness is one of the most recognizable feelings in the world, and it plays a big part. From the elder sister who feels overshadowed by her younger sister, to the younger sister who cannot feel love but only wants sex, each character deals with their feelings of having been cast off by a society that does not like them, let alone love them.             If this is something that you can deal with, I strongly suggest you pick up Grotesque and read it for yourself. Like me, you may be overcome with a voice telling you to put the book down, but I say roll with it. You may just stumble into another world. A world where even all the lights of the Shibuya Terminal cannot light up the lives of many.