Naoko Paperback – 1 July 2004

I am addicted to all things Japanese and, by and large, I love Japanese fiction. I certainly enjoyed 'The Devotion of Suspect X' and would recommend it, but for me there is a big problem with 'Naoko': the translation. It's often an issue with Japanese novels: you can read three from the same series (that is, by the same author) enjoy two of them and find the third almost unreadable. 'Naoko' is certainly not unreadable, but it is very, very, VERY American. It is not a question, you will understand, of being a 'good' or a 'bad' translation. Kerim Yasar, the translator, is well-qualified and I assume that the translation is accurate ... but it's also very Merikan. I have no problem with American writing - I enjoy that too - but to my (English) ear this text is ... how can I put it? ... 'culturally insensitive'. It's not simply the occasional 'mom' where we might say 'mum' or 'mother'; the speech patterns, the phrasing, the feel of the prose all scream 'American'. I imagine that to an American reader terms like 'anyways' are neutral and not in the least distracting. I can only say that it felt like reading a novel by an American author and in this case that matters a great deal because, give or take a few (interesting) twists, the novel is essentially the working out of a fairly common theme: a woman inhabits the body of her teen-aged daughter. Unless it FEELS Japanese through and through, it's always going to be a very ordinary read?[Two things in passing: I had no problems at all with 'Suspect X', translated by Alexander Smith. And there are some howlers in this text ... 'He could HERE her giggle now and then.' (Page 190) NOT a big issue, but it makes you wonder?]

Can you imagine that you have a second opportunity to start your life all over again?You were thirty-six years old and suddenly you have only eleven, and all this things that you missed or you had liked to do or to experience, are again at your disposal, with the experience of a grown-up woman, but the youthfulness of a young woman with all her life to start.

I feel that Higashino extended a short story. The result is more fluffy than needed. Reading Naoko one month after reading his "Journey Under The Midnight Sun", which I consider it as his best book translated in English, I felt like stepping back. But his talent and ability to play with your brain is unique. Recommended.

This is the last Keigo Higashino book I've read and although I enjoyed it a lot it wasn't my all time favourite. I was sceptical about the concept having read the blurb and did wonder how it would keep me entertained for a whole book... But it did! I was suitably impressed. He has a fantastic writing style that shows in all his books and it just keeps you gripped throughout. Don't want to say anything more without giving anything way but definitely worth a read like all of his books!

This story has an unexpected twist at the end. Not a murder story like his other books but still keeps you on your toes. Would recommend it.

early work translated at last.enjoy...different to the more recent crime novels.

recipient pleased

I liked reading this one. Yes you can tell there are some translation issues, but these are minor and not necessarily throughout the book just here and there. Overall the novel is refreshing, i loved the ending too- not too weighted just enough to satisfy a sweet ending!