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Grotesque
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
30 posts | 28 read | 59 to read
Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to fit in.Years later, Yuriko and Kazue are dead both have become prostitutes and both have been brutally murdered. Natsuo Kirino, celebrated author of Out, seamlessly weaves together the stories of these womens struggles within the conventions and restrictions of Japanese society. At once a psychological investigation of the pressures facing Japanese women and a classic work of noir fiction, Grotesque is a brilliantly twisted novel of ambition, desire, beauty, cruelty, and identity by one of our most electrifying writers. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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review
SitsWithaBook
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Mehso-so

May be the strangest book I've ever read.

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Soytoosaucy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino

“A woman who does not know herself has no choice other than to live with other people‘s evaluations.”

“I suppose I‘m the one responsible for destroying myself.”

I haven‘t picked up a book in awhile (for what is a while for me) lol. I‘ve been drowning in being a care taker of everyone &everything. I just want everyone to know you cannot pour yourself into someone else‘s cup if your cup is empty! I‘m getting back to my self-care. ❣️

Yuki_Onna So good to hear from you again! 🤗 Well said - please look after you, will you? All the best to you! 💐 4y
Soytoosaucy @Yuki_Onna thank you for the kind words! I hope you are staying safe out there and doing well 🌷💓 4y
Yuki_Onna @Soytoosaucy You're very welcome! 😊I'm happy to hear from you again! - Thank you! I'm ok, but very tired - too much work... 😴 Take care 💜 4y
5 likes3 comments
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Minervasbutler
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Mehso-so

Fairly grim novel which takes the murder of two prostitutes as the starting point for an examination of Japan's class system and patriarchy, with especial focus on the sex trade. More than slightly spoiled for me by a pretty dire translation.

CaramelLunacy The wrong translations can really spoil a book 5y
54 likes1 comment
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EadieB
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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athorne
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
Bailedbailed

Yeeeeah this isn‘t happening. If the first 30 pages are pretty much exposition, I get bored. I might pass this one off.

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athorne
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Starting my third book for the #24B4Monday #readathon.

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amb
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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1. Orange
2. I just finished the most recent season of Gotham.
3. Grotesque, I wanted other people's thoughts
4. Depends on the burger if an option the works is available, I will take it. A local restaurant had one called The Flatliner, the only thing I have them hold is the Mac and cheese 😛
5. Yard sales and farmers market
#friyayintro @jesshowbooks

12 likes1 stack add
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amb
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Panpan

I understand that this translation from the original Japanese is flawed in its language and leaves out certain things "sensitive Americans" couldn't handle. All the same it was tedious, all the characters lied and contradicted one another, and none of them were likable. It was billed as a thriller but was more a study on the caste system in Japan and women's roles within it. I read to the end hoping for answers that never came.

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Yellowpigeon
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Well that's a very vivid description 😂🐡

Smrloomis 😂😂😂 7y
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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batsy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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#NeuroticSociety Angry women edition 🔥 Read Grotesque for a searing fictional take on the pressures and standards placed on women to become the best alongside the nonfiction books One-Dimensional Woman and King Kong Theory. The last two books are a combination of theory, philosophy, sociology and memoir to get at why things still suck on a large scale despite everyone telling us that it's gotten better.

#FierceFeb @Cinfhen

Cinfhen That cover is disturbing!!! 7y
Cinfhen And book sounds intense!!!! 7y
batsy It is @Cinfhen but really good. 7y
See All 7 Comments
Christine11 I want to read them all now ! 😊 7y
batsy @Christine11 They're wonderful reads, I recommend them all 😊 7y
Suet624 Have you ever shown us a photo of what must be many bookshelves? 7y
batsy @Suet624 😂 It's nothing like the pretty shelves of Litsy... Mine are triple stacked nightmares! 7y
90 likes8 stack adds7 comments
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ShookBelf
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Hunting through my She-Shed to find the HP books for my son to start reading and found boxes of books that have been packed up for years since we moved house. Brought all these ones into the house as I've not read any of them so my TBR list is even longer now! Love a surprise book find.
#booksbooksbooks #neverenoughshelves #readingtillidie #somanybookssolittletime

CatLass007 I have so many boxes packed with books from my last move in 1994. I know I would find plenty that I haven‘t read yet. And still I‘ve bought more books, of course. There‘s no room to unpack the ones I have. 7y
TrishB A Thousand Splendid Suns is amazing and 💔 7y
mellissimo The Book of Lost Things is so good and funny! 😍 7y
Ingerella Agree with @TrishB . A Thousand Splendid Suns is really good. 7y
Tianarose The Historian is really good! I‘m actually thinking I need to reread this one :) 7y
31 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Yellowpigeon
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Because I couldn't decide which part of my amazing gift from @JPeterson to highlight, I'm very thankful for collages!!!! Such an amazingly thoughtful gift! The little koalas have names. The little kitty sticker is a glitter kitten! Plus two books I've been putting of purchasing because my tbr pile is threatening local villages. 'continued. #summersolsticebookexchange

BookishMarginalia Koalas! 💜💜💜 8y
Yellowpigeon @JPeterson I'm really excited about the fifth season!!! I never got into sci fi but it's a gap I'm looking to fill. So a Hugo Award winner who happens to be a woman of color... I almost skipped work. So grateful for your thoughtfulness!! 8y
Yellowpigeon @JPeterson sorry for blowing up your phone but I'm wordy. I love the kitty yoga. When I try to do yoga at home, my cat likes to participate... By standing exactly where my feet need to go. So I'll read him this and how he gets the message😂 8y
drokka Love the koalas 8y
JPeterson @Yellowpigeon Yay! I'm glad you are enjoying everything! NK Jemisin is one of my favorite authors, I hope you enjoy! And that your kitty learns some yoga moves with you! 😸 8y
46 likes5 comments
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Baileythebookworm
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Back to #Riotgrams day 1. This is all the shelf space I currently have (except the shelves I cleaned off in my closet for books I've read) - I miss having all my other books. I'm hoping to have room for them soon, but we'll see how life shakes out.

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Alschager
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Said to be "daring and disturbing" sounds right up our alley @Liberty @FranzenComesAlive !! #Allisnotlost

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Vinjii
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Finally finishing this while waiting for my gf to come home so we can open gifts! (In Switzerland the 24th is the important day and the time to open gifts and despite having moved I'm holding on to that tradition ❤) Merry Christmas everyone.

RanaElizabeth Kirino's stuff is amazing. 8y
PurpleyPumpkin Merry Christmas to you too!🎄🎅🏼🎄 8y
See All 9 Comments
Kimzey Merry Christmas! 🌲🎁 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Enjoy🎄❤️ 8y
AmandaL Merry Christmas 🎄 8y
NatalieR Merry Christmas 🎄🎅🏻🎁 8y
LeahBergen Happy Holidays!! 8y
Bookladylinda Merry Christmas!!! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 8y
52 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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TNbooklover66
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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I don't own any books #notinenglish. I wish I spoke other languages but other than some high school French I don't. These are 4 books that were originally published #notinenglish that are on my 2017 TBR. #SeasonsReadings2016

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stephieanindita
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino

An old tree gives us inspiration in life. Strange, isn't it? The tree may look withered, but it's living just the same.

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Vinjii
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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I've not heard much about this one but my gf told me she liked it so this is today's read. The rest of the day is spent cleaning (I am fighting a battle against humidity in this house in winter) and preparing for NaNoWriMo.

bmsddk That stuffie 😍 Where can one find those? Wishing you the best with NaNoWriMo prep and cleaning! 8y
Vinjii @bmsddk Thank you. I bought it in Switzerland. It's from a German company named Sunkid. It's 10 years old at least. No clue I'd they still make it! 8y
45 likes2 comments
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prowlix
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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"I realized that my life took a turn down the wrong path when I entered the Q system in junior high and tried so hard to blend in with those who were born to power."

This book makes me so glad I'm no longer a teenage girl ?
#translatedbooks #Japanese

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prowlix
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Thoughts after ~100 pages: This book has unreliable, unlikeable narrator talking about the murder of her prostitute sister. There's a prestigious all-girls high school, cliques, and family drama.

I'm so here for this! 🤘

Alisnazzy I loved this book! 8y
34 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Vinjii
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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A stack of POC books for #septphotochallenge #somethingforsept - I realised I don't have many. I buy books mostly by picking out pretty covers and reading the blurbs in the genre section I'm in the mood for.

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Alisnazzy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
Pickpick

This is a weird book. There are some really good parts, but also some very dull moments. There are very very few likable characters. But maybe it's because I'm partial to Japanese culture, I still really liked this book. The translation was stellar and the way the book is laid out, you're constantly wondering whose accounts are the actual truth. 4🌟

RealLifeReading I kinda love Natsuo Kirino and all her very weird books! 8y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Alisnazzy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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I don't care if I'm called basic. I love pumpkin-flavored stuff. #BooksAndBrews

AWahle We are getting to my favorite time of year because I love pumpkin beers. Especially those from Elysian. 🎃 8y
BethFishReads Fallllllllll 8y
[DELETED] 3216391035 Oktoberfest & pumpkin brews are my favorites! 8y
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brendanmleonard Pumpkin beer is delish! 8y
katedensen Oh, man. Is it fall yet?? I don't let myself drink or eat pumpkin-flavored anything until I can wear boots. 8y
Melkyl It's still 90 degrees here, but I am already drinking pumpkin/Oktoberfest beer! 😊🍺 8y
Bookbeez Love pumpkin and Octoberfest beers! 8y
Hobbinol Once fall hits, I'm all about the hard ciders, but as for everything else: I go straight for the pumpkin every time! 8y
LauraBeth It's fall when Sam Adams says it's fall 🍂🍁 8y
MrsV Don't EVER be ashamed of the things you like! @Hobbinol the had disarms I love. I must confess I have never had any of the pumpkin beers, where should I begin my obsession? 8y
Ashley31 Sam Adams Octoberfest is BOSS! Good, good stuff. Also like my Schafly pumpkin 8y
JPeterson Here here! I have a pack of Pumpking sitting in my fridge already, waiting to be cracked open! 🍻 8y
TeR Embrace your inner pumpkin!😄🎃 8y
Readingrobin Love me some pumpkin beer! 8y
LisaJo PUMPKIN ROCKS!!!! Pumpkin beer rocks!!! 8y
Lynnsoprano I will never get your father to buy pumpkin beer😠 8y
Alisnazzy @Lynnsoprano just goes to show you can have a PhD but still have dumb beliefs. He's missing out with that "no fruit in beers" thing ? 8y
85 likes17 comments
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Alisnazzy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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#currentlyreading this and The Fireman. Liking both so far. Grotesque is fulfilling my love for Japanese culture and I'm looking forward to some "rocking chair on the front porch" reading this morning. #augustphotochallenge #augustofbooks

Blair_Reads It's finally cooled off enough so I'm outside this morning too! Cheers fellow reader ☕️ 8y
Alisnazzy Cheers!!! ☕️☺️ 8y
[DELETED] 3323341091 it is unfortunate that more of her work is not translated into english. 8y
67 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Alisnazzy
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Delving into the Japanese underbelly while little man throws his toys around. #momlife #exhausted #PoorElmo

76 likes2 stack adds
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RealLifeReading
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Yup still reading this. But today I'm eating beehoon (rice vermicelli) fried with cabbage and ham. Also spicy sambal eggplant and okra. Am distracted by the fact that Singapore just won its first (ever!) Olympic gold medal in the 100m butterfly! Whee! 🇸🇬

Christine That was such a great race (and your food looks and sounds amazing)! 8y
Annl Your food does look amazing and it was a great race. I think the torch has been passed in swimming. 8y
MrBook Interesting meal! @BookBabe and I watched it. They showed the pic of him and Phelps, amazing! Now he'll be a demigod to Singapore. 8y
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Imlostinbooks Singapore deserved it! Very exciting. And that food sounds scrumptious. You're always eating something I like or want to try! 8y
RealLifeReading @Christine @annl @mrbook @Imlostinbooks it was quite thrilling to watch! And how unique that there were three silver medalists! And yes if I'm not wrong the Singapore government will give him a million Singapore dollars (about 742,000 US$) 8y
Gissy Congratulations for the Olympic medal for your country! I feel the same since yesterday we won the first gold medal by Monica Puig 🇵🇷! 8y
RealLifeReading Thanks @Gissy ! How exciting for Puerto Rico too! Making history! Congrats! 8y
Procrastireader Yes, that was a great race. Also, he went to my High School (at Michael Phelps' recommendation!) so all alumni also jumping up and down! Yay Singapore! Yay Bolles! 8y
Procrastireader @Gissy Monica Puig was so excited I thought she was going to bounce right out of the stadium 😀👏👏👏 Great match! 8y
99 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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RealLifeReading
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Sneaking a few bites of dinner early so that I can read more of this book. The kids are watching Octonauts (evening is tv time here so I can cook in peace) and have asked for another episode so I might just eat this asparagus risotto while reading more of Yuriko's exploits. Can any two sisters despise each other more??

Mayread That picture is a study in contrasts. Your meal looks anything but grotesque. 8y
Onceuponatime Oh yum! That dinner looks amazing 8y
Notafraidofwords Your meal looks delish. 8y
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coffeenebula I had a Twix bar and red wine for dinner. Will you adopt me? 😉 8y
DebinHawaii Yum! 😀 8y
BookishFeminist This looks so good! The book and the food. 8y
Bookzombie @tanya42 lol. Your dinner sounds good too. 😀 8y
angrylilasian Haha! My kids get screen time when I'm trying to cook too. And this book sounds fascinating! 8y
readinginthedark Yum! I made my husband grill tonight, and my son was watching TV too, so I got reading time! Mine is so into Octonauts right now. 😋 He was telling me all about the different kinds of squids the other day. 8y
RealLifeReading @Skiles heh thanks for that! 8y
RealLifeReading @tanya42 two is more than I can handle already 😋 8y
RealLifeReading @angrylilasian what would I do without Netflix and Amazon video!? 😁 8y
RealLifeReading @readinginthedark Did you know that Octonauts started as a book? The books are pretty good reads too! 8y
readinginthedark @RealLifeReading I didn't! Thanks, I'll have to look those up! 8y
111 likes9 stack adds15 comments
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RealLifeReading
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Tuna sandwich, tea and a Japanese crime novel. What are you up to?

JacqMac Something similar. Chicken sandwich, tea and Liane Moriarty. lol 8y
KarenUK At my desk at work... Listening to 'you will know me' by Megan Abbott on audio :) 8y
Gayan At work with a chili cheese dog and Joe Hill's Fireman. 8y
See All 27 Comments
ImaginativeMom Unfrosted strawberry pop tarts (which my cat keeps trying to steal... weirdo), the Olympics, laundry, and A Burnable Book. 8y
ImaginativeMom @Gayan I wanna switch! 8y
Gayan Hey @ImaginativeMom I love to do laundry, I would totally do it. 😄 8y
ImaginativeMom @Gayan Ok, now that's crazy talk!! 😂😆😜 8y
MrBook Burger-with-pulled-pork and sweet potato tots leftovers. With Ranch sipping sauce, a Coke Vanilla, Chips Ahoy Chunky CC Cookies, and catching up with all my incredible Litsy friends 😁😎👌🏻👍🏻. 8y
RealLifeReading @Gayan @ImaginativeMom laundry is one of the chores I'm happy to do too! 😄 but a chili cheese dog sure sounds good 8y
MrBook *sipping = dipping 🙄 8y
RealLifeReading @JacqMac chicken sandwich yum! 8y
RealLifeReading @karenuk wow so you can work and listen to an audiobook?! 8y
RealLifeReading @MrBook my 3yo would agree that ranch is for sipping 😂 8y
MrBook @ImaginativeMom "A Burnable Book"!!! Yee-eesss ????! Hope you're enjoying it ?. 8y
MrBook 😂😂😂👍🏻 8y
ImaginativeMom @MrBook As it's beginning to come together, I am! I have no shame in admitting that the first 100ish pages I kept referencing the character list in the front thinking, "i don't understand!" Ha!! But now, he's starting to blow my mind. ? 8y
ImaginativeMom @RealLifeReading @Gayan It's not the actual doing. I mean, let's face it, the machine does all the work. It's the folding and staying after kids to put away! I know. The whine is strong with me. 8y
bookishkai At work with bowl of strawberry Cheerios and a local Palisades peach, and holding my breath until The Munchkin falls asleep; then I'll start a new book, since I finished one last night. 8y
AmandaL Avoiding helping my husband clean the house. 😳 8y
MrBook That's how I felt at the beginning. Same with the words and terminology, but then once you have it down it zooms along quite joyfully. 8y
Carol I believe we have the same plates 😂😂 8y
alisonrose Love her books! 8y
RealLifeReading @bookishkris a new book! Always exciting 8y
RealLifeReading @AmandaL hahaha I think in my house it's the opposite 8y
Carol Okay I think mine are Kohl's 😜 8y
110 likes4 stack adds27 comments
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Crash
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Some of my favorite Japanese, and non Japanese writers. There are a few on this pile that need to be read again it's been so long.

12 likes1 stack add
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Baileythebookworm
Grotesque | Natsuo Kirino
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Kirino's book Out is one of my all-time favorites. I'm looking forward to starting Grotesque today