[Book Selection] I gave my all to share tips on choosing books with a friend who said, 'There are too many mysteries, I don't feel like I can choose one that suits me' <Night 4> - Iyami (Unpleasant Mystery) and Writing Style -

~Know your own preferences so you can say 'I'm glad I read this'~
~I want to share it! The bottomless charm of mystery~
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<Night 3> is here ↓↓↓

*Hereafter, honorifics for author names are omitted. Book data will be noted at the end.

*I am speaking strictly from books I have read and titles I like. Regarding mystery book selection, everything is just the personal opinion of a book lover.

*I will mention recommended works, but the theme is strictly tips and ways of thinking about book selection.
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(1) What you absolutely should not do as a reading/mystery beginner is... (emphasizing)

Eimi: Well then, continuing from last time, we're talking about why you didn't click with 'Motherhood', 'First Love', and 'The Devotion of Suspect X' even though they are all masterpieces, Miki.Why didn't they click... even though they are all masterpieces is the topic, right?

Miki: Yes, as a summary so far,it was revealed that 'my preference is for mysteries that move the human heart rather than authentic mysteries that solve puzzles logically'. Also, that I'm not good at novels with complex structures.

Eimi: That was revealed on the second night.

Miki: Also, it seems I like Mizuki Tsujimura's 'Arrogance and Kindness' and Miyuki Miyabe's 'All She Was Worth'... though I haven't read them yet.

Eimi: Based on your tastes, I think you'll like them.

Miki: So,the most unfortunate thing is to read a book that doesn't match your preferences and reading skills, get discouraged, and think 'reading isn't for me', right?

Eimi: Yes, that's right. When someone wants to try reading a book, I hope to water that feeling and help it bloom. There are definitely books and authors that suit you. Since you want to enjoy reading, Miki, you must never nip that bud!

Miki: You're as desperate as ever...
Eimi: With that said, let's get into the main topic!

(2) Know whether you can get comfortable with the genre called 'Iyami' (unpleasant mystery)

*I will basically be talking about these works without spoilers, but I will touch on the content, so please be careful if you are concerned.

Eimi: First, let's talk about the book Miki chose at the bookstore,Kanae Minato's 'Motherhood'.

Miki: Yes, this one. The blurb said,'A story (mystery) revolving around a mother and daughter' and I was intrigued, thinking it was a story that would reveal whether the daughter falling was an accident or suicide, or if the mother tried to kill her or loved her... and so on.

Eimi: For you, Miki, therelationship between mother and daughter was the key point, right?
Miki: You know me well.
Eimi: Parental love is a theme you like, after all.

Miki: Because it feels real to me. This is just my own guess, but regardless of the truth behind the daughter's fall, I imagined a mystery resolution like,'In the end, the mother did love her daughter,' 'It was just a clumsy kind of love,' and so on.

Eimi: So you read it expecting to be moved, and maybe even cry at the end?

Miki: Yes... but it was different. Even though I read it to the end,which one was it in the end? Did they find happiness? What is happiness? I was just leftfeeling all muddled and confused...

Eimi: I guess it wasn't what you expected.

Miki: What kind ofaftertaste do other people get from this?

Eimi: Miki... listen calmly.Kanae Minato is called the 'Queen of Iyamisu'.

Miki: ...Iyamisu?
Eimi: It meansmysteries that leave you with an unpleasant feeling.
Miki: Oh no.

Eimi: Iyamisu is a genre where authors intentionally depict the dark, messy parts of human love and hate, and while it leaves you feeling unpleasant, it's the kind of thing whereyou just can't stop turning the pages. There are quite a few authors who primarily write Iyamisu, so I'd like you to look into that later.

Miki: That happens a lot in movies and dramas, doesn't it? You think 'Whoa' at the end, but it was interesting and addictive. Is this the novel version of that...

Eimi: So in a sense, Miki, you read this novel correctly. That muddled aftertaste. The fact thatit can be interpreted in many ways depending on the reader is the charm of 'Motherhood', and it's also a story that seems to depict the space between love and cruelty.

Miki: I understand that, but Iwanted to read something that gets resolved clearly...

Eimi: In your answer to the question on the second night, you said, 'I prefer a happy ending whenever possible' and 'I like endings that feelsomewhat hopeful,' didn't you?

Miki: Is it common knowledge that Kanae Minato writes Iyamisu? What does it say about me that I chose this book without knowing that, even though I like happy endings...

Eimi: No, isn't thatthe case for everyone when it comes to genres they didn't know before? For example, did you know it's better not to plant eggplants next to tomatoes in a home garden? Is that common knowledge?

Miki: That's sudden... I actually knew that.

Eimi: I've been planting them next to each other for years, but I happened to learn about it on TV recently. It was just by chance, you know? I hadn't even tried to look it up.

Miki: Let's pull ourselves together and move on...
Eimi: By the way, I love Iyamisu!

(3) A little effort is all it takes! Let's look up the 'writing style'

Eimi: Next up is Rio Shimamoto's 'First Love'.

Miki: Just to confirm, Rio Shimamoto isn't an 'iyamisu' author, right?

Eimi: You're getting paranoid (laughs). Rio Shimamoto is an author of pure literature and romance novels in terms of genre.

Miki: Wait, a romance novelist?

Eimi: Don't you know 'Narratage' or 'Red', which were made into movies?
Miki: I've seen them...

Eimi: That Rio Shimamoto wrote 'First Love', a mystery that depicts the breakdown of a family through an incident, and I think the original work caught your eye, Miki, because it won the Naoki Prize and was made into a movie.

Miki: I think the only thing I had in my head was 'a mystery about a parent and child'...

Eimi: I read it too, but you were expecting it to be neatly solved with 'this is why such an incident happened', weren't you? You were even prepared to be a little moved by it.

Miki: Seriously, that was me.

Eimi: However, this work isn't that straightforward.

Miki: Yeah, it's a story about what the motive was for Kanna, a college student arrested for killing her father, but as I learned more about the environment she grew up in... it was kind of painful.

Eimi: For me, in the courtroom scenes, the accumulation of questions from the defense to unravel Kanna's heart and her answers to them were thrillingly interesting as a psychological mystery.

Miki: I get that, but in the end, the mystery solving felt a bit vague, didn't it?

Eimi: It's a matter of the heart, so I think impressions vary from person to person. That's why, Miki, didn't it just not click because it hit somewhere other than the emotions or impressions you had unconsciously prepared?

Miki: ...I guess so. But hearing you talk, I understand now. If the author is a romance novelist, the theme was love. A twisted, painful love, though.

Eimi: It gave me a lot to think about, though. Anyway, it just wasn't the right work for you at this moment.

Miki: In the end, does this mean I should have known the author from the start when choosing books? Sigh...

Eimi: Sometimes things happen that you never expected. Don't worry about it! I also just recently learned that you shouldn't plant Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae plants together.

Miki: Ah, home gardening... there's also the issue of crop rotation, so you should be careful.

Eimi: So, what I want to recommend to you, Miki, is to look up the author's writing style or characteristic traits, even if just a little. You can search on your smartphone while wandering around a bookstore.

Miki: No, actually... I felt it was a hassle to look up 'what kind of author' or 'writing style' for every book that caught my interest. Is it wrong to want to enjoy things more casually?

Eimi: It's not wrong. But when you think about matching yourself with a book, I want you to keep in mind that a little bit of effort leads to successful book selection.

Miki: That's the one we did in the first night on the theme 'matching books and people is like matchmaking'...

Eimi: Well, it's not as big a deal as matchmaking, but it means valuing what kind of feelings you want to have through reading. Works called 'masterpieces' or 'classics' don't suit everyone.

Miki: Right, I'm the type of person who wants to read a mystery and think, 'That was an interesting puzzle, and I felt a little saved!'

Eimi: It would be good to ask book lovers 'is it basically a happy ending or a sad ending?' or check 'spoiler-free' reviews just for that.

Miki: Certainly, just doing that would likely lower the chance of feeling heavy after finishing.

Eimi: Oh no! I remembered one question I should have asked you on the second night!

(4) Whether or not you desire 'the resolution of all mysteries' as a reader

Miki: What is it?

Eimi: A follow-up question to clarify your preferences, Miki."Do you want a clear answer to every mystery presented in a novel?"

Miki: Ah...

Eimi: For example, there's an author named Riku Onda, known for works like "Night Picnic" and the Naoki Prize-winning "Honeybees and Distant Thunder." Have you heard of her?
Miki: Weren't both of those made into movies? I feel like I've seen them.

Eimi: Yeah. Riku Onda is a master of youth novels and gothic horror, and she's a very versatile writer, but she also writes mysteries. "The Fruit Sinking in the Sea of Wheat" or "Eugenia" are probably popular ones. But as for her style, it's unique, with a chilling horror touch or a slightly unsettling fantasy feel...

Miki: Assuming from your previous question, does that mean not all mysteries are solved?

Eimi: You're quick! Yes, sometimes they end leaving you wondering what actually happened. So for someone like me who loves hard-boiled puzzle-solving, there are parts that feel lacking as a mystery. But the immersive feeling while reading her fantastical worldviews is just exceptional. Like, 'Oh, I don't want it to end!'

Miki: In other words, for someone like me who "wants all mysteries revealed and to feel satisfied because it's called a mystery," it's not for me...

Eimi: I wouldn't say that, but it's a case of knowing what you're getting into before you read. I know I'm harping on this, but if you're used to reading, you can just go, 'Oh, so that's what kind of story this was, on to the next book,' and move on easily.

Miki: Certainly, if it were me, I'd be left feeling fuzzy, like 'Wait, what about that mystery in the end?' and 'It wasn't what I expected...'. I'm starting to understand why Eimi is so desperate saying 'It's a waste to give up reading because of that.'

Eimi: By the way, I love "The Sixth Sayoko"!

(5) The fun of encountering diverse authors and styles using "mystery solving" as an entry point

Eimi: Getting back to the point, there's one thing we learned from Rio Shimamoto's 'First Love'. That is, authors who don't specialize in mystery also write mysteries sometimes.

Miki: Now that you mention it, that's true. Is that common?

Eimi: It's quite common. Well, the fact that any work is published at all means the author has extraordinary talent, right?

Miki: That's true. Even for singers, I think it's amazing just to have one hit song.

Eimi: What I mean is, when you happen to find a work that catches your interest, do a little research, and if the author isn't a mystery specialist, there's a possibility it's not the kind of puzzle-solving novel you generally imagine.

Miki: Certainly, I get the feeling it won't be about a famous detective gathering everyone to solve a mystery, or about alibis and locked rooms.

Eimi: Somehow, Miki... you've become familiar with the world of mystery. I'm happy for you.
Miki: I'm growing every day, you know.

Eimi: So, if you're okay with that, I definitely want you to read it. I think that from the author's perspective, they chose the puzzle-solving method to better convey their theme, and that's exactly why it can become a masterpiece that touches the reader's heart.

Miki: What are some concrete examples of such works?

Eimi: Let's see... what pops into my mind based on my preferences is, for example, Maha Harada's 'Canvas of Paradise'.

Miki: I've heard of that! It's about art, right? I actually quite like videos that explain art.

Eimi: Yeah, it delves into a painter named Henri Rousseau, and it's a mystery where two curators appraise a certain painting to see if it's a genuine work by Rousseau or a forgery.

Miki: Is that a book you can enjoy even if you're not knowledgeable about art or paintings?

Eimi: Yeah. I'm almost completely ignorant about art, but after reading this, I realized it's okay to enjoy art through the artist's life and the background of how the work was created, and I was moved.

Miki: I'm also interested in the mystery of the Mona Lisa. Van Gogh's Sunflowers are also mysterious, aren't they?

Eimi: Maha Harada has also written novels about Van Gogh's life and Picasso's Guernica.

Miki: I'm starting to think that sounds interesting...

Eimi: Also, recently I read Keiichiro Hirano's 'A Man', which was also made into a movie, and I was struck by its weighty writing style.

Miki: I saw the movie 'A Man'. It was sad, but I thought that these things probably happen in the world, and I cried at the end...

Eimi: The movie was good, wasn't it? In the original novel, I felt the themes of what is the self, and what is the boundary between oneself and others even more strongly.

Miki: It was a story about someone who despaired of life and wished to become a different person, right?

Eimi: When I looked up what kind of author he was, I found out he is someone who advocates a view of humanity called 'dividualism'.
Miki: Dividualism?

Eimi: I'd like you to check Keiichiro Hirano's official website for details, but simply put, it's the idea that a single person is 'a collection of multiple personalities that differentiate according to the other person and the situation'
. I realized this flows at the root of his works.


Miki: ...That's a bit of a difficult topic, but I feel like I'm a completely different person when I'm at work versus when I'm at home.Eimi: That means all of them are the real Miki
, right?


Miki: That's deep... but does it mean that there's another world spreading out beyond a single book?Eimi: That's right! When you encounter things like that, you feel that 'reading is interesting,' and when a writing style touches your heartstrings, you might become a fan of the author

.

Miki: Writing style, huh... I understand it logically, but I don't know if I can reach that point yet. Eimi: That's fine. I just want you to keep it in mind. What I want to convey to Miki right now is, after all, I don't want you to choose books that don't match your current reading skills or preferencesthat
.
Miki: That's true. From now on, when I find a book I'm curious about, I'll lightly look up what kind of writing style the author has



.
Eimi: By the way, Keiichiro Hirano is also the author of 'At the End of the Matinee,' which was made into a movie.
Miki: Oh, really? That mature love story? That's surprising, but it might be okay to start reading from there. Eimi: It's fine to have many entry points of your own
, right!

(6) Unpleasant mysteries are also one face of mystery

Eimi: Thinking about everything we've talked about, if you compare the mystery genre to a single person, maybe 'unpleasant mysteries' (iyami) are just one personality, or a differentiation of the genre.

Miki: Is that how you see it? (laughs) It's not that I deny the dark side of human nature that's written about in unpleasant mysteries. It's just that I'm not good at reading about that in novels...

Eimi: I think it's natural for some people to feel that way. Writing reaches the reader's sensibilities directly after all. But if you read 'Motherhood' or 'First Love' later on, after you've gotten more used to reading, your impression might change... Come to think of it.

Miki: Did you remember something else?

Eimi: There is a mystery written by an author who isn't a mystery specialist that has a huge impact. Miki, you should know it too.
Miki: Whose and what is it?

Eimi: When I was in high school, I heard someone say 'Natsume Soseki's Kokoro is a kind of mystery-solving novel', so I read it.

Miki: Wait, Kokoro is a mystery?

Eimi: No, it's not (laughs). But you could say it's a story about solving the mystery of why the person the young protagonist admires as 'Sensei' came to have that kind of outlook on life.

Miki: Isn't it true that the whole second half is just a 'letter'?
Eimi: That entire letter corresponds to what you'd call the resolution chapter

.
Miki: Does it resolve cleanly?Eimi: The mystery of 'what happened' is solved, but it's intense, it leaves you feeling unsettled emotionally, and the aftertaste might be bad
.
Miki: ... So Natsume Soseki's Kokoro is the ultimate unpleasant mystery
?

Eimi: Well, it's interesting to think of it that way (laughs).

Miki: Hearing that, I do feel like the distance between me and Natsume Soseki has shrunk by a millimeter.Eimi: In my case, I feel like I'm accessing authors of other genres from the base of mystery, but I think that if everyone has their own starting point or base, the range of book selection might expand
.


Miki: The idea of a 'reading base' might still be a bit difficult for me.Eimi: I think 'starting with your favorite author' is fine. If you read one book and think you like this person, try reading a few more

, and once you get used to it, try reading 'another author who writes about similar themes.' You'll start to understand, 'This part is similar, but this part is different...' I think that's what a writing style is.

Miki: I can do that! Start with a favorite author.
Eimi: Miki, I think you're heavily into Mizuki Tsujimura and Miyuki Miyabe right now. Also, I think Keigo Higashino is easy to read if you choose the right books.


Miki: ...Wait, by the way, what about the talk on Keigo Higashino's 'The Devotion of Suspect X'?
Eimi: Sorry, we're out of time today. I'm really sorry!Miki: Oh no.

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Eimi: We'll talk all about Keigo Higashino in the fifth night. But just one thing... Miki, your preference, to repeat, was for human-interest mysteries rather than orthodox ones, right?

Miki: Yes, I want to be moved by the mystery solving, but I'm not good with complex stories.

Eimi: If you were to read a series by Keigo Higashino, I think it would be Kyoichiro Kaga rather than Galileo.

Miki: Kyoichiro Kaga?

Eimi: Yes, Miki-san, you're a Kaga fan.

Miki: I was a Kaga fan...

Eimi: I'm a fan of both.

Miki: To be continued!

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[Today's points for reading skills and avoiding books that don't suit your taste]

・Know the genre of unpleasant mysteries. Even if the author isn't from that genre, there are works with bad aftertastes, so be careful if you don't like them.

・Authors who aren't mystery specialists sometimes write mysteries. In that case, the work often strongly reflects their writing style.In some cases, they place more importance on other themes than on a clean resolution of the mystery

・Reading spoiler-free reviews and the like makes it easy to understand whether the story is 'a clean mystery-solving type' or 'has highlights in other areas.'

・You might encounter authors or works other than mysteries by using mystery as an entry point.

・Find a favorite author and try to be a little conscious of expanding your book selection based on that.

[Fifth Night Preview]
Popular authors you can't go wrong with... but be careful just at the entrance!
How to choose Keigo Higashino ↓↓↓

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The beginning of everything...<Night 1>is here↓↓↓

What kind of mystery makes you excited?<Night 2>is here↓↓↓