2020년 3월 히가시노 게이고의 작가 데뷔 35주년을 기념해 전 세계에 동시 출간된 《녹나무의 파수꾼》의 속편 《녹나무의 여신》이 이번에도 일본과 동시 출간된다. 전편은 500쪽이 넘는 긴 분량에도 불구하고 흡인력이 대단하다는 호평을 받으며 국내 베스트셀러에 올랐다.
전편에서는 불우한 가정환경에서 자라 절도범이 된 레이토가 녹나무 파수꾼으로 일하며 녹나무의 신비한 기념 의식에 관해 알게 되고 개과천선하는 과정을 다뤘다면, 《녹나무의 여신》은 레이토가 여러 사람과 만나 우여곡절을 거듭하며 기적의 새로운 의미를 찾아가는 내용이다. 봄바람만큼 따뜻한 감동과 반전을 일으키며 언제든 곁에 두고 읽기 좋은 소설이다. 그러다 보면 이 착한 이야기가 우리를 신비롭게 물들일 수 있기를.
Keigo Higashino (東野 圭吾) is one of the most popular and biggest selling fiction authors in Japan—as well known as James Patterson, Dean Koontz or Tom Clancy are in the USA.
Born in Osaka, he started writing novels while still working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co. (presently DENSO). He won the Edogawa Rampo Prize, which is awarded annually to the finest mystery work, in 1985 for the novel Hōkago (After School) at age 27. Subsequently, he quit his job and started a career as a writer in Tokyo.
In 1999, he won the Mystery Writers of Japan Inc award for the novel Himitsu (The Secret), which was translated into English by Kerim Yasar and published by Vertical under the title of Naoko in 2004. In 2006, he won the 134th Naoki Prize for Yōgisha X no Kenshin. His novels had been nominated five times before winning with this novel.
The Devotion of Suspect X was the second highest selling book in all of Japan— fiction or nonfiction—the year it was published, with over 800,000 copies sold. It won the prestigious Naoki Prize for Best Novel— the Japanese equivalent of the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize. Made into a motion picture in Japan, The Devotion of Suspect X spent 4 weeks at the top of the box office and was the third highest‐grossing film of the year.
Higashino’s novels have more movie and TV series adaptations than Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum, and as many as Michael Crichton.
Melanjutkan kisah Reito di buku pertama sebagai penjaga pohon kamper, kali ini ia dihadapkan dengan kenyataan terburuk bahwa bibinya Chifune mengidap demensia. Di lain sisi ada anak yang mengidap penyakit serupa tapi bedanya setiap ia tidur ingatan di hari sebelumnya akan hilang.
Ya singkatnya begitulah kurang lebih mirip sama cerita pertama dimana si mc bantu memecahkan masalah yang berhubungan sama kuilnya. Kali ini engga berekspektasi tinggi lagi soal bukunya, ternyata benar bahkan judulnya ga begitu nyambung sama isinya.
A surprising improvement of a sequel on an already iconic first book, "Megami" focuses more on Ryūto's relationship with Chifune and on growth. Having matured into the job at Tsukisato, Ryūto has grown significantly and begins to carry the will of the Camphorwood to help others. The wholesome brotherly relationship between Ryūto and Motoya, Chifune's bittersweet fate, and the group effort to bring a children's book to life all make for a calm, heartwarming, yet persuading page-turner.
Though not typically a fan of mystery as a genre, this book becomes intwined with a hint of it, while keeping the thread of a day-in-the-life vibe that made the first book "Bannin" so enjoyable. This book hit me where I least expected it, and it made me cry harder than I had reading any book prior.