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Um Crime na Terra das Sete Mil Ilhas
Ikigai Johnson, agente especial do FBI em Portland, promete levar à justiça um predador americano responsável por crimes brutais contra crianças nas Filipinas. Mas esta não é apenas uma história sobre a investigação: à medida que partilha os detalhes do caso com a sua filha de onze anos, Ikigai transforma os factos numa alegoria fantástica, onde a imaginação infantil se entrelaça com as sombras do mundo real.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2023
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October 2, 2023This book is fantastic. Why has it only got a handful of reviews? Why isn't everyone reading it? What the hell.
Right. So we have a police/legal procedural (author is actually in the FBI apparently so I'm assuming the details are right, they certainly feel compelling) about trying to nail a USian man for sexual crimes against children. After a case against a US girl fails, they start looking at his trips to the Philipppines, and Detective Ikigai Johnson (half Black half Japanese) heads out to try to track down his victims.
There's several strands to the story. The main narrator is Ikigai Junior, her daughter, who was 11 when this took place. Ikigai Senior is now missing presumed dead. Junior is attempting to put the details of the case together, because when her mother narrated the events to her, she did so as a kind of fairytale/fable.
So what we get is a tripartite structure of Senior's fable with magic and talking animals, Junior's experiences with her parents and friend at the time, and Junior now speaking to another detective and relating the fable to what actually happened. Sounds complicated, is not.
It also sounds potentially a bit twee or tasteless, telling a story about child sexual exploitation and desperate poverty by means of a fable. Again, no. It works really well because we can see the layers of protection and flinching away from awful truth and trying to preserve childhood in the mother's account. And it makes what could otherwise have been a shatteringly grim story something else, something that restores wonder and hope and the belief that we can kill dragons, which is what fairytales are for.
It's cleverly constructed and evocatively written, and faced hard things head on, and it's also a really marvellous, moving book. I cried on the Tube as I was finishing it--the Northern Line!--which says it all. Go get it.
Right. So we have a police/legal procedural (author is actually in the FBI apparently so I'm assuming the details are right, they certainly feel compelling) about trying to nail a USian man for sexual crimes against children. After a case against a US girl fails, they start looking at his trips to the Philipppines, and Detective Ikigai Johnson (half Black half Japanese) heads out to try to track down his victims.
There's several strands to the story. The main narrator is Ikigai Junior, her daughter, who was 11 when this took place. Ikigai Senior is now missing presumed dead. Junior is attempting to put the details of the case together, because when her mother narrated the events to her, she did so as a kind of fairytale/fable.
So what we get is a tripartite structure of Senior's fable with magic and talking animals, Junior's experiences with her parents and friend at the time, and Junior now speaking to another detective and relating the fable to what actually happened. Sounds complicated, is not.
It also sounds potentially a bit twee or tasteless, telling a story about child sexual exploitation and desperate poverty by means of a fable. Again, no. It works really well because we can see the layers of protection and flinching away from awful truth and trying to preserve childhood in the mother's account. And it makes what could otherwise have been a shatteringly grim story something else, something that restores wonder and hope and the belief that we can kill dragons, which is what fairytales are for.
It's cleverly constructed and evocatively written, and faced hard things head on, and it's also a really marvellous, moving book. I cried on the Tube as I was finishing it--the Northern Line!--which says it all. Go get it.
October 10, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up for the overall finished package. This was such a strange and engaging reading experience and a stunning debut.
As a content warning, this story is a heavy one, dealing with themes of intergenerational trauma, child sexual abuse, sex tourism and vulnerable peoples, and it doesn’t turn away from the pain and damage caused to the victim-survivors.
I thought that for some seriously heavy subject matter, the story was handled with a degree of respect and realism, which I think did the story justice, and this would make sense given it was written by an actual FBI agent apparently.
This story was written in a very unique way with two simultaneous timelines being explored in the story. A present day storyline told through Junior, which was grounded very much in the real world, and then a past storyline narrated by Ikigai told through the lense of a fantastical surrealist adventure. You wouldn’t think that these story styles would mesh and compliment each other and yet somehow they did.
I think Ikigai is a fabulous and complicated protagonist and there are a number of engaging and complex side characters that you are cheering on through the twists and turns.
I’ll be keen to see what else Zephaniah Sole will have to offer in the future.
As a content warning, this story is a heavy one, dealing with themes of intergenerational trauma, child sexual abuse, sex tourism and vulnerable peoples, and it doesn’t turn away from the pain and damage caused to the victim-survivors.
I thought that for some seriously heavy subject matter, the story was handled with a degree of respect and realism, which I think did the story justice, and this would make sense given it was written by an actual FBI agent apparently.
This story was written in a very unique way with two simultaneous timelines being explored in the story. A present day storyline told through Junior, which was grounded very much in the real world, and then a past storyline narrated by Ikigai told through the lense of a fantastical surrealist adventure. You wouldn’t think that these story styles would mesh and compliment each other and yet somehow they did.
I think Ikigai is a fabulous and complicated protagonist and there are a number of engaging and complex side characters that you are cheering on through the twists and turns.
I’ll be keen to see what else Zephaniah Sole will have to offer in the future.
January 13, 2024
Well, damn. I have just now finished reading this. I am feeling so sad, so horrified, so devastated, so depressed, so hopeful, and so admiring of this author. This author, an FBI agent who has the soul and sensitivity of a poet and a crusader. But this beautifully written book has to come with a trigger warning. It is, although sensitively dealt with, the story of a sexual predator, preying on young children and wreaking devastation on their lives. It is also the story of the FBI agent set on bringing him to justice, and that of her young daughter.
The story begins in Portland, Oregon, where we are introduced to the characters. A math instructor who misuses his position to sexually abuse children he is charged with helping and the Portland police and FBI agents out to get him. It also takes us to The Land of 7000 Islands, which would be the Philippines, a country comprising 7641 islands, 2000 of which are inhabited. The hunt for justice is beautifully written, a police procedural interspersed with an allegorical folk tale version of it that our main FBI agent character writes for her 11-year-old daughter to help her understand the situation without jarring graphic detail.
There is so much evil and ugliness in the world. But there are some beautiful people in it also, ready to be warriors against this evil.
The story begins in Portland, Oregon, where we are introduced to the characters. A math instructor who misuses his position to sexually abuse children he is charged with helping and the Portland police and FBI agents out to get him. It also takes us to The Land of 7000 Islands, which would be the Philippines, a country comprising 7641 islands, 2000 of which are inhabited. The hunt for justice is beautifully written, a police procedural interspersed with an allegorical folk tale version of it that our main FBI agent character writes for her 11-year-old daughter to help her understand the situation without jarring graphic detail.
There is so much evil and ugliness in the world. But there are some beautiful people in it also, ready to be warriors against this evil.
November 12, 2023
It should be illegal how little press this book is getting. This is easily one of the best books, if not the best book, I've read this year.
Superficially, this is a police procedural about trying to convict a man in the US for child molestation both in the US and abroad in the Philipines. We follow two main narrative strands - Ikigai junior who was 11 when the main story took place, now telling her mother's colleague about her mother's recounting of the events. Her mother, Ikigai senior, had told her about what was happening in the form of a fairytale to make it easier to understand for Junior.
The two strands are woven together so expertly and it works so well. It's truly so cleverly written and engaging. The language is fantastic, there is some surprising and needed moments of levity, and the book handles its very difficult topic with grace. Truly, so strongly recommend this book.
Superficially, this is a police procedural about trying to convict a man in the US for child molestation both in the US and abroad in the Philipines. We follow two main narrative strands - Ikigai junior who was 11 when the main story took place, now telling her mother's colleague about her mother's recounting of the events. Her mother, Ikigai senior, had told her about what was happening in the form of a fairytale to make it easier to understand for Junior.
The two strands are woven together so expertly and it works so well. It's truly so cleverly written and engaging. The language is fantastic, there is some surprising and needed moments of levity, and the book handles its very difficult topic with grace. Truly, so strongly recommend this book.
November 5, 2024
I will spoiler. The cover misleads. This is a book about child abuse and sex tourism. It is not an 'own voices' of the abused Filippinos' voices but of the American-Japanese woman FBI investigator. The author is a white man FBI investigator. Writing about minoritised others requires humility. At the least, a sensitivity reader and acknowledgements. Neither exists. There is no sense that sex abuse is a systemic ingredient of patriarchy. Everyone on the 'good' side shares outrage and so you lose nuance and the possibility (and necessity) of structural critique. Although of Japanese heritage, the American FBI is in the role of White Saviour, coming to a village that is represented in the language of poverty porn. The choice to tell part of the story as a twee fairy tale grates. This comes highly recommended but all I'm seeing so far is entitled cracks and flaws. Plus a gender-stereotypist description of a volcano as a woman.
May 29, 2025
Um crime na terra das sete mil ilhas é uma fusão entre investigação policial, fantasia e folclore. 😉
O autor escreve através do pseudónimo Zephaniah Sole e é atualmente agente do FBI, apesar de usar a sua experiência profissional para escrever sobre temas complexos neste livro, o autor utilizou metáforas e elementos fantásticos para suavizar os horrores reais que aqui são abordados.
Está é a história de Ikigai, agente do FBI que investiga um professor americano acusado de abusar de uma criança nos EUA e outras três nas Filipinas, para onde terá de viajar para conseguir o testemunho das vítimas, deixando a sua filha de 11 anos ao cuidado do pai. Mas como explicar a sua ausência a uma criança de 11 anos sem que esta perca a sua inocência? É aqui que os eventos reais são misturados com elementos fantásticos para dar origem a esta história, numa abordagem única e envolvente. 🥰
O livro aborda temas sensíveis, tais como o abuso infantil, desigualdade social e económica, traumas geracionais e turismo sexual.
As descrições das condições precárias onde estas crianças e famílias vivem são dolorosas e angustiantes.
A escrita do autor é inovadora, cativante e de grande sensibilidade.
A mudança entre realidade e fantasia pode ser um pouco confusa no início, mas rapidamente ficamos presos à história. No final somos surpreendidos com algumas revelações chocantes.👀
O autor escreve através do pseudónimo Zephaniah Sole e é atualmente agente do FBI, apesar de usar a sua experiência profissional para escrever sobre temas complexos neste livro, o autor utilizou metáforas e elementos fantásticos para suavizar os horrores reais que aqui são abordados.
Está é a história de Ikigai, agente do FBI que investiga um professor americano acusado de abusar de uma criança nos EUA e outras três nas Filipinas, para onde terá de viajar para conseguir o testemunho das vítimas, deixando a sua filha de 11 anos ao cuidado do pai. Mas como explicar a sua ausência a uma criança de 11 anos sem que esta perca a sua inocência? É aqui que os eventos reais são misturados com elementos fantásticos para dar origem a esta história, numa abordagem única e envolvente. 🥰
O livro aborda temas sensíveis, tais como o abuso infantil, desigualdade social e económica, traumas geracionais e turismo sexual.
As descrições das condições precárias onde estas crianças e famílias vivem são dolorosas e angustiantes.
A escrita do autor é inovadora, cativante e de grande sensibilidade.
A mudança entre realidade e fantasia pode ser um pouco confusa no início, mas rapidamente ficamos presos à história. No final somos surpreendidos com algumas revelações chocantes.👀
July 9, 2025
Este livro foi uma verdadeira surpresa. Desconcertante, comovente e absolutamente memorável.
É um policial/jurídico escrito por alguém que, ao que parece, é mesmo agente do FBI, o que confere à narrativa um realismo impressionante. A história acompanha a detetive Ikigai, uma mulher negra-japonesa que tenta levar à justiça um predador sexual americano cujos crimes, após falharem em solo americano, a levam a investigar as suas viagens às Filipinas. O que distingue este livro é a estrutura narrativa original: uma fábula contada pela própria detetive à filha de 11 anos, para a proteger da dureza da realidade, que se entrelaça com o relato da filha no presente, agora adulta, ao tentar compreender tudo o que aconteceu.
Pode parecer um risco contar uma história tão dura, abuso sexual infantil, pobreza extrema, turismo sexual, através de uma lente quase mágica, mas resulta. Guerreiros, tartarugas gigantes, aves míticas, todos servem como reflexos dos verdadeiros intervenientes na luta por justiça. Esta abordagem torna a leitura acessível, sem nunca desvalorizar a gravidade dos crimes. Funcionando como um escudo emocional e psicológico, tanto para a criança que a ouve como para o leitor. E é precisamente isso que transforma esta leitura: da brutalidade crua nasce uma mensagem de coragem, esperança e luta contra o mal.
A escrita é belíssima, evocativa e envolvente. A construção das personagens é rica e humana, com destaque para a própria Ikigai, uma protagonista complexa, corajosa e cheia de camadas. Ikigai é uma protagonista fabulosa e há várias personagens secundárias igualmente cativantes e bem construídas, que nos fazem torcer por elas à medida que a história avança. Também a filha, narradora parcial da história, oferece uma perspetiva única e emocionalmente poderosa.
Este livro merece muito mais atenção do que tem tido. Chorei no final e fiquei com aquela sensação rara de ter lido algo verdadeiramente especial. Não é uma leitura leve, longe disso, é um murro no estomago, mas é também profundamente recompensadora. Uma leitura arrebatadora, original e profundamente humana.
Leiam. Vale muito a pena. Nunca tinha lido nada assim.
Muito obrigada alma dos livros por mais um livro deslumbrante e inesquecível.
É um policial/jurídico escrito por alguém que, ao que parece, é mesmo agente do FBI, o que confere à narrativa um realismo impressionante. A história acompanha a detetive Ikigai, uma mulher negra-japonesa que tenta levar à justiça um predador sexual americano cujos crimes, após falharem em solo americano, a levam a investigar as suas viagens às Filipinas. O que distingue este livro é a estrutura narrativa original: uma fábula contada pela própria detetive à filha de 11 anos, para a proteger da dureza da realidade, que se entrelaça com o relato da filha no presente, agora adulta, ao tentar compreender tudo o que aconteceu.
Pode parecer um risco contar uma história tão dura, abuso sexual infantil, pobreza extrema, turismo sexual, através de uma lente quase mágica, mas resulta. Guerreiros, tartarugas gigantes, aves míticas, todos servem como reflexos dos verdadeiros intervenientes na luta por justiça. Esta abordagem torna a leitura acessível, sem nunca desvalorizar a gravidade dos crimes. Funcionando como um escudo emocional e psicológico, tanto para a criança que a ouve como para o leitor. E é precisamente isso que transforma esta leitura: da brutalidade crua nasce uma mensagem de coragem, esperança e luta contra o mal.
A escrita é belíssima, evocativa e envolvente. A construção das personagens é rica e humana, com destaque para a própria Ikigai, uma protagonista complexa, corajosa e cheia de camadas. Ikigai é uma protagonista fabulosa e há várias personagens secundárias igualmente cativantes e bem construídas, que nos fazem torcer por elas à medida que a história avança. Também a filha, narradora parcial da história, oferece uma perspetiva única e emocionalmente poderosa.
Este livro merece muito mais atenção do que tem tido. Chorei no final e fiquei com aquela sensação rara de ter lido algo verdadeiramente especial. Não é uma leitura leve, longe disso, é um murro no estomago, mas é também profundamente recompensadora. Uma leitura arrebatadora, original e profundamente humana.
Leiam. Vale muito a pena. Nunca tinha lido nada assim.
Muito obrigada alma dos livros por mais um livro deslumbrante e inesquecível.
May 22, 2025
Ikigai queria contar à filha de 11 anos a sua ida à Terra das Sete Mil Ilhas, por isso misturou realidade com fantasia e levou-nos de forma envolvente e ‘mais leve’. Ainda assim, houve partes da história que foram difíceis de ler. Este livro mostra-nos como o ser humano pode ser frio e cruel. Eram apenas crianças…
Um livro duro, que expõe realidades que sabemos que existem. Obriga-nos a reconhecer o quão privilegiados somos — e, mesmo assim, tantas vezes não estamos bem. Retirámos muitas lições destas páginas: murros no estômago, revolta, tristeza e muitas lágrimas nos olhos.
Este livro é poderoso, marcante e doloroso. Há frases que li e que nunca me vão sair da memória; há dores nestas páginas que ficaram cravadas em mim de forma profunda.
Um livro duro, que expõe realidades que sabemos que existem. Obriga-nos a reconhecer o quão privilegiados somos — e, mesmo assim, tantas vezes não estamos bem. Retirámos muitas lições destas páginas: murros no estômago, revolta, tristeza e muitas lágrimas nos olhos.
Este livro é poderoso, marcante e doloroso. Há frases que li e que nunca me vão sair da memória; há dores nestas páginas que ficaram cravadas em mim de forma profunda.
June 17, 2025
Um livro muito diferente e original. Não foi fácil para mim entrar no ritmo e na história. A forma como a protagonista relata e conta como tudo se passou à filha, foi inicialmente confuso para mim. Assim que consegui entrar, consegui apreciar a riqueza e profundidade da escrita.
Um relato duro e poderoso que unido à profundidade da escrita, à complexidades dos personagens e à vida nas Filipinas.
Para mim, o autor conseguiu respeitar o tema, conseguiu chamar à atenção para o mesmo e conseguiu fazer com que eu quisesse saber mais, dei por mim a pesquisar sobre o tema e sobre as brutalidades que estas pessoas sofrem.
No geral, foi uma boa leitura e uma boa surpresa. Conquistou-me. Fiquei curiosa por ler mais livros dos autor.
Um relato duro e poderoso que unido à profundidade da escrita, à complexidades dos personagens e à vida nas Filipinas.
Para mim, o autor conseguiu respeitar o tema, conseguiu chamar à atenção para o mesmo e conseguiu fazer com que eu quisesse saber mais, dei por mim a pesquisar sobre o tema e sobre as brutalidades que estas pessoas sofrem.
No geral, foi uma boa leitura e uma boa surpresa. Conquistou-me. Fiquei curiosa por ler mais livros dos autor.
June 17, 2025
Um livro que me surpreendeu muito pela positiva. Ao início estranhei a forma como é contada a história, com vários elementos de fantasia. Mas no fim achei que estava escrito com muita sensibilidade! Não estava à espera de me emocionar tanto. O final foi surpreendente.
TW: Aborda temas muito pesados como abuso sexual de crianças e turismo sexual.
TW: Aborda temas muito pesados como abuso sexual de crianças e turismo sexual.
September 4, 2023
When I saw the book blurb for A Crime In The Land Of 7,000 Islands I was intrigued by the description of it being a mix of police procedural and fantastical allegory, not a partnership you often see together. Sometimes these unusual combinations don’t really work, but Zephaniah Sole has written an amazing read that left me breathless. Set in Portland America and the Philippines this is the story of Ikigai, an FBI Agent wanting to bring justice to children in both the USA and the Philippines who have been abused by Evan Campbell. Narrated by her daughter Ikigai (Junior) who tells the story as her mother told her in terms of folklore and allegory.
What really stood out for me reading this book was the writing, it is sublime. It’s not easy to take such a horrific crime, and tell the story in a way that is in no way graphic but in a tale of Warriors seeking justice. Ikigai uses her Japenese heritage and folklore to tell her eleven year daughter why she has been away so long. I loved that the aeroplane was a Crane, a boat was a huge Sea Turtle, the FBI were Warriors and a Hindu Warrior, Garuda who takes messages bewtween Portland and the Philippines. Using this type of language was her way to protect her daughter from the true horrors of the case and was what I loved most about this book. The crime element has a lot of tension and suspense, as Ikigai and her team in America try to get the evidence required to put Campbell away but seem to face a lot of dead ends. Through the book the idea of identity, acceptance, freedom and heritage, its importance and how it differs between countries.
Ikigai is a wonderful and complex character who is trying to juggle being an FBI Agent with being a mother to her daughter Ikigai aka Junior. It is intersting following her journey to the Philippines as it is the first time she is in a place she feels she belongs; in terms of language and appearance. She is a strong and determined woman who sees it as her mission to put Campbell away, and will go to any lengths to do that. Whilst in the Philippines she seems to change, she sees the reality of these horrific crimes but also sees the beauty of the landscape; a juxtaposition of beauty and the ugliness of the crime. The whole experience changes her, meeting the children and their families, their harsh existence and the everyday difficulties they face. There are a wonderful and diverse cast of supporting characters including her daughter Junior, who sees her mother as the Warrior from her stories but is having a difficult time herself.
A Crime In The Land Of 7,000 Islands is a unique and hard hitting read. I loved this original mix of crime procedure and a touch of fantasy, it worked really well. Ikigai was such a strong character, whose tenacity in this case truely makes her a warrior in my eyes. The prose is beautiful, which is strange in a book about a crime of child molestation, but it I liked that there was no graphic detail and that the allegory used told the story in a more subtle way. I found myself completely absorbed in this book and a week after finishing it I still find myself thinking about it. I highly recommend this book, its origionality and prose make it a fantastic read.
What really stood out for me reading this book was the writing, it is sublime. It’s not easy to take such a horrific crime, and tell the story in a way that is in no way graphic but in a tale of Warriors seeking justice. Ikigai uses her Japenese heritage and folklore to tell her eleven year daughter why she has been away so long. I loved that the aeroplane was a Crane, a boat was a huge Sea Turtle, the FBI were Warriors and a Hindu Warrior, Garuda who takes messages bewtween Portland and the Philippines. Using this type of language was her way to protect her daughter from the true horrors of the case and was what I loved most about this book. The crime element has a lot of tension and suspense, as Ikigai and her team in America try to get the evidence required to put Campbell away but seem to face a lot of dead ends. Through the book the idea of identity, acceptance, freedom and heritage, its importance and how it differs between countries.
Ikigai is a wonderful and complex character who is trying to juggle being an FBI Agent with being a mother to her daughter Ikigai aka Junior. It is intersting following her journey to the Philippines as it is the first time she is in a place she feels she belongs; in terms of language and appearance. She is a strong and determined woman who sees it as her mission to put Campbell away, and will go to any lengths to do that. Whilst in the Philippines she seems to change, she sees the reality of these horrific crimes but also sees the beauty of the landscape; a juxtaposition of beauty and the ugliness of the crime. The whole experience changes her, meeting the children and their families, their harsh existence and the everyday difficulties they face. There are a wonderful and diverse cast of supporting characters including her daughter Junior, who sees her mother as the Warrior from her stories but is having a difficult time herself.
A Crime In The Land Of 7,000 Islands is a unique and hard hitting read. I loved this original mix of crime procedure and a touch of fantasy, it worked really well. Ikigai was such a strong character, whose tenacity in this case truely makes her a warrior in my eyes. The prose is beautiful, which is strange in a book about a crime of child molestation, but it I liked that there was no graphic detail and that the allegory used told the story in a more subtle way. I found myself completely absorbed in this book and a week after finishing it I still find myself thinking about it. I highly recommend this book, its origionality and prose make it a fantastic read.
April 27, 2023
It only took a few pages for me to be absolutely hooked on the story of FBI agent Ikigai Johnson and her journey to the Philippines to seek justice for a group of children abused by an American, Evan Campbell. The book could have been written as a straightforward police procedural because the author, Zephaniah Sole , used to be an FBI agent himself. Instead he has forgone that well-trodden path and transformed A Crime In The Land Of 7,000 Islands into something beguilingly unique: a Japanese folk tale populated by fearless warriors, a statuesque Amazon, great white cranes, a turtle and a sweet magical bird who goes to sleep just when he is needed most.
Although this tale forms the backbone of the book as Agent Johnson's daughter, Junior, seeks to piece together the fantastic and the fact of the Philippines case, we flip between Junior recounting her mother's mystical version and the procedural story as told by Ikigai's Amazon colleague Geri Bradford; each fleshing out each other's incomplete narratives. Weaving through this story is another tale of Junior's early teens and her struggle to grasp something that is always just out of reach in her mind. With the help of her friend Lily and her mother's skilful story-telling, Junior begins to piece together her own fragmented memories.
So why the fairytale approach? It's not the most obvious way to write about pedophile sex tourism and that is precisely why Agent Johnson carefully crafted this tale as a pitch-perfect way to speak to her young daughter about the case; to ensure that her own daughter's psyche was not another life scarred by Campbell's malevolence. It's not just Junior Johnson who is grateful for this device in the book because as soon as there is any hint of child sexual exploitation in a plot, I'll put a book down and not pick it up again. Zephaniah doesn't want that to happen to his readers and I promise you that you will be led sensitively through the twists in the Grimm dark by the heroes of the tale.
Evan Campbell is a true monster. Calculating and wicked, he knows how to play the system and tries to outsmart the dogged detective work that seeks to stop him. Ikigai and two warrior colleagues, Mickey and Hari, must find the children in the Philippines and get them to the US to testify. But it's not going to be easy.
As the book progresses we can see that these two worlds, the mythical one of warriors and amazons and the real one of painstaking FBI police work, do not exist in separate universes, they actually overlap in the shape of the Emperor's Ghost. This character exists in the mind of Ikigai in the real world just as much as he exists in the fable and helps sew everything together into a cohesive unit, building to a satisfying resolution for the reader. But not without the odd twist and turn that every good story should have.
So, the six million dollar question: did I enjoy it?
Despite the gravity of the subject matter, I really loved this book. I've never read anything written like this before and it cast a spell over me. The folk tale approach works beautifully, in my opinion: Characters like Evan Campbell should only exist in myths and fairytales, but in our world they slink through the slums of lands far, far away and ruin young lives with calculating ease. Thank God we have warriors and amazons to track them down too. In the hands of a lesser story-teller, the Japanese fairytale aspect could quickly have become laboured or ridiculous but the beautifully constructed language and characters will have you turning the pages until late into the night. I look forward to more meetings with Ikigai Johnson.
*** I was sent this book to review and I am so glad to have read it ***
Although this tale forms the backbone of the book as Agent Johnson's daughter, Junior, seeks to piece together the fantastic and the fact of the Philippines case, we flip between Junior recounting her mother's mystical version and the procedural story as told by Ikigai's Amazon colleague Geri Bradford; each fleshing out each other's incomplete narratives. Weaving through this story is another tale of Junior's early teens and her struggle to grasp something that is always just out of reach in her mind. With the help of her friend Lily and her mother's skilful story-telling, Junior begins to piece together her own fragmented memories.
So why the fairytale approach? It's not the most obvious way to write about pedophile sex tourism and that is precisely why Agent Johnson carefully crafted this tale as a pitch-perfect way to speak to her young daughter about the case; to ensure that her own daughter's psyche was not another life scarred by Campbell's malevolence. It's not just Junior Johnson who is grateful for this device in the book because as soon as there is any hint of child sexual exploitation in a plot, I'll put a book down and not pick it up again. Zephaniah doesn't want that to happen to his readers and I promise you that you will be led sensitively through the twists in the Grimm dark by the heroes of the tale.
Evan Campbell is a true monster. Calculating and wicked, he knows how to play the system and tries to outsmart the dogged detective work that seeks to stop him. Ikigai and two warrior colleagues, Mickey and Hari, must find the children in the Philippines and get them to the US to testify. But it's not going to be easy.
As the book progresses we can see that these two worlds, the mythical one of warriors and amazons and the real one of painstaking FBI police work, do not exist in separate universes, they actually overlap in the shape of the Emperor's Ghost. This character exists in the mind of Ikigai in the real world just as much as he exists in the fable and helps sew everything together into a cohesive unit, building to a satisfying resolution for the reader. But not without the odd twist and turn that every good story should have.
So, the six million dollar question: did I enjoy it?
Despite the gravity of the subject matter, I really loved this book. I've never read anything written like this before and it cast a spell over me. The folk tale approach works beautifully, in my opinion: Characters like Evan Campbell should only exist in myths and fairytales, but in our world they slink through the slums of lands far, far away and ruin young lives with calculating ease. Thank God we have warriors and amazons to track them down too. In the hands of a lesser story-teller, the Japanese fairytale aspect could quickly have become laboured or ridiculous but the beautifully constructed language and characters will have you turning the pages until late into the night. I look forward to more meetings with Ikigai Johnson.
*** I was sent this book to review and I am so glad to have read it ***
July 28, 2024
I'm not sure what I was thinking when I bought this because it's been so long and then I didn't read the synopsis to remind myself. This book is too heavy for me to read. Child sexual abuse isn't something I want to read about anyway and I definitely don't want any words to be wasted on the perpetrators in these stories so this was never a book for me.
But also I'm not into the writing and storytelling. So this is a DNF in chapter 1.
But also I'm not into the writing and storytelling. So this is a DNF in chapter 1.
September 5, 2023
This is a truly stunning book, it was beautifully honed and a perfect mixture of reality blended with fantasy. I have never read a book like it before and I doubt I will again. I already think that this will be my book of 2023 as it will take a lot to knock it off its perch.
This book tells the tale of Ikigai Johnson a Special Agent working in the FBI in Portland. She becomes involved in a case of child abuse by a local teacher, a man who has also partaken in sex tourism in the Philippines. Amidst this case, Ikigai has to explain to her eleven-year-old daughter why she is leaving her and promises to tell her the reasons when she returns. Ikigai spins an allegorical fantastical tale of her time in the 7000 islands and why she is there. Her story exposes injustices, exploitation, inequality and trauma.
The main theme of this book is child abuse but it is dealt with in such a way that although it is confronting, it's palatable. This is a tale of warriors chasing lost innocence, the battle between good and evil. A mixture of modern reality and the tales and myths of East Asia. I'm finding this book really hard to review as it is so unique and I don't want to say too much as it would spoil the magic and the beauty of it. So I will stick to facts. Ikigai is a warrior, working to bring justice to those being hurt by others. Her daughter Junior seems innocent for an eleven-year-old and when she asked her mum why she was leaving, Ikiagi says she will tell her the reasons why when she returns. In order to make her understand she spins her story into a mixture of truth and fantasy.
The author has managed to create something special in this book. I know it will stay on my shelf for my lifetime and I will recommend it to everyone. The standard of writing blew me away. I don't think I looked up once while reading this book. I was mesmerized by its writing, its tone and its narrative. There is not one negative thing to say about this book. I just thoroughly enjoyed!
Let me know if you pick it up.
This book tells the tale of Ikigai Johnson a Special Agent working in the FBI in Portland. She becomes involved in a case of child abuse by a local teacher, a man who has also partaken in sex tourism in the Philippines. Amidst this case, Ikigai has to explain to her eleven-year-old daughter why she is leaving her and promises to tell her the reasons when she returns. Ikigai spins an allegorical fantastical tale of her time in the 7000 islands and why she is there. Her story exposes injustices, exploitation, inequality and trauma.
The main theme of this book is child abuse but it is dealt with in such a way that although it is confronting, it's palatable. This is a tale of warriors chasing lost innocence, the battle between good and evil. A mixture of modern reality and the tales and myths of East Asia. I'm finding this book really hard to review as it is so unique and I don't want to say too much as it would spoil the magic and the beauty of it. So I will stick to facts. Ikigai is a warrior, working to bring justice to those being hurt by others. Her daughter Junior seems innocent for an eleven-year-old and when she asked her mum why she was leaving, Ikiagi says she will tell her the reasons why when she returns. In order to make her understand she spins her story into a mixture of truth and fantasy.
The author has managed to create something special in this book. I know it will stay on my shelf for my lifetime and I will recommend it to everyone. The standard of writing blew me away. I don't think I looked up once while reading this book. I was mesmerized by its writing, its tone and its narrative. There is not one negative thing to say about this book. I just thoroughly enjoyed!
Let me know if you pick it up.
November 22, 2025
4++ (leva um + extra pela capa lindíssima)
Tenho pena de o ter lido em português... ainda assim, superou de longe as minhas expectativas.
É capaz de ser um dos livros mais originais que já li.
“E o Tagagawas era um tipo esquisito. Faltava à sua voz a alegria no vento que entra e sai com a nossa respiração. E caminhava sobre a terra como se acreditasse ser maior do que o mundo inteiro.”
“- Então, porque é que somos fortes, Júnior?
- Para podermos ajudar os fracos — murmurei, tendo já passado por isto.
- E porque é que ajudamos os fracos? — perguntou ela.
- Para aprender que talvez eles não sejam tão fracos.
- E?
- E que talvez nós não sejamos tão fortes.”
“Dizia muitas vezes que odiava a minha mãe. Mas, pelo menos, dizia-o. Por vezes até o gritava. Na cara dela. E a mãe aceitava o meu ódio. Segurava-o e erguia-o para que eu o olhasse. Batia-o, esticava-o, tingia-o e tecia-o num cobertor ou numa história.
- Estás bem, miúda? — perguntou o pai, cansado.
- Sim - respondi, tão cansada como ele. Não estava bem. Nesse momento, odiava-o. E era um ódio que nunca diria em voz alta.”
“- E és exatamente uma guerreira de quê, ser pequeno? Por que causa perdida lutas tu?”
“Compreendes o que te digo? Quando tomares uma decisão, toma-a no espírito da Integridade, e avança. Não te incomodes a tentar compreender o que o mundo faz em resposta, porque essas coisas estão fora do teu controlo.”
“Nessa aldeia estão sempre a construir coisas. Há sempre trabalhos na construção: muitas coisas para construir e consertar. Mas nunca consertam a aldeia.”
“- Alguém magoa uma criança, qualquer criança - continuou Ikigai — e atravessa o meu caminho? Farei o que for preciso. Nada, absolutamente nada, me impedirá.
- Não tenho mais perguntas, Meritíssimo - repetiu o Defensor.
- Ikigai... — alertou o Juiz.
Mas Ikigai continuou, a sua voz ficando mais sonora e mais doce ao mesmo tempo. Porque, sob as suas palavras, existia o rugido de uma tigresa, a erupção de uma Bela Senhora, o riso de rapazes a jogarem patintero, o grito nos olhos de uma menina, a promessa feita a um galo de luta.”
Tenho pena de o ter lido em português... ainda assim, superou de longe as minhas expectativas.
É capaz de ser um dos livros mais originais que já li.
“E o Tagagawas era um tipo esquisito. Faltava à sua voz a alegria no vento que entra e sai com a nossa respiração. E caminhava sobre a terra como se acreditasse ser maior do que o mundo inteiro.”
“- Então, porque é que somos fortes, Júnior?
- Para podermos ajudar os fracos — murmurei, tendo já passado por isto.
- E porque é que ajudamos os fracos? — perguntou ela.
- Para aprender que talvez eles não sejam tão fracos.
- E?
- E que talvez nós não sejamos tão fortes.”
“Dizia muitas vezes que odiava a minha mãe. Mas, pelo menos, dizia-o. Por vezes até o gritava. Na cara dela. E a mãe aceitava o meu ódio. Segurava-o e erguia-o para que eu o olhasse. Batia-o, esticava-o, tingia-o e tecia-o num cobertor ou numa história.
- Estás bem, miúda? — perguntou o pai, cansado.
- Sim - respondi, tão cansada como ele. Não estava bem. Nesse momento, odiava-o. E era um ódio que nunca diria em voz alta.”
“- E és exatamente uma guerreira de quê, ser pequeno? Por que causa perdida lutas tu?”
“Compreendes o que te digo? Quando tomares uma decisão, toma-a no espírito da Integridade, e avança. Não te incomodes a tentar compreender o que o mundo faz em resposta, porque essas coisas estão fora do teu controlo.”
“Nessa aldeia estão sempre a construir coisas. Há sempre trabalhos na construção: muitas coisas para construir e consertar. Mas nunca consertam a aldeia.”
“- Alguém magoa uma criança, qualquer criança - continuou Ikigai — e atravessa o meu caminho? Farei o que for preciso. Nada, absolutamente nada, me impedirá.
- Não tenho mais perguntas, Meritíssimo - repetiu o Defensor.
- Ikigai... — alertou o Juiz.
Mas Ikigai continuou, a sua voz ficando mais sonora e mais doce ao mesmo tempo. Porque, sob as suas palavras, existia o rugido de uma tigresa, a erupção de uma Bela Senhora, o riso de rapazes a jogarem patintero, o grito nos olhos de uma menina, a promessa feita a um galo de luta.”
May 1, 2023
I have to admit that this isn’t the usual type of book that I would normally pick up. Whilst I do love crime, I tend to shy away from fantasy so wasn’t sure what to make of this one when reading the description but it sounded appealing so thought I would give it a try.
Ikigai is a FBI special agent of which the story is mainly chapters with her fulfilling her promise to her daughter, Ikigai Junior, of telling her why she had to go to the Philippines and what it was she was doing there. As her daughter is only a child herself in the past, Ikigai tries to soften the barbaric actions of a man she is determined to see behind bars for the numerous abuse he has carried out on children.
Whilst the nature of the story to do with abuse is quite a sombre one, it is so much more than that. There are also chapters with Junior who has to deal with not having her mum around of which her mum is very different in her beliefs to her dad and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. I had a lot of admiration for Ikigai. It is never an easy job to be away from your child for months but Evan Campbell is a character who you hope will never see the light of day again for his heinous crimes.
A Crime in the Land of 7,000 Islands was a book I went into with an open mind. It is far from your stereo typical crime thrillers yet I enjoyed the gentleness in how it is told. I wasn’t sure if the mythical side of things would work for me but it did. It reminded me of all the tales I would read as a child and you can’t help but get swept away with Ikigai and her colleagues being made into warriors, of which technically they are as they are fighting for the greater good. An absorbing story that you can’t help but lose yourself into.
My thanks to Black Spring Press for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Ikigai is a FBI special agent of which the story is mainly chapters with her fulfilling her promise to her daughter, Ikigai Junior, of telling her why she had to go to the Philippines and what it was she was doing there. As her daughter is only a child herself in the past, Ikigai tries to soften the barbaric actions of a man she is determined to see behind bars for the numerous abuse he has carried out on children.
Whilst the nature of the story to do with abuse is quite a sombre one, it is so much more than that. There are also chapters with Junior who has to deal with not having her mum around of which her mum is very different in her beliefs to her dad and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. I had a lot of admiration for Ikigai. It is never an easy job to be away from your child for months but Evan Campbell is a character who you hope will never see the light of day again for his heinous crimes.
A Crime in the Land of 7,000 Islands was a book I went into with an open mind. It is far from your stereo typical crime thrillers yet I enjoyed the gentleness in how it is told. I wasn’t sure if the mythical side of things would work for me but it did. It reminded me of all the tales I would read as a child and you can’t help but get swept away with Ikigai and her colleagues being made into warriors, of which technically they are as they are fighting for the greater good. An absorbing story that you can’t help but lose yourself into.
My thanks to Black Spring Press for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
May 13, 2024
I picked this up on a whim at the library, and I’m so glad I did. This mystery has some tough subject matter (crimes against minors) and generational trauma, but there was some very creative storytelling that moved this story along for me, and I ended up really enjoying. Ikigai Johnson is a half black, half Japanese FBI Agent who gets pulled into a case of an American man who traveled to the Philippines and conducted heinous acts. We jump around perspectives between Ikigai, one of her colleagues in the Portland police dept, the criminal, and Ikigai’s 11 year old daughter. Much of the book is actually Ikigai recounting the travels to and work for the case, but she retells it as if all the players are ancient folklore characters. This makes the darkness of the situation less intense, and it flips back and forth between “present day” and the storytelling.
Something that I was really impressed with was the author is a current FBI agent himself, and he was inspired to write this to show some of the work he and his colleagues have had to deal with. I saw in an interview he gave that there are some similarities between him and the main character. Though described as a thriller, I disagree…but it was still a page turner and a very unique book.
Something that I was really impressed with was the author is a current FBI agent himself, and he was inspired to write this to show some of the work he and his colleagues have had to deal with. I saw in an interview he gave that there are some similarities between him and the main character. Though described as a thriller, I disagree…but it was still a page turner and a very unique book.
September 13, 2023
Wow! This is a thicc book and it shows with the level of detail and story that is given to you, by the author. As stated by the trigger warning, there is some violence against minors, in this book, but it is all part of the flow of the story and isn’t thrown in your face. The topics covered are gritty and real, really hitting home some of the things that are actually taking place in our world at the moment. It is open and explains it in a way that really hits you in the heart.
It’s hard to feel love in a time where the story is so hard hitting, but I did absolutely love this book. It is dark, but it is honest and has such a brilliant level of detail and underlying story. It is beautifully written and really tells the story well. You are connected to the book, from the start and then become truly invested in knowing what happens. It was brilliant.
It’s hard to feel love in a time where the story is so hard hitting, but I did absolutely love this book. It is dark, but it is honest and has such a brilliant level of detail and underlying story. It is beautifully written and really tells the story well. You are connected to the book, from the start and then become truly invested in knowing what happens. It was brilliant.
June 30, 2023
There are so many good reasons to read this book.
If you like realism in your crime novels, here it is. Relationships between local PD and the FBI, computer forensic analysis described in a way anyone can understand, the legal moves and countermoves.
For me it is the author's approach to telling the story that really nailed it. The combination of fantastical elements with real-life experiences, occasionally (not always) explained is perfectly executed.
I don't read much of crime or thrillers. I find most of them unbelievable based on my time at the FBI. But Sole is (still!) an FBI Special Agent, and one who knows how to write complex material in a way that's easy to read. Well done.
If you like realism in your crime novels, here it is. Relationships between local PD and the FBI, computer forensic analysis described in a way anyone can understand, the legal moves and countermoves.
For me it is the author's approach to telling the story that really nailed it. The combination of fantastical elements with real-life experiences, occasionally (not always) explained is perfectly executed.
I don't read much of crime or thrillers. I find most of them unbelievable based on my time at the FBI. But Sole is (still!) an FBI Special Agent, and one who knows how to write complex material in a way that's easy to read. Well done.
June 14, 2025
“Um crime na terra das sete mil ilhas” de Zephaniah Sole é um thriller diferente do habitual.
Este livro relata a história de Ikigai Johnson, agente especial do FBI em Portland, que se depara com um predador de crianças.
Ikigai é uma mulher dura e justa, que luta pela verdade e para a verdade, nada a consegue demover no seu propósito de levar este predador perante a justiça.
Um predador inteligente que preparou os seus crimes de forma a poder safar-se.
Será que Ikigai, a guerreira, irá conseguir ser mais inteligente? Far-se-á justiça?
PONTOS FORTES:
- escrita bonita
- leitura viciante
- história contada de forma muito original
- duas linhas temporais
- história dura, mas emocionante
- reviravoltas
PONTOS FRACOS:
- Nada a registar
Este livro está escrito de uma forma maravilhosa, apesar de ser um thriller, tem uma parte muito bonita, que diminui a dureza da história: a parte em que uma mãe transmite à sua filha de onze anos, um relato duro e pesado de uma forma ligeira e cheia de amor. Achei este livro fantástico.
Read
June 11, 2025Se esperam um livro que se lê de forma voraz, desenganem-se.
Para mim foi uma leitura lenta.
Com um enredo duro, mas muito bem construído, não temos elementos escritos ao acaso, temos no tempo certo da leitura para que nos vá aguçando a curiosidade ao longo do livro.
Temos aqui um agente especial do FBI, Ikigai Johnson, que investiga um predador americano que é responsável por crimes brutais contra crianças nas Filipinas, e não descansa enquanto não o entregar á justiça.
Ikigai tem uma filha de 11 anos, com quem partilha os detalhes do caso.
Na medida em que o caso se vai desenrolando vamos também acompanhando as audiências de julgamento, os depoimentos.
E o desfecho poderá ser surpreendente.
Para mim foi uma leitura lenta.
Com um enredo duro, mas muito bem construído, não temos elementos escritos ao acaso, temos no tempo certo da leitura para que nos vá aguçando a curiosidade ao longo do livro.
Temos aqui um agente especial do FBI, Ikigai Johnson, que investiga um predador americano que é responsável por crimes brutais contra crianças nas Filipinas, e não descansa enquanto não o entregar á justiça.
Ikigai tem uma filha de 11 anos, com quem partilha os detalhes do caso.
Na medida em que o caso se vai desenrolando vamos também acompanhando as audiências de julgamento, os depoimentos.
E o desfecho poderá ser surpreendente.
June 13, 2025
"Um crime na terra das sete mil ilhas"
Fui completamente às cegas para este livro, e que bela surpresa. É um livro que me deixou a refletir muito sobre o quanto sou abençoada pela vida que tenho.
É um livro duro que nos mostra uma realidade muito triste das Filipinas.
Ikigai é uma agente do FBI e procura provas para resolver um crime, mas deixa para trás sua filha com seu ex-marido. A única condição da filha é que , no seu regresso, a mãe lhe conte o que foi fazer.
Quando Ikigai volta, conta à filha o que , afinal, foi fazer, mas suas palavras são delicadas e ela faz isso de maneira suave. Eu nunca li uma fantasia, mas tive um gostinho de como é, pelas palavras desta mãe. Este livro tem uma passagem que me marcou bastante e vou levar, sem dúvida, para o resto da vida.
Fui completamente às cegas para este livro, e que bela surpresa. É um livro que me deixou a refletir muito sobre o quanto sou abençoada pela vida que tenho.
É um livro duro que nos mostra uma realidade muito triste das Filipinas.
Ikigai é uma agente do FBI e procura provas para resolver um crime, mas deixa para trás sua filha com seu ex-marido. A única condição da filha é que , no seu regresso, a mãe lhe conte o que foi fazer.
Quando Ikigai volta, conta à filha o que , afinal, foi fazer, mas suas palavras são delicadas e ela faz isso de maneira suave. Eu nunca li uma fantasia, mas tive um gostinho de como é, pelas palavras desta mãe. Este livro tem uma passagem que me marcou bastante e vou levar, sem dúvida, para o resto da vida.
Read
December 30, 2025Este livro é diferente. É um livro sobre uma investigação do FBI contado a uma criança.
Ikigai é uma agente que tem de encontrar testemunhos para prender um pedófilo. Mas a missão dela é mais do que isso quando tem de contar à filha porque se vai ausentar de casa durante meses. Então, ela inventou uma forma de lhe contar transformando este trabalho numa alegoria. E nós vamos acompanhando a história infantil que ela criou e o que aconteceu na realidade.
Nunca estamos à espera de tirar lições de livros como este e muito menos de sublinhar ou marcar páginas. E neste acontece e vale ler pela beleza das palavras.
Relativamente ao caso em si não me encheu as medidas. Esperava revelações mais obscuras. Queria ter-me chocado mais.
Ikigai é uma agente que tem de encontrar testemunhos para prender um pedófilo. Mas a missão dela é mais do que isso quando tem de contar à filha porque se vai ausentar de casa durante meses. Então, ela inventou uma forma de lhe contar transformando este trabalho numa alegoria. E nós vamos acompanhando a história infantil que ela criou e o que aconteceu na realidade.
Nunca estamos à espera de tirar lições de livros como este e muito menos de sublinhar ou marcar páginas. E neste acontece e vale ler pela beleza das palavras.
Relativamente ao caso em si não me encheu as medidas. Esperava revelações mais obscuras. Queria ter-me chocado mais.
September 19, 2023
A Crime in the Land of 7000 Islands by Zephaniah Sole is a powerful debut which which absorbs you till end. At first, the story gives you a feel of a mythical story which eventually toggles between past and present. The concept is something new and excites you. There are a lots of police procedures which builds up the plot well. I liked the folklore touch which creates an atmosphere of mystery. I would say the book is worth a one time read. Thanks to Random Things Tours for providing me with an opportunity to read and review the book.
Read more on https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
Read more on https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
May 16, 2023
Sole is a fresh, bold and exciting new voice in crime fiction. It was a brave narrative choice to use allegory to cover such a difficult theme - and as I began to read I wondered, initially, if this was going to be effective. And it very much was - the author trod the line between the fantastical and the quotidian with skill and care - and once the story unfolded you could see why he chose to tell the story in this way. Beautiful, and powerful - can't wait to see what ZS does next.
May 29, 2024
4.5⭐ - one of the most devastating books I've ever read and also one of the most unique in style. Beautifully written, gut wrenching, and also somehow hopeful. The subject matter is dark and it manages to handle it very well. Honestly not sure what to say except that I feel a little bereft upon finishing. Just really well done.
August 27, 2023
I loved this - absorbing, evocative, powerful and riddled with tension. The symbolism and imagery were extraordinarily well crafted. The child abuse themes may dissuade some readers but it is handled sensitively and expertly.
November 19, 2023
Wow, this is a powerful book. It was a very fast read and that was a combination of the flowing writing style and the fact I couldn't put it down. I can't believe there are so few reviews. It deserves more publicity.
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