가면무도회 1-2

Detective Kosuke Kindaichi #19

by Seishi Yokomizo, 요코미조 세이시, 정명원 (Translator)

긴다이치 코스케 시리즈. 대표작 <이누가미 일족>을 비롯하여 <옥문도>, <팔묘촌> 등 연이어 히트작을 선보이며 국내에서도 많은 팬들을 확보하고 있는 일본 본격 미스터리의 거장 요코미조 세이시. 그가 자신의 작품 중 최고라고 손꼽은 10편 중 하나인 <가면무도회>가 출간되었다.

국내에서는 시리즈 12번째 출간작인 <가면무도회>는 작가가 한차례 집필을 중단했다가 이후 10년 만에 완성한 대작이다. 말년에도 왕성한 집필활동을 펼쳤던 요코미조 세이시에게 일본 추리소설의 아버지 에도가와 란포는 "예순이 넘어도 장편소설을 쓰는 열정적인 작가"라는 찬사를 아끼지 않았으며, 요코미조 세이시 역시 먼저 세상을 떠난 에도가와 란포에게 이 작품을 헌정하며 깊은 우정과 존경심을 드러내기도 하였다.

긴다이치 코스케 시리즈 중 후기작에 속하는 본작에서는 초기작 <혼진 살인사건>나 <옥문도>처럼 독자의 감탄을 자아내곤 했던 정교한 트릭은 존재하지 않는다. 심지어 범인을 밝히는 역할마저 긴다이치 코스케의 몫이 아니다. 독자의 뒤통수를 치는 반전은 물론 '의외의 범인'이겠으나, 범인의 정체보다 더 놀라운 것은 사건 이면에 숨어 있는 갈등 구조다.

한 여성을 중심으로 정신 사나우리만큼 복잡하게 얽힌 인간관계와 파괴로 치닫는 갈등 자체가 이 작품의 모든 것이다. 사회파 추리소설이 맹위를 떨치던 당시 분위기의 영향으로 작가 역시 정교한 트릭보다 시대상의 묘사와 사회비판에 주목한 결과라고 할 수 있을 것이다. <가면무도회>는 요코미조 세이시라는 노대가가 사회파라는 거대한 조류를 맞아 어떻게 본연의 모습을 지켜가며 자신의 목소리를 들려주는지를 확인할 수 있는 인상적인 작품이다.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

375 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1986

About the author

Seishi Yokomizo (横溝 正史) was a novelist in Shōwa period Japan.
Yokomizo was born in the city of Kobe, Hyōgo (兵庫県 神戸市). He read detective stories as a boy and in 1921, while employed by the Daiichi Bank, published his first story in the popular magazine "Shin Seinen" (新青年[New Youth]). He graduated from Osaka Pharmaceutical College (currently part of Osaka University) with a degree in pharmacy, and initially intended to take over his family's drug store even though sceptical of the contemporary ahistorical attitude towards drugs. However, drawn by his interest in literature, and the encouragement of Edogawa Rampo (江戸川 乱歩), he went to Tokyo instead, where he was hired by the Hakubunkan publishing company in 1926. After serving as editor in chief of several magazines, he resigned in 1932 to devote himself full-time to writing.
Yokomizo was attracted to the literary genre of historical fiction, especially that of the historical detective novel. In July 1934, while resting in the mountains of Nagano to recuperate from tuberculosis, he completed his first novel "Onibi" (『鬼火』), which was published in 1935, although parts were immediately censored by the authorities. Undeterred, Yokomizo followed on his early success with a second novel Ningyo Sashichi torimonocho (1938–1939). However, during World War II, he faced difficulties in getting his works published due to the wartime conditions, and was in severe economic difficulties. The lack of Streptomycin and other antibiotics also meant that his tuberculosis could not be properly treated, and he joked with friends that it was a race to see whether he would die of disease or of starvation.
However, soon after the end of World War II, his works received wide recognition and he developed an enormous fan following. He published many works via Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine in serialized form, concentrating only on popular mystery novels, based on the orthodox western detective story format, starting with "Honjin Satsujin Jiken" (『本陣殺人事件』) and "Chōchō Satsujin Jinken" (『蝶々殺人事件』) (both in 1946). His works became the model for postwar Japanese mystery writing. He was also often called the "Japanese John Dickson Carr" after the writer whom he admired.
Yokomizo is most well known for creating the private detective character Kosuke Kindaichi (金田一 耕助). Many of his works have been made into movies.
Yokomizo died of colon cancer in 1981. His grave is at the Seishun-en cemetery in Kawasaki, Kanagawa (神奈川県 川崎市).

Reviews

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Хорошо завернул автор интригу, хотя и сложновато.
Бывшие мужья известной актрисы мрут как мухи. Да и в целом неясно, отчего они разводятся с вроде бы милой женщиной. Детектив Киндаичи расследует смерти последних двух мужей, контактировавших друг с другом незадолго до гибели. Рядом с погибшим нашли головоломку из спичек, но как она соотносится с произошедшим?

[Mizuki · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars at most. Clearly Masquerade is not Seishi Yokomizo at his best.

I like the description on the different landscapes of Karuizawa (a famous spot for vacation in Japan) and I kind of enjoy Yokomizo's writing. However, the murder mystery is so flat and dim it becomes a letdown. 300+ pages into the story, three guys are already dead and one guy is missing, but I still feel hardly any tension and urgency, then when the big revealing of the murderer's identity comes, I'm less than impressed.

[Ujin Benjaporn · Rating 4 out of 5]

จบได้สวยงาม เนื้อเรื่องลึกลับ ซับซ้อน เดาไม่ออกเลย อ่านสนุก หยุดไม่อยู่

[Serhiy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Вперше читав японський детектив. Загалом сподобалося: історія виявилася класичною - вбивства, обмежене коло підозрюваних. Проте японські імена змусили на два аркуші А4 виписувати родинні дерева та взаємозв'язки, щоб не заплутатися, хто кому брат чи сват.

[Stk Kindaichikungz · Rating 5 out of 5]

เป็นหนึ่งในตอนยาวที่สนุกดี ตั้งชื่อตอนได้น่าสนใจ แต่พออ่านแล้ว กลับไม่มีอะไรเกี่ยวกับงานเต้นรำสวมหน้ากากเลย จนอ่านไปยันตอนท้ายเล่มมันจะเฉลยว่าอะไรคือความหมายที่แท้จริงของ"งานเต้นรำสวมหน้ากาก" ถือว่าใช้ได้ครับตอนนี้

[Suwitcha Chandhorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

เล่มนี้ก็ยังคงแนวทางพล็อตซับซ้อนตัวละครมากหน้าหลายตาตามมาตรฐานของนิยายชุดนี้เอาไว้ได้ สิ่งที่เพิ่มเติมขึ้นมาคือตัวเอกต้องคาดเดาโดยไม่มีหลักฐานยืนยันชัดเจนมากขึ้นเกี่ยวกับปริศนาของคดี ตัวละครที่มีจำนวนมากจนเกินไปทำให้สับสนหลงทางได้ง่าย และดูเหมือนแต่ละตัวละครจะถูกพันกันไว้อย่างหลวม ๆ การทิ้งร่องรอยของแต่ละตัวละครเลยทำให้ต้องร้องในใจว่าอะไรวะหลายหน ท้ายเรื่องมีความพยายามทิ้งปริศนาไว้ให้จบแบบปลายเปิด (ให้ไปคิดต่อเอาเอง) สองสามจุด ก็เป็นเรื่องน่าแปลกใหม่แต่ไม่มีแรงดึงดูดให้คิดตามเท่าที่ควร

เช่นเคยถ้าจะต้องให้ดาวในตอนนี้คงให้ได้แค่สามดาวครึ่ง

[Morris Yen · Rating 5 out of 5]

不錯的作品，結局顛覆我原本的猜想。