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.
Genres of writing are different tools to question the world. Like science fiction is used to question the big concerns for future and the universe, detective novels are used to question humanity and psychology and society. Though of course science fiction can also be used to question humanity, which is I believe a big part of science fiction, however, detective novels are questioning humanity on quite a smaller scale, and I believe that is also more effective. For the questioning of humanity in science fiction has got to have something to do with the future, perhaps a crime related to a future technology, perhaps the madness the world sinks into at times of crisis. However, the detective novels are here and now, it is a question posed to the criminal inside every one of us. One might call it childish to read detective novels, but a detective novel writer really did his job, he should be providing to some degree, literature to this world.
Higashino's books, I would not say are too literary works, for most of his books, are of simple descriptions but a strong plot. However, I do believe this book contained both and was done very beautifully. Japan has lots of other famous detective novel writers, mostly a few decades ago, so written very elegantly and precisely and dramatically. But yet again, if we are to challenge humanity and display it to the people of the 21st century, I believe a language closer to our time will be more suitable. For it makes the sense of distance fade, and all that's left will be the true question of who we are, not just who some guy a century ago was like. Someone can write about a crime a century ago, but the impact that these detective novelists seek will not be found in the words of past, but in the language of the humans now. We have to challenge the criminal as not only an individual but also the individual's role in a society, and society changes, so, books will too, for writers gain inspirations from the world around them.
Higashino told a story of around twenty years, and in these twenty years, new technologies appeared, and new crime opportunities have risen, such as the illegal selling of video games. These crimes get bigger and bigger because it went from Space Invaders to Mario, and the reason for people's preferences in them is because of some ancient things in their genes: The attraction to colors, the desire to rid of boredom. All these parts of humanity are displayed with new technology, yet was not quite seen clearly, nobody saw how much they are helping crime, and even if they did, they didn't care, for people are as selfish as the criminals who sold them. As human. But what does that have to do with the modern society? Well, we are entering an age where pleasure dominates the truth. We are fed all these dizzying information that our minds overload and chooses to filter into the candies in the pile of vegetables, the pleasures, the things the bodies sees best. We are in an age of spin, of frenzy, of a time where criminals can easily manipulate the humans in people. They are the fishermen and we are the fish. I find it very funny that in a place like Japan, where it is very orderly and polite, such things can still happen on such a large scale. Though yet again, it is the age of spin, and heritage and traditions can be thrown out the window by the new generation for the new world. But the new world is very, very empty, and if one lives in the forever present at a time like this, who knows where one will be? Like Christians seek for the bible, we should all seek for some knowledge in the world a little less crazy, a little clearer so that at last we will see the light of day, and not walk into the white night.
Do not go gentle into that good night
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
The crime story is quite shocking in its power of imagination, and in its details about evil. It was unfortunate this is all conceivable in the world we live in. Where is the boundary of human evil?
I usually find stories that spread into two books lengthy, however, this story is exceptional. It really does take up two books to build up the plots and characters, yet with a fast pace, unexpected ending which is kind of semi-open to leave you think more about the nature of human. A fantastic read. Love it!
Extremely touching, the 絆 between Yukiho and Ryouji. その人を絶対に守ると言う気持ち is quite common to see in Japanese novels, TV series, movies and so on. What I like the most about it is, everything is implied - 留白と言うものです. There is no direct expression of emotions, feelings or sensations. We are left to imagine and savor what the protagonists are experiencing in those dramatic moments. Throughout the novel there was no direct description of what has exactly happened to and between Yukiho and Ryouji, but that is indeed unnecessary :)
In addition I really like the narrative techniques of Keigo Higashino. The novel is divided into chapters and smaller sections, and usually there's a dominant, quasi-protagonist-ish character, from whose perspective a certain series of events are seen, usually spanning a few sections. It produces a fragmented view of the big picture, and the reader is expected to cobble up all small fragments together. It makes the reading experience a bit more active, rather than totally passive.