闇祓

by Mizuki Tsujimura, 辻村深月

あいつらが来ると、人が死ぬ。 辻村深月、初の本格ホラーミステリ長編!

「うちのクラスの転校生は何かがおかしい――」
クラスになじめない転校生・要に、親切に接する委員長・澪。
しかし、そんな彼女に要は不審な態度で迫る。
唐突に「今日、家に行っていい?」と尋ねたり、家の周りに出没したり……。
ヤバい行動を繰り返す要に恐怖を覚えた澪は憧れの先輩・神原に助けを求めるが――。
身近にある名前を持たない悪意が増殖し、迫ってくる。一気読みエンタテインメント!

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Fantasy, Light Novel, Paranormal, Mystery

416 pages, 単行本

First published October 29, 2021

About the author

Associated Names:
* Mizuki Tsujimura
* 辻村深月 (Japanese)

Tsujimura is an award-winning novelist, she is best known for her mystery and children novels. She studied at Chiba University and won the Naoki Prize in 2012 for Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru (I Saw a Dream Without a Key), and in 2018 she won the Japan Booksellers' Award for her novel Kagami no Kojo (Lonely Castle in the Mirror).

Japanese name 辻村 深月

Reviews

[Phu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yami-hara là viết tắt của "yami-harassment.”
Yami-harassment là kết hợp của hai từ "yami" (bóng tối) và harassment. Ám chỉ hành động và lời nói xuất phát từ ý định đen tối, nhằm quấy rối và kiểm soát tâm trí người khác, khiến họ khó chịu.

Yami-hara mở đầu với Chương một "New student". Shiraishi Kaname - cậu học sinh mới vừa chuyển đến lớp của Mio. Mio là lớp trưởng và được phụ trách hướng dẫn cho Kaname ở ngôi trường mới; nhưng rồi sau đó Kaname lại có những hành động kì lạ và nói với Mio rằng: "Tôi có thể đến nhà cậu không?"

Trước lời nói và hành động kì lạ của Kaname, Mio đã tìm thấy sự giúp đỡ của đàn anh Kanbara, sau đó Kanbara đã giúp đỡ và càng thân thiết với Mio, khiến Mio không khỏi cảm động. Tác giả xây dựng phần đầu truyện giống như thanh xuân vườn trường các kiểu, nhưng đây mới là lúc Mio bắt đầu cảm thấy kinh hoàng. Mizuki Tsujimura viết một câu chuyện về vấn đề kiểm soát, quấy rối và coi thường người khác, ngụ ý về vấn đề stalker. Sự thật đằng sau mọi thứ khiến mình khá ngạc nhiên, khi tác giả sử dụng yếu tố siêu nhiên vào đó để giải thích, cùng với kết thúc Chương một để lại nhiều câu hỏi.

“You slip in through a single family member, ensorcelling them while you wriggle your way in among the group. You browbeat them with your logic, convince the other party they’re in the wrong, and impose your supposedly correct will upon them. Once you’re in among the family, it’s only a matter of time until they’re all under your control. To think you’d try it again…”

Khi sang các chương còn lại thì lại chia thành như các truyện ngắn nhưng chúng đều có sự liên kết chặt chẽ, từ đó tác giả kết hợp nhiều thứ tạo nên được sự thú vị. Vấn đề bắt nạt đều có ở khắp nơi, ở mọi lứa tuổi, đâu đâu cũng có những ý định đen tối và xấu xa; Mizuki Tsujimura viết ra câu chuyện giả tưởng siêu nhiên chứa nhiều ngụ ý về vấn đề gia đình, xã hội, bắt nạt, quấy rối, áp lực cuộc sống, hạnh phúc và sự hoàn hảo giả tạo...



Theo mình biết Yami-hara là tác phẩm horror đầu tiên của Tsujimura, nhưng mình không thấy nó quá kinh dị, cái kinh dị của quyển này toát ra từ những suy nghĩ trong tâm lý nhân vật - khi họ bị những "yami-hara" tác động lên, lo sợ và căng thẳng khiến mọi thứ trở nên tăm tối và méo mó. "Yami-hara" ngấm ngầm đưa bóng tối vào trong mọi thứ. Nhưng mình không thấy nó kinh dị gì cả. Mình thật sự là bất ngờ vì tiết lộ ở Chương cuối - nó khiến mình sốc vì sự liên kết chặt chẽ và lời giải đầy sáng tạo của tác giả về "yami-hara family". Và mình đã cảm thấy như Mio khi nghĩ đến nạn nhân của "yami-hara".

Nhưng để mà nói cách câu chuyện diễn ra quá dài dòng, nó y chang Cô Thành Trong Gương nhưng bù lại Cô Thành Trong Gương có cảm xúc khiến mình đồng cảm, xây dựng tỉ mỉ và thích hơn Yami-hara nhiều.
Cách mấy câu chuyện sau Chương đầu khá khó nắm bắt nhưng càng đọc về sau mình thấy nó cuốn hơn, nhưng ở Chương Cuối mình đã mong chờ một cái gì đó sốc hơn và hấp dẫn hơn tí, mình thậm chí còn đoán được thân phận của người đàn ông tên Jin với một nhân vật - nên khi sự thật đó được tiết lộ mình không bất ngờ. Đọc xong thấy thích Kaname thực sự nhưng mình đã mong đợi cuốn sách này sẽ hấp dẫn cơ.

[Queralt✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The moment I found out Mizuki Tsujimura (author of Lonely Castle in the Mirror) had a horror book out, I knew I had to read it. But alas, this was a disappointment and nothing like the other book.

Yami-hara is a book about yami (dark) harassment. In other words, bullying from the dark. This can be paranormal or just people being crap to each other aiming to mess with someone’s energy and push them to do bad things. Yami hara is ‘solved’ through yami harai (dark exorcism). It is told in an episodic format through five chapters. They are interconnected short stories that collide later on.

This left me cold. The writing was very simple. I actually finished in two hours because it’s mostly one-line descriptions and dialogue. My biggest issue was that it waffled a lot, like Tsukimura was getting paid per word. 50% of the stories were just going over the same things (meaningless chatter between friends that had no consequence to the story, women chatting about scones and organic food for 20 pages…). The simple writing combined with the ‘I must hit the word count’ waffling just left me a bit cold and unimpressed. Because of this, I can come here and remember the concept of each storyline/chapter, but I just didn’t care because it was all prattle. (And I’m doing a PhD so I am proficient in waffling).

While the idea of yami hara sounds really cool and the stories were interesting, I didn’t particularly enjoy the execution. The first story shows how a guy starts going to a new high school and you’re supposed to reach the end of the chapter thinking ‘oh, I misinterpreted everything.’ But it’s written in a way that makes no sense. I had sort of guessed what was going on and I was trying to read it ‘correctly’ from the get-go, but it was nonsensical. Not sure if the translation was at issue in this case and if the Japanese worked better.

So very sadly, I’m giving this 2 stars. I wanted to give it 3, but I just can’t think of a reason why. It does get better once the stories collide but it still felt clunky to me. If you liked Lonely Castle in the Mirror and you’re thinking of purchasing this… I wouldn’t.

Also, here’s a bit of an example I want to share:
He’d called her cute. He’d walked her home. They’d traded LINE contacts. Things were definitely getting closer. If this were one of those romance games, she would be locked on his path by now, right?

I don’t know if people who aren’t into Japan would know what LINE is or be familiar with ‘’paths’ in Otome games, so I’m thinking maybe this needed a bit of refinement? I hate to add criticism against translators because it’s a tough job and I’m 100% thankful I get to read work I wouldn’t otherwise, but the writing in this book didn’t flow. And I think that some things didn’t quite make sense because there was room for improvement in wording (I’m sure the first chapter had double meanings that were lost in translation). It’s understandable in context but the flow wasn’t there (for me. And again, I don’t know Japanese so idk).

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first blush, this doesn't seem like it came from the same pen as Lonely Castle in the Mirror. But the more you read, the more apparent it becomes - if that was a fantasy take on the darkness of the human heart, this is its horror counterpart. It centers on a family born of that darkness, the Kanbaras, and the slow, creeping reveal of their truth is remarkably effective. They are practitioners of the eponymous "yami-hara," a portmanteau of "yami" (darkness) and "harassment," and if one falls, another will rise up to take their place. But are they truly the root of all evil? That's where the author really shows her chops, and the ending to this is one of the more haunting I've read recently.

Darkness is everywhere. Will you fend it off? Or will you let it in?

[Genma496 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to call anything in this book outright horror, but I found a lot of the early chapters very horrifying. It's like anxiety horror. The later ones not so much, but they were still really interesting to read.

This book kinda gives me Goth vibes, not really because of the subject matter or the characters being similar but just the structure itself. And also in the fact that I wish there was more of it. You could definitely make a series out of it.

One thing I think would have made it better is if there was one more story following Mio in the middle, rather than just at the beginning and end. I love the different perspectives too, but the dynamic between Kaname and Mio is definitely cool, so I wish there was more of it. Still, for the first Tsujimura book i read, it was definitely a nice first impression. Ill definitely try more of her stuff in the future.

Chapter ranking: 3 > 1 > 5 > 2 > 4

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 4 out of 5]

uwielbiam, cudo, co za klimat, TO SIĘ NAZYWA SUBTELNIE WPROWADZANY NIEPOKÓJ. TAK TO POWINNO WYGLĄDAĆ. Kocham taką przyjemną literaturę grozy.

a Waneko mi zdradzili, że nadchodzą dwie kolejne i zupełnie inne powieści, bo wyszukują perełek 🥺❤️ jestem fanką Powieści Waneko i będę czytać wszystko

8/10 ⭐

[Asuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to take almost 3 week break in the middle of the book because I went out of country but it should be read in one sitting. Every little detail in each short story matters in the end. It is a supernatural horror based on every day horror we all experience. One of the best horror stories I’ve read.

[Ren Puspita · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 bintang

Buku gila tentang "keluarga" yang juga sama gilanya. Loe kalau ga kesel sama pengen banting bukunya tapi juga ngerasa serem dalam artian lain, berarti perlu coba baca lagi 😂.

RTC

[Nicy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiraishi Kaname don't you ever leave my side


incredible:
• Storytelling
• Plottwists
• creepy moments
• writing style
• character development
• author

[Jay Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know alot of yami haras in my life...

[Nova Syzygy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating concept. I could hardly put the book down. If there’s ever a sequel, I’ll gladly read it.

[h · Rating 4 out of 5]

hah...HAHHH????

[Julia Czarnota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Podczas lektury czułam się tak, jakbym chodziła w za ciasnych butach. Ale to było niewygodne.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aku sudah coba dua buku sebelumnya dari penulis ini. Tapi info bahwa tema buku ini agak gelap dan penuh misteri cukup membuatku penasaan dengan premise yang ditawarkan sang penulis.

Awalnya kupikir ini buku kumcer yang tak berkaitan. Lima chapter buku ini masing-masing menggambarkan situasi entah di SMU, di perumahan, di ruang kerja perkantoran, di SD yang harmoninya berubah setelah kedatangan satu orang asing.
Orang ini tak selalu toxic. Seperti salah satu karakter di Absolute Justicenya Rikako Akiyoshi kadang juga mereka seperti memperjuangkan hal baik seperti menegakan aturan, solidaritas, boikot dll. Tapi hal-hal sederhana yang awalnya tampak masuk akal, lama kelamaan membuat munculnya perasaan tak nyaman secara mental. Bahkan dalam beberapa kasus berpengaruh lebih ekstrim sampai muncul aneka musibah dan kematian.

Kelima kisah ini menimbulkan banyak tanda tanya dan misteri yang tak terjawab. Bukan tipe horor yang gore tapi lebih ke perasaan terusik dan tak nyaman.
Walau kemudian di chapter akhir ada penjelasan yang menghubungkan semuanya tapi aku tetap belum puas. Apa yang sebenarnya mereka hadapi? Darimana ini semua berawal? Fenomena di luar manusia atau cuma kumpulan orang-orang toxic yang suka menghancurkan hidup orang lain?

Tipsku untuk mempermudah hidup :
Karena karakternya banyak, dicatat nama2 lengkapnya ya...


PD ST
Ty to Rihazizah

[空 · Rating 2 out of 5]

▬ overall
There are beings in this world that commit “yami-hara” (ヤミハラ), drawing you into “darkness” when they enter your life or when you encounter them. Tsujimura writes various scenarios of “darkness”, illustrating different forms and approaches. The reader can only really identify the yami-hara creatures when they find out a character’s surname, otherwise Tsujimura does some sleight-of-hand, making readers think the yami-hara creature is someone else.

Each chapter goes into an encounter of a person encountering a yami-hara from what seems to be the same “family” or “house” — the Kanbara family. Everything that happens in each chapter is related to a member of the Kanbara family; KANBARA Itsuta in the first chapter, KANBARA Kaori in the second, etc. They insinuate themselves into people’s lives, “twisting” their thoughts, driving them to violence — either against themselves or others. Hence the book’s tagline “あいつらが来ると、人が死ぬ”.

But not all hope is lost. We first meet resistance from SHIRAISHI Kaname, the latest transfer student in the first chapter (転校生) who drives Itsuta away. We find out later on that Kaname is part of a group of people tracking down and “battling” the Kanbara family. In the end, the Kanbara family is destroyed, finally freeing the ordinary people the family had subsumed.

▬ spoilers
✦ Although the “Kanbara” family has been vanquished, we find out that there are other groups (families?) of darkness (maybe they’re the ones behind 闇バイト), and Kaname and his allies’ work is far from finished. But we don’t know why the silver bell works against them, or why bamboo protects against them. Dogs can also, apparently, be protection against the yami-hara, but the Mikishimas had a dog — Hacchi — and Ritsu still got abducted.

✦ The “origins” of each member of the Kanbara family is revealed:

Itsuta, oldest child, used to be YASUDA Yuuki, but after “Itsuta” left Yuuki’s body, the next “vessel” was meant to be Mio’s friend Hanaka. (Yuuki was subsumed when he was in grade school, and he was “Itsuta” until senior high school. That is a long time to be somebody else.)

Kaori, mother, used to be KASHIWAZAKI Keiko, but “Kaori” left the body after completing suicide and jumped into MIKISHIMA Ritsu’s body.

Niko, youngest child, used to be … well, someone else. I forget who. What’s interesting is Kaname’s comment that the child “Niko” took over was “suited” or “inclined” (向いている) to be “Niko.” This is not expanded upon.

Jin, father, used to be SHIRAISHI Minoru — Kaname’s father. He was, in his past life, a doctor.

✦ Although it’s not clear how the “identity” jumps from one body to another, it seems that if there’s at least one member of the family alive, the family can “regenerate”, taking over other people to fulfill the family’s “shape” — mother, father, two children. Thus Kaname and team’s plan to get all members into one area, luring them in, and cleansing (exorcising?) all of them. This way the Kanbara family is finally vanquished.

✦ There is no reason, no grand goal for the yami-hara: they just are. Their only goal is to perpetuate themselves, to keep on casting darkness into society. Maybe Tsujimura’s comment on how darkness has always been part of human society and always will be. There’s no escaping it, there’s only fighting back.

▬ the real victim here is me
✦ The first chapter was interesting, but after the introduction of the “yami-hara” through Mio’s experience, and Kaname’s skill at countering them, I am left to wonder why I have to suffer through other people’s experiences with the darkness. They will all be driven to violence or madness — I get it. Is there any reason why we’re going through this again and again?

Maybe the reason Tsujimura went into such excruciating detail is that there really isn’t much of a story. She wanted for there to be a book. But honestly, is the plot worth 400+ pages? Not really. You’re basically just slogging through annoying characters trying to one-up each other in their fake fictional society. Y’all can just go fuck y’selves.

✦ So many times I found myself thinking, “It serves you right for being such a dickhead/elitist/superiority complex bitch,” whenever the characters encountered the Kanbara family.

Ritsu and Hiromi were elitist as fuck, and despite Ritsu’s critiques about Hiromi, she herself can’t see the privilege she has and the bias she bears. Toranosuke and his parents were also annoying: Toranosuke was a little bully with an attitude problem, exacerbated by his parents’ own feeling of superiority. I’m not saying they deserved to be driven insane, but I sure have very little sympathy.

Although I do read these scenarios as — if you don’t want the yami-hara to come to you, stop being assholes. Stop cultivating darkness within you, which calls out to the yami-hara, because then you’ll really be sorry. And some brown person from a third-world country will sneer at you. The real indignity.

✦ To add on to the above, Kaname is the only character I have sympathy for, or the one I still tolerated at the end.

I originally liked Mio, but then in the final chapter (家族) Tsujimura decided that Mio’s IQ was going to drop by IDK around 200 points. She couldn’t make any conclusions. She couldn’t make logical deductions or inferences. Kaname called Minoru father, she noted they looked very much similar, and she STILL had to ask Kaname, is he your father?

No bitch! He’s my dog! What the fuck are you talking about, of course he’s my father!

She just existed in the scenes, dumbfounded, asking Kaname questions because Tsujimura had no idea how to make revelations to her audience. It felt like Tsujimura was saying, “Y’all are dumb so here’s someone to stand in for how dumb you are, and my other character can spell it out for you, you crayon-munchers.”

Thanks, Tsujimura.

✧ Wait, I lied. I also liked my little son Sōta, who despite being a small child, was like, “Yo, that ain’t right” when Niko started bullying Toranosuke and even had the bravery and the kindness to go up to Toranosuke and try to cheer him up. Sōta stood up against Niko, dude!! He didn’t give in to peer pressure!! Bruh, Sōta even invited Toranosuke to play. What a good, small child.

✦ “The colleague” seems like such a weirdly dissonant story. Jin, an older gentleman who works for sales, is the target of verbal, emotional, and mental harassment from the department head, Satō. Eventually, Satō is replaced by Mutsumi … who begins harassing Jin as well, leading people in the department to think that she, too, isn’t “fit” to be the department head.

But the thing is, Jin is one of the yami-hara — he’s the Kanbara father. The “real” victim here turns out to be department head Satō. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him? Since Jin is a Kanbara, does that make it alright to abuse him? What am I supposed to walk away with? “Sometimes, managers abuse employees in their team, but we don’t know if said employees are actually creatures of darkness, so just be cool.”

I know that’s not what Tsujimura’s trying to get across. But when you step away from the story and just squint at the scenario, it looks so dissonant. It’s like Tsujimura is winking at me trying to say, “sometimes the abused is actually the abuser.”

✦ We are told that the child that houses the Niko personality “used to be a girl”, but is now “forced” to present as a boy. Why even call that out? The Kanbara household is “mother, father, two children.” I’d think the children’s genders aren’t important details — as long as there are two children then that satisfies the “shape” of the family.

It just seems so weird that Tsujimura even mentions it, because it seems to imply that Niko was … what, turned into a boy against their will? That they were forced to become the opposite gender? Doesn’t it sound and feel a little bit icky and transphobic, following those weird-ass conspiracy theories that children are “forced to transition”?

Maybe just me. But I was dissatisfied with that bit of nonsense in this sea of nonsense that Tsujimura threw at me.

▬ in conclusion
I’ve read three of Tsujimura’s books, and I only thoroughly enjoyed かがみの孤城. I think, at this point, I should call it quits and stop trying to give Tsujimura money just because I liked one book of hers.

✦ ▬ ✧

review immediately after I finished reading this idiot book

tangina mo tsujimura AKO ang naharass ng matindi sa librong to

IKAW ang yami-hara pakyu ka

[Glitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This review is just gonna be a messy jumble of thoughts, so please bear with me.


This book was odd for me but not in a bad way!

The weird thing for me was that when I got to the end it left me wishing there were more moments between mio and kaname at the end of the book? I found myself rooting for a romance when usually I can't stand romances?

(Nothing wrong with romances they just aren't really my cup of tea is all)

And just more scenes with them in general throughout the book would be nice. however, I know that wouldn't really be possible with the time gap.

I dont mean like full-blown stereotypical romance but just some more sweet small moments between the 2 of them or maybe something to show them keeping in touch at the end?  Like maybe her asking to come with him again?

Don't get me wrong I know this book is not at all meant to be a romance but I genuinely think I would have enjoyed it a lot more had there been a few more small scenes between the 2 of them at least towards the end of the book

All that being said, I did genuinely like this book and hope it gains more popularity!

[Nia potterr · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ “Mereka akan terus mengisi ulang ‘keluarga’,”

Awalnya bingung ini kumpulam cerita atau gimana karena dari bab ke bab kok orangnya beda-beda lagi, ternyata cerita tersebut akan menjadi satu kesatuan di akhir dan akan mengungkap semuanya. Kerenn deh baru kali ini nemu cerita out of the box gini

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

From chapter 1-3, this felt like a short stories novel but it isn't. If you want try out this book, you have to let the author cook. First chapter, it felt like it was going to be very meh but the twist at the end of the chapter hooked me in. And then chapter 2 & 3 disappointed me. Because I was like, "Who are these people and why do they matter?". And then chapter 4 came in and I was enjoying it again. And the way that these chapters tie into each start to makes sense. I'm surprised how much I liked reveal and how things ended. Even though this was decently length novel, that chapters felt so long because each chapter is like it it's own story.

[donutdot · Rating 5 out of 5]

i found it hard to believe that the author of Lonely Castle in the Mirror wrote a horror anthology. i first came across this book at work when it came in June 2023 and i vividly remembered shelving it. it has been on the tbr for the beautiful cover since then, and now i finally did it.

overall, i love jow despite the yami-hara family spreading darkness leans very much into the supernatural, all five stories speak of the human condition, what it means to hold darkness and while people are ultimately manipulated, the consequences are all natural and entirely possible. i loved reading about the cycle of toxicity especially in relationships that is very real and very prevelant in today's world, and just not just because of the Kanbara's. there are parts i resonated with.

New Student - this book started off STRONG. i have to admit that this story is quite possibly my favourite. i loved the way it set up the possible connections to the other stories, with the introduction of Kaname as an exorcist (of sorts) and Itta Kanbara's family. the build up at the end of Hanaka going missing and Mio going with Kaname to find her is an awesome end for this one. i was very taken by both their characters in this, and it ends very differently from the way it started. the way socially inept Kaname was protecting Mio from the start is actually a brilliant twist. the toxic and controlling relationship of Mio and Itta was awful and the fact that this is a reality for many people is devastating. the whole sequence of the exorcism was fantastic and please someone make an anime of this.

Neighbour - if i remember correctly, this was the longest story. i'll say the plot was intriguing. maybe i'm just not in the age group to understand pta/mom group politics, but this was very intriguing, the way such adult social groups have clear heirarchies, and the way Hiromi and Ritsu navigate them in very different ways was super interesting. i did suspect that Kaori was off, but never did i suspect that she was a Kanbara. the ending was a little confusing, but the gradual build up to a grander story is so exciting.

Coworker - perhaps this one was a bit too realistic a take of toxic workplace drama, where sometimes your bosses might be assholes or simply imperfect, and workers will perhaps will never be satisfied with their bosses in turn. we see this story's protag Suzui invoking his own sense of justice for Jin and how it starts the ball rolling in the company and workers' eventual downfall. i didn't expect Jin to be part of the Kanbara family, being a victim. but maybe that's the point. the battles' victims can sometimes be the war's instigator. this was actually awesome. the foreshadowing, of the woman mistaking Jin as Dr Shiraishi though.

Group Leader - this was very much the most twisted story of them all. the way this darkness penetrates the lives of elementary school kids is actually terrifying, and Niko is such a good representation of that. his demeanour is genuinely creepy, and the way he takes control of class dynamics so quickly, turning a system of flower stickers into what looks to be correctional behaviour for the bad apples in class is scary, and the way it even seeps into these kids' families that all end in tragedy? good god. Toranosuke not having the chance to redeem himself is sad.

Family - the finale is epic, as expected, with the way everything tied in together as the truth of the Kanbara family is finally revealed by Kaname after the events of all four stories two years before, the fact that they get replaced to spread more evil is scary. the twist that Jin is Kaname's possessed father blew my mind, genuinely. this is not a romance, but my one small gripe is that there wasn't anything more to Kaname and Mio's story.

Epilogue - the fact that there more families like the Kanbaras out there ruining lives. some people in reality don't even need whatever powers they have to do the same to others. that is reality.

everyone please read this.

[Rihazizah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yamihara | Mizuki Tsujimura | 416 hlm. | 2024 | @fiksiGPU
Baca di iPus Sulteng

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"Menyebarkan kegelapan yg ada dalam hati sendiri, memaksakannya ke orang lain, juga berusaha melibatkan mereka ke dalamnya-- itulah Yamihara." Hal. 79.

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Waktu awal baca, aku menyamakan Yamihara ini dg emotional blackmail, tapi semakin baca semakin sadar klo ini tuh lebih dari sekadar emotional blackmail. Kurasa novel ini masuk ke dalam paket lengkap dark genre: horor, psychological thriller, misteri. Permainan pikiran, di awal kita dibuat percaya soal benar-salah, kemudian garis batas benar-salah tadi jadi nge-blur dan bikin kita jadi ragu.

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Cerita dibagi dalam 5 bab + epilog.
Bab 1: Murid Pindahan.
Bab 2: Tetangga.
Bab 3: Kolega.
Bab 4: Ketua Kelompok.
Bab Terakhir: Keluarga.

Ketika baca bab 2, aku mengira klo ini adalah kumpulan cerita penjelasan ttg Yamihara yg tdk saling berhubungan, tapi ternyata aku salah. Semuanya terbuka di bab akhir.
Di bab 1, penjelasan Yamihara melalui cerita cinta anak SMA. Mio merasa diteror oleh murid pindahan di kelasnya. Dari pandangan matanya yg terang-terangan mengarah pada Mio, dari sikapnya yg mengintimidasi, bahkan si murid pindahan kini berani muncul di dekat rumahnya. Kanbara Itta, seniornya Mio di klub trek dan lapangan menawarkan diri utk mengantarnya pulang setiap hari demi melindunginya dari si penguntit. Tapi bukannya merasa aman, Mio justru merasa tercekik dg sikap seniornya itu yg terus saja menyalahkan perbuatannya, memaparkan kelemahannya dan membuat Mio jadi terus-menerus meminta maaf pada seniornya.

Semakin ke belakang, Yamihara yg dimaksud semakin gelap dan dalam, perasaan gelap yg disebarkan pelaku kepada korban semakin menggerogoti hingga mendorong korban utk bunuh diri. Bukan hanya terjadi di sekolah, pelaku lain bahkan menyusup menjadi ibu rumah tangga, bahkan ada juga yg bekerja sbg karyawan di sebuah perusahaan. Melakukan aksinya secara lambat namun sistematis. Korban pun semakin berjatuhan, semakin banyak orang yg bunuh diri, bahkan meledakkan diri bersama teman-teman kantor.

Yamihara yg paling menakutkan menurutku di bab 4: Ketua Kelompok. Bagaimana murid pindahan yg ambisius berusaha mengubah anak pembuat onar yg tdk disiplin menjadi anak yg patuh dan penurut agar keadaan kelas menjadi kondusif. Cara mainnya mengerikan hingga si pembuat onar kehilangan jati dirinya sendiri.

Yg aku suka adalah, dalam melancarkan aksinya, para pelaku Yamihara ini tdk menggunakan kekuatan supernatural. Kekuatan mereka murni dari permainan pikiran, dari ucapan mereka, mencekoki hal2 yg paling ingin didengar korbannya, menjadi pendengar yg baik ketika org lain meninggalkannya. Mengerikan sih ini.

Aku amat menyukai keseluruhan konsep ceritanya. Aku juga suka bagaimana Shiraishi Kaname--si Murid Pindahan digambarkan begitu aneh tapi justru keunikan itu yg menjadikan dia diingat meskipun tdk muncul di tiap bab. Meski amat menyukai ceritanya, gaya bercerita yg kadang bertele-tele dan narasi yg tdk fokus membuat aku urung memberikan rating sempurna.
4.5/5 ⭐ dari aku.

[sesamesyrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐4,5/5

"Sejak anak itu pindah kemari..."
"Sejak ia datang..."
"Begitu junior itu ada di ruang klub..."

"... segalanya berubah."

Novel yang terdiri dari 5 bab ini menceritakan kisah antara tiap karakternya dengan seseorang yang tiba-tiba masuk ke dalam kehidupannya dengan tujuan untuk menyebarkan kegelapan dengan cara merusak mereka dari dalam (secara mental) hingga tiap karakter dibuat celaka atau hampir celaka (secara fisik).

Awalnya kupikir cerita di novel ini hanya sebatas orang-orang yang memang punya sifat buruk lalu menghasut orang lain agar mengikuti keburukannya, tapi ternyata bukan cuma sekedar itu. Bisa dibilang ada unsur supernatural di sini. Selain itu juga kukira tiap bab memiliki kisah sendiri dan tidak berkaitan satu sama lain. Tapi semenjak akhir bab 4, mulai terlihat benang merahnya dengan bab-bab sebelumnya. Pada bab 5 akan ada penjelasan dari kejadian-kejadian aneh yang muncul selama ini dan penjelasan mengenai orang-orang yang menyebarkan kegelapan itu.

Usut punya usut, orang-orang yang menyebarkan kegelapan itu memanfaatkan manusia lain sebagai 'wadah' bagi suatu 'bentuk' mereka yang tidak ada asalnya & tidak ada 'inti'nya. Mereka adalah 'bentuk' bernama 'keluarga' yang tidak akan pernah hilang/mati apabila seluruh anggotanya tidak dibasmi.

"Begitu keluarga itu datang, orang akan mati. Seperti itulah keluarga mereka."

Kehilangan/kematian salah satu atau beberapa anggota keluarga (hingga menyisakan satu anggota) bisa diatasi oleh mereka dengan mencari 'wadah' baru untuk anggota keluarga yang lenyap tersebut. Jadi mereka terus melakukan 'isi ulang' dan tetap 'lestari' karena mereka pun juga bisa melahirkan keturunan kegelapan. 'Wadah' yang digunakan oleh 'keluarga' tidak akan menyadari bahwa mereka selama ini sedang dirasuki. Sang 'wadah' akan dikendalikan selamanya bagai parasit mengendalikan inangnya, kecuali mereka dibasmi oleh pembasmi kegelapan yang merupakan kumpulan dari orang-orang yang terlahir sebagai pembasmi serta orang-orang yang keluarga/pasangannya menjadi korban 'keluarga' tersebut.

"Bukankah sama saja mereka menggunakan manusia sebagai alat sekali pakai? Benar-benar tak bisa dimaafkan."

Novel ini cukup melebihi ekspektasi baik dari segi alur cerita yang mengalir, penggambaran tiap karakter dan latar suasana yang detail, penjelasan dari berbagai adegan yang gamblang di akhir, pesan moral yang bisa diambil, serta terjemahan yang baik (versi Bahasa Indonesia).

Seperti yang tertulis di akhir, meskipun kisah di novel ini fiksi, tapi yamihara ada di dekat siapapun, jadi berhati-hatilah.

[Day Nella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satu kata 'Speechless' setelah membaca buku ini. Aku nggak memiliki ekspektasi apa pun pada cerita pertama -Murid Pindahan. Karena ketegangan langsung tercipta begitu saja. Aku penasaran plus ikut ketakutan, cemas, khawatir semua rasa nggak nyaman itu muncul begitu aja.
Siapa yang nggak keder, kalau tiba-tiba murid baru di sekolahmu minta diajak main ke rumah kamu. Shock dong. Dengan tampang datar dan dingin plus kasih seringai. Kan, kan serem ya.

Buku yang terbagi menjadi lima cerita. Kelimanya nggak ada yang nyambung. Tapi akan terasa setelah mengenal nama-nama yang nggak asing. Dan betul. Lima cerita berbeda itu punya benang merah semua. Konsep ceritanya sebagus itu. Aku suka meskipun takut, nggak apa-apa. Rasa penasaranku mengalahkan rasa takutku, hahaha.

Konfliknya bikin otak muter. Orang-orang yang manipulatif dan pintar memanipulasi keadaan, memaksakan orang-orang buat percaya, buat yakin kalau yang dia katakan benar, tapi nggak ada yang bisa jadi pembenaran. Bingung ujungnya otak akhirnya membenarkan secara paksa dan percaya kalau semua ucapannya benar. Hingga nggak tahu mana yang benar dan mana yang salah. Memainkan isi pikiran dan tanpa sadar memasukkan semua prinsip aneh ke semua orang yang masuk dalam setiap tindakannya. Membuat semua orang yang terhubung dengan orang lainnya menjadi ketergantungan dan percaya saja, Karena isi kepalanya udah berubah dengan membenarkan semua asumsi aneh dan gelap.
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Aku gregetan sama salah satu cerita. Ketua kelompok. Bagaimana seorang anak sekolah dasar memiliki pemikiran yang terlalu kritis hingga terasa tidak masuk diakal. Membuat semua orang nggak nyaman, tapi jadi pembenaran bagi yang lain. Hingga membuat murid yang dituju merasa terpojok, stress dan memilih tidak pernah ada, karena semua berubah ketika dia datang.
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Pokoknya aku suka konsep ceritanya yang gelap dan isu negatif begini sebenarnya banyak sekali di luar sana, sayangnya nggak semua menyadari atau tepatnya mungkin malas untuk mencari pembenaran. Udah terlalu nyaman. Sampai nggak sadar semua mata hatinya tertutup dan empati itu telah hilang dari sana. Isu sosial yang lebih mendominasi.
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Untuk terjemahan jangan ditanya. Nyaman banget, saking nyamannya selesai dalam satu hari. Gaya berceritanya pun satset, walaupun di awal masih meraba.
Aku rekomendasikan buku ini buat kalian yang suka dengan genre psikologi thriller. Sisipan mistis dan pesannya dapet banget.

[Loundraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

Yami harassment (闇ハラスメント): Pelecehan kegelapan. Pemaksaan kehendak ataupun kepentingan diri sendiri kepada orang lain dalam bentuk ucapan atau tindakan, yang menimbulkan rasa tidak nyaman dan tersinggung dalam diri orang tersebut. Terlahir semua ucapan dan tindakan yang membuat lawan bicara merasa tidak nyaman, terancam, ataupun terluka martabatnya, terlepas dari dilakukan secara sengaja ataupun tidak.

Yamihara (闇腹): Kabur dari para penyebar kegelapan. Membasmi penggelapan para penyebar kegelapan. Istilah umum untuk menyebut orang-orang yang berprofesi membasmi kegelapan.

Anak pindahan sekolah yang aneh, seorang senior yang idaman buat jadi pacar.

Keluarga sempurna yang sedikit eksentrik, tetangga pindahan aneh yang sulit beradaptasi.

Karyawan baru, atasan semena-mena, dan lingkungan pekerjaan yang toxic.

Murid SD yang terlalu teladan.

My first Tsujimura books, dan wahhh gila.

Kukira tuh bakalan horror yang setan setanan gitu soalnya di chapter 1 udah di build up horror merinding gitu, makin chapter chapter kesana kok horror nya malah ga kerasa. Yang seru tuh disini kan ada 5 chapter ya nah di tiap chapter ini kita nebak nebak nih siapa villain nya, tapi setelah baca 2 chapter pertama harusnya ketebak villain nya siapa karena ada 1 hal yang ga pernah disebut di setiap chapter. Tokoh yang ditampilkan layaknya kehidupan sehari-hari, tapi beberapa tokoh ini kelakuannya bikin ambigu.

Aku dah sotoy banget nih setelah baca chapter pertama udah nebak nebak jalan ceritanya bakal dibawa ke sana ke sini, eh ternyata salah total dong. Oh iya tiap chapter tuh kita ditampilkan dengan tokoh yang berbeda nanti menuju ending dirajut nih misteri misteri di tiap chapter. Andai itu chapter 3 bukan dibuat begitu dan ada 1 yang menurutku ga terjawab ini udah ku kasih bintang 5. Walaupun Kaname ini jarang muncul tapi peran dia central banget.

Beberapa bagian sensasinya mirip baca Absolute Justice nya Akiyoshi Rikako. Tokohnya banyak dan clue nya juga banyak, gaboleh meleng dikit kalo nemu hal janggal harus kasi sticky tabs segera wkwkwk. Mungkin buat yang sering konsumsi fantasy supranatural kayanya bakalan biasa aja (mungkin loh ya mungkin). Kayanya kalo baca pake bahasa aslinya bakal langsung ngeuh sih sama clue nya karena kanji namanya.

[aynsrtn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Menyebarkan kegelapan yang ada dalam hati sendiri, memaksakannya ke orang lain, juga berusaha melibatkan mereka ke dalamnya, itulah yamihara. -p. 95

Yamihara, singkatan dari yami harrasment—pelecehan kegelapan. Berisikan 5 chapter dengan latar yang berbeda: 1) lingkungan sekolah menengah atas; 2) lingkungan tempat tinggal—ibu rumah tangga; 3) lingkungan perusahaan; 4) lingkungan sekolah dasar; dan 5) chapter kelima merupakan gabungan dari semuanya. Buku yang mengguncang nalar. Disturbing dan menimbulkan perasaan tidak nyaman, namun semua ditulis dengan apik dengan plot twist(s) berlapis yang tak terduga.

Peringatan pemicu: mengandung adegan perundungan, bunuh diri, dan kekerasan.

Five stages dalam membaca buku ini:

Murid Pindahan
Ada romance ala anak SMA. Guilt tripping parah dan manipulatif. Toxic relationship. Stalker. Lalu, bunyi lonceng, bambu, anjing, dan tiba-tiba ... twist yang membuat tercenung. After taste-nya nggak nyaman, tapi ceritanya seru.

Tetangga
Apakah ini kumpulan cerita pendek atau novella kok orang-orangnya beda? Makin dibaca makin mirip polanya dengan chapter sebelumnya. Banyak kematian. Dan ending-nya cliffhanger.

Kolega
Toxic di lingkungan kerja. Udah mulai curiga ke satu orang. Tapi, ternyata ... lagi-lagi tidak terduga. Ini chapter paling seru menurutku setelah chapter terakhir.

Ketua Kelompok
Sebenarnya bagus yang dilakukan sang "ketua". Dia ingin anak yang suka ketinggalan alat tulis dan tidak mengerjakan PR menjadi rajin dan tidak lagi menjadi beban kelompok, tapi yang namanya terlalu berlebihan itu tidak baik. After taste chapter ini sedih, miris, dan naas.

Keluarga
Gila sih bagian ini! Ternyata semuanya nyambung menyambung menjadi satu. Klimaks > Konlusi dikemas apik. Chapter paling GONG dan favorit buatku. Sinting ini buku!!

Buku ini layak mendapat bintang lima karena premisnya unik, ditulis dengan rapi, plot twist(s) yang tak pernah diduga. Tokoh Kaname memiliki karakter yang kuat dan sentral—meskipun tidak ada di setiap chapter. Jika menyukai horror psychological thriller yang "agak" disturbing, buku ini sangat amat direkomendasikan!

ps. kalau kamu terjebak dalam guilt tripping, berhati-hatilah mungkin anda telah memasuki zona yamihara.

[Lala Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel terjemah karya Mizuki Tsujimura dengan genre misteri, horor pertama yang ia buat. Yami-hara berisi kumpulan cerita tentang hubungan manusia yang toxic, manipulasi, dan kegelapan yang muncul dari orang-orang di sekitar kita.

Novel ini merupakan kumpulan empat cerita horor yang saling terhubung. Di bab pertama, tentang hubungan romantis yang merugikan. Di bab kedua tentang perilaku dan hubungan antara wali murid/ibu rumah tangga. Di bab ketiga dan keempat, tentang perundungan di tempat kerja dan sekolah.
Buku ini bukan horor dengan hantu gentayangan atau kejadian supranatural. Tapi, tetap buat perasaan tidak nyaman. Jadi, bijak sebelum membaca!

Tema yang diangkat buku ini lebih ke thriller psikologis yang menyoroti betapa bahayanya orang-orang yang tampak baik tapi menyimpan niat tersembunyi. Manipulasi perlahan, tekanan sosial, sampai rasa takut yang dibuat seolah-olah datang dari dalam diri sendiri.

Gaya menulis Mizuki Tsujimura seperti biasa tetap solid. Narasinya tidak bertele-tele, tapi tetap terasa ketegangannya. Terjemahannya nyaman dibaca dan tidak membuat pusing. Sayangnya, karena alur cerita cenderung lambat dan lebih banyak eksplorasi karakter, beberapa bagian mungkin terasa dragging, apalagi aku berharap bisa merinding karena berekspektasi thriller yang intens di buku ini.
Plotnya tidak bisa ditebak. Tiap cerita punya kejutan tersendiri yang bikin mikir ulang tentang apa yang sebenarnya terjadi. Dan tetap ada plot twist yang bikin merinding. Baca ini, harus dibaca sampai selesai.
Tapi kalau kalian berharap horror atau thriller yang cepat dan penuh aksi, mungkin akan agak kecewa. Karena ketegangannya lebih ke arah psikologis, bukan adegan-adegan yang bikin deg-degan seperti thriller pada umumnya. Dan ada beberapa bagian yang timeline-nya bikin bingung, jadi butuh konsentrasi. Ditambah tokoh yang cukup banyak.

Buku ini cocok buat yang suka eksplorasi sisi gelap manusia, hubungan yang tidak sehat, dan ketegangan yang lebih banyak muncul dari interaksi karakter daripada kejadian besar.

Yami-hara bukan bacaan yang akan bikin teriak ketakutan, tapi bisa ninggalin perasaan tidak nyaman yang bertahan lama setelah halaman terakhir ditutup.

[Ari's Library || booksandpieces · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗬𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔
𝗕𝘆
𝗠𝗶𝘇𝘂𝗸𝗶 𝗧𝘀𝘂𝗷𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗮

𝘠𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢 : 𝘈 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘪(𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘢(𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵).
Yamihara can appear to 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆.
𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕.

𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 :
There's a transfer student at school today, and Mio Harano is quite unsettled about him, right off the bat. He has been staring at her relentlessly, and even though she has never interacted with him, she cannot help but label him a 'stalker'. As her fear grows, worsened by his unsocial actions, Mio decides to ask her track team senior, Kanbara, for help.

𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 :
📖 All the stories are interlinked via one character or two, ensuring that the reader stays on edge all the time. There will be a name drop here and there, and you will have to be vigilant to connect the dots. It is only in the final chapter, that we get back to the characters from the first chapter, in what qualifies as an interesting full circle plot.
📖 The offending entity being a dynamic concept was a decisive winner in the plotline for me. It made the whole course of the story all the more sinister, and enunciated the susceptibility of literally everyone else. No one is safe, from Yamihara. It exists in the darkness of your family, your neighbours, and even your own soul. A moment's slip up can, and will be fatal.
📖 For the average horror enthusiast, Yamihara comes across as a prod towards a lesser explored genre of horror literature : focused on minuscule, daily things : a creepy senior from your track team, an annoying coworker, a very overbearing neighbour, etc., with no outright attacks for the most part : but a slow, psychological warfare that sprouts from a careless action and takes complete hold of the victim and everyone they care about. It's an interesting, immersive, and thrilling experience.
📖With 5 chapters and an epilogue, time will fly when you pick up this book and start reading, because you won't realise how long you've been reading it. Japanese horror is always going to remain on top of its genre. So pick it up today, and enjoy!

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second novel I've read by Tsujimura Mizuki, the first being Lonely Castle in the Mirror. While I typically avoid comparing an author's works, it's hard not to—especially when the previous novel was one of my favorites.

Yami-hara is an intriguing novel, with each chapter following a different narrative that gradually weaves into a connected chain of events. I was captivated by the first chapter, where we follow a young girl who becomes the object of obsession for a mysterious new boy in her class. His fixation grows increasingly uncomfortable, prompting her to seek help from an upperclassman. Initially, this brings her comfort, and their relationship becomes more formal. However, once they start dating, the upperclassman turns hostile—gaslighting her and pressuring her to encourage the new boy’s obsession. By the end of the chapter, expectations are upended, and we realize that supernatural entities are at play in this world.

Given such a strong start, I felt somewhat misled by the following chapters. I kept waiting—for a connection, for clarification, just waiting. Although the subsequent chapters were still interesting, opening with an inconclusive story set the expectation that the following chapters would offer resolution. When those answers didn’t come, the novel began to feel disjointed.

By the novel's end, we return to the story’s beginning. Each chapter connects in the final moments, and we gain a holistic understanding of the events. However, this is where my main issue with the novel lies: rather than allowing the reader to make connections between chapters, the connections are simply explained to us. What could have been a gradual, creepy insight into the world of "yami-hara's" just became pages of explanation, leaving the reader with little room for imagination.

3/5

[Ending · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 I love it so so so so much, gatau kenapa rasanya underrated banget. Akupun nemu ini di rak paling bawah toko buku.

Siapapun yang mau baca harus banget perhatiin detail dari awal. Nama-nama karakter, kejadian penting, dialog karakternya. Cukup sulit sebenernya untuk keep up sama semuanya, aku sampe bikin notes sendiri tapi beneran kerasa seru. Aku suka rasanya kayak puzzle banget, tapi gak maksa. Tipe buku yang bikin kamu sadar di akhir bahwa semuanya make sense, rasanya kayak nyusun puzzle pieces dan connecting dots. Aku udah bisa grasp semuanya di bab 4 dan rasanya satisfying banget ketika baca revealnya dan tebakanku benar. Paling suka sama bagian 2, bagian yang beneran serem, terbayang gimana jadinya kalau ini difilm-kan.

Awalnya sempet kecewa karena di chapter 1 nyebut vampir dan ada seperti praktik "pengusiran setan" juga. Merasa muak sama trope horror se-common itu. Halfway reading sempet nyari di google kira-kira hantu apa yang takut sama bambu dan anjing (wkwkwk). Tapi ternyata bukan itu sama sekali. "Hantu" di sini merasuki manusia, konsepnya mind game, psychological in a way. Suka banget dengan konsep keluarga dan kegelapan, bahwa hal yang jadi musuh di sini adalah "an unknown being" yang gaada bentuknya, bukan sekedar hantu biasa. "Sesuatu" yang merasuki pengalaman yang sangat dekat dengan kehidupan kita sehari-hari. Harassment, orang-orang nyebelin, perasaan kesel, iri, cemburu, people pleasing, dsb. Relatable, dekat, sangat real sehingga kerasa seramnya juga.

Yang gak kusuka dari buku ini mungkin beberapa paragrafnya yang terasa mengulang ya. Idk mungkin ada beberapa bagian yang emang sengaja dipaparkan lagi biar bikin semuanya lebih jelas. Meski begitu, ini kekurangan yang minor banget sih menurutku. Overall bukunya sesuai banget sama seleraku. Also membuatku tertarik dengan author dan beli buku lain oleh beliau 😄

[Tyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sukaaaa sekali buku ini! Suka, suka, suka!

Labelnya memang horor, tapi jangan mengharapkan ada dedemit seram di sini. Rasa takut dan tidak nyaman itu justru muncul karena - kita sebaiknya sebut mereka apa ya - yah, sosok-sosok ini, berwujud manusia, bicara seperti manusia, dan... Mungkin mereka mengingatkan kita kepada orang-orang yang kita kenal dalam hidup kita sendiri. Serius, tidak nyaman.

Tsujimura ini sebenarnya menurut saya kalau menulis sering agak bertele-tele. Tulisannya menimbulkan pikiran, "Bagian yang sini nggak bisa diedit lagi aja, gitu?" Namun mungkin untuk Yamihara ini, gaya menulisnya itu cocok, karena mengubur hal-hal mengerikan itu dalam berbagai peristiwa dan perihal yang terasa sangat keseharian, membuat lengah. Dalam cerita pertama, misalnya, petunjuk-petunjuk yang disispkan bahwa ada sesuatu yang 'aneh' sedang terjadi, mungkin tidak kita sadari karena sepintas seperti bagian dari percakapan biasa para karakter. Kemudian, dari beberapa cerita yang sekilas sepertinya tidak berhubungan, kita bisa mengumpulkan kepingan-kepingan yang berserakan untuk mendapatkan gambaran yang lebih 'utuh'.

Selain itu, saya suka sosok Kaname. Perannya bisa dibilang sentral, tetapi ia tidak selalu muncul. Namun, keberadaannya terasa sangat kuat! Salut untuk penggarap sampul versi Indonesia, soalnya Kaname-nya keren banget... hehe.

[Hirai · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dia akan membawamu dalam kegelapan.”
Kisah yang menarik dengan tokoh seorang murid pindahan yang dianggap aneh oleh teman-teman lainnya. Pembaca akan mendapatkan sentuhan cerita horor supranatural yang mampu membuat kita merasakan kengeriannya. Apalagi latar yang digunakan adalah kehidupan sehari-hari mulai dari lingkungan sekolah, rumah dan kerja.
Bukan buku yang menonjolkan sisi sosok dengan wajah maupun perawakan mengerikan namun lebih ke sifat dan tujuannya. Ditambah gaya penulisan penulis yang naratif mampu menggiring pembaca untuk tenggelam lebih jauh pada cerita kelam yang disajikan. Pengembangan tokohnya sangat menarik dan saling menyambung dari beberapa sub bab di dalamnya.
Yamihara berhasil menggambarkan kegelapan hati manusia yang berpusat pada sebuah keluarga. Yang hilang akan diganti dan diajak masuk ke dalam kegelapan. Pengungkapan kebenarannya memang perlahan namun pasti dan justru membuat kita puas di akhir ceritanya. Buku ini mengajarkan kita untuk bisa melihat manusia tidak hanya sekilas saja dan juga memahami maksud terselubung dari seseorang.
Tanpa kita sadari kegelapan memang selalu ada di sekitar kita tinggal bagaimana cara kita untuk menerima atau menolaknya. Sekali kita mengajaknya masuk maka kita akan tenggelam bersamanya.
 

[Arutala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ide dan konsep ceritanya menarik dan menegangkan, tentang kegelapan yang akan memengaruhi pikiran dan menggerogoti jiwa hingga mati dan harus ada yang bisa membasmi pengaruh tersebut secara brutal.

Cerita yang terbagi dalam lima bab, empat di antaranya seolah tidak berkaitan namun sesungguhnya memiliki benang merah paling kasat mata, yakni dengan keluarga Kanbara.

Di bab pertama saat Mio berjumpa pertama kali dengan Kaname, jujur peristiwa itu sudah membangkitkan rasa ngeri dan diam-diam membuat bergidik apalagi tatapan Kaname dan keinginannya mendatangi rumah Mio, terasa menakutkan.

Alur ceritanya dinamis, baik tokoh yang terlibat atau yang tidak sama sekali, seluruhnya menyumbangkan rasa cemas terutama di kompleks rumah susun Sawatari-tempat sebagian besar anggota keluarga Kanbara menebarkan benih-benih kepanikan, rasa bersalah, rasa gentar dan paranoid.

Cara eksekusinya sebenarnya sudah mantap, yaitu saat Mio menemukan sahabatnya yang telah dua tahun menghilang. Gongnya pas semua korban berhasil keluar dari 'keluarga' Kanbara. Namun, membaca epilog-nya terasa bahwa pengaruh Kanbara masih akan terus ada.