Stephanie Jane recenzis Blue Light Yokohama de Nicolás Obregón
Great start, but ...
4 steloj
I loved the opening chapters of Blue Light Yokohama, in particular Obregon's style of language which incorporates exquisite descriptive prose. He really does have a beautiful turn of phrase! We start by witnessing a fifteen-year-old tragic event, before jumping almost to the present day and immersing ourselves in the sights and sounds of Tokyo. The city could be considered a central character as its districts and atmosphere are a vital part of the novel. Obregon is a European author, but one who has a strong understanding of Japanese life so I appreciated his authenticity. He also takes time to introduce his characters. Our detective inspector, Iwata, is perhaps unbelievably indestructible, but I liked the device of a song repeatedly rattling around his head.
After such great beginnings, I was disappointed when I realised where the storyline was heading. I had hoped for a more original plotline and, although Obregon relates …
I loved the opening chapters of Blue Light Yokohama, in particular Obregon's style of language which incorporates exquisite descriptive prose. He really does have a beautiful turn of phrase! We start by witnessing a fifteen-year-old tragic event, before jumping almost to the present day and immersing ourselves in the sights and sounds of Tokyo. The city could be considered a central character as its districts and atmosphere are a vital part of the novel. Obregon is a European author, but one who has a strong understanding of Japanese life so I appreciated his authenticity. He also takes time to introduce his characters. Our detective inspector, Iwata, is perhaps unbelievably indestructible, but I liked the device of a song repeatedly rattling around his head.
After such great beginnings, I was disappointed when I realised where the storyline was heading. I had hoped for a more original plotline and, although Obregon relates events well, the criminal motive has already been explored in a number of other novels. Excitement mounts as we close in on the killer though. Simultaneous events and multiple investigation lines maintain an exhilarating pace and allowing myself to frequently suspend disbelief enabled me to enjoy the ride.