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R.P.G.
Selected by The Chicago Tribune as one of the "Best Books of 2005, Mysteries & Thrillers"
Shadow Family is a compelling murder mystery focusing on the murky world of Internet chat rooms populated by people from all walks of life attracted by the possibility of being whoever they want to be.
Police investigating the double murder of a middle-aged salary man and his college-aged girlfriend discover email correspondence linking the victim with members of an online fantasy family, in which he plays the part of "Dad." Meanwhile, his real-life teenage daughter is assigned police protection after complaining of being stalked. The investigation focuses increasingly on the "shadow family," as there is evidence that the members emerged from the chat room and started meeting up offline.
Veteran Desk Sergeant Takegami finds himself unexpectedly in center stage of the investigation after his colleague is hospitalized. Adding to his surprise, he is partnered with his old friend Detective Chikako Ishizu after a break of fifteen years. Working on a hunch, they collaborate to unravel the fine line between fantasy and the harsh reality of murder.
Shadow Family is excellent detective fiction that keeps you guessing until the end. Within a skillful web of intrigue, Miyabe sensitively explores the meaning of family and relationships, and the devastating effect of betrayal...
Shadow Family is a compelling murder mystery focusing on the murky world of Internet chat rooms populated by people from all walks of life attracted by the possibility of being whoever they want to be.
Police investigating the double murder of a middle-aged salary man and his college-aged girlfriend discover email correspondence linking the victim with members of an online fantasy family, in which he plays the part of "Dad." Meanwhile, his real-life teenage daughter is assigned police protection after complaining of being stalked. The investigation focuses increasingly on the "shadow family," as there is evidence that the members emerged from the chat room and started meeting up offline.
Veteran Desk Sergeant Takegami finds himself unexpectedly in center stage of the investigation after his colleague is hospitalized. Adding to his surprise, he is partnered with his old friend Detective Chikako Ishizu after a break of fifteen years. Working on a hunch, they collaborate to unravel the fine line between fantasy and the harsh reality of murder.
Shadow Family is excellent detective fiction that keeps you guessing until the end. Within a skillful web of intrigue, Miyabe sensitively explores the meaning of family and relationships, and the devastating effect of betrayal...
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
19 people are currently reading
785 people want to read
About the author
Miyuki Miyabe
311 books548 followersSee also 宮部 みゆき (Japanese language profile) and 宮部美幸 (Chinese language profile).
Miyuki Miyabe (宮部みゆき Miyabe Miyuki) is a popular contemporary Japanese author active in a number of genres including science fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction, social commentary, and juvenile fiction.
Miyabe started writing novels at the age of 23. She has been a prolific writer, publishing dozens of novels and winning many major literary prizes, including the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize in 1993 for Kasha and the Naoki Prize in 1998 for Riyū [The Reason] (理由). A Japanese film adaptation of Riyû, directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, was released in 2004.
Miyuki Miyabe (宮部みゆき Miyabe Miyuki) is a popular contemporary Japanese author active in a number of genres including science fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction, social commentary, and juvenile fiction.
Miyabe started writing novels at the age of 23. She has been a prolific writer, publishing dozens of novels and winning many major literary prizes, including the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize in 1993 for Kasha and the Naoki Prize in 1998 for Riyū [The Reason] (理由). A Japanese film adaptation of Riyû, directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, was released in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 18, 2024
İnsan ilişkilerindeki yapaylık, giderek daha çok yalnızlaşmamıza neden oluyor. Kendimizi ifade edecek platformlara ve ortamlara duyduğumuz ihtiyaç, çok farklı alanlara yönelmemize neden oluyor. Aile ilişkilerinde yakınlık arayışımız da buna dahil. Artık internet ve sosyal ağlar bu amaçla en çok kullanılan alan.
İlginç bir hikaye ve benim bu konuda okuduğum ilk kitap. Her ne kadar kitabın arka kapağında bir cinayet romanı, bir polisiye roman olduğu belirtilmekte ise de, ben metni polisiye roman olarak okumadım. Bu konuda eksiklikleri olabilir. Daha çok kitabın ana fikri beni etkiledi. Her şeyin çok hızlı yaşandığı ve en yakınımızdakilerle ilişkilerimiz başta olmak üzere hiç bir şeyi durup düşünecek zamanın olmadığına inandığımız yanılgısı yüzünden kaybettiklerimiz üzerine düşünen bir kitap olması nedeniyle değerli. Roman; kahramanlarının, içinde olduklarından farklı bir sosyolojik ve psikolojik ortam arayışlarının -bence tam da günümüzün gerçek bir sorunu olan- hikayesi olduğu için farklılık gösteriyor.
Severek okudum.
İlginç bir hikaye ve benim bu konuda okuduğum ilk kitap. Her ne kadar kitabın arka kapağında bir cinayet romanı, bir polisiye roman olduğu belirtilmekte ise de, ben metni polisiye roman olarak okumadım. Bu konuda eksiklikleri olabilir. Daha çok kitabın ana fikri beni etkiledi. Her şeyin çok hızlı yaşandığı ve en yakınımızdakilerle ilişkilerimiz başta olmak üzere hiç bir şeyi durup düşünecek zamanın olmadığına inandığımız yanılgısı yüzünden kaybettiklerimiz üzerine düşünen bir kitap olması nedeniyle değerli. Roman; kahramanlarının, içinde olduklarından farklı bir sosyolojik ve psikolojik ortam arayışlarının -bence tam da günümüzün gerçek bir sorunu olan- hikayesi olduğu için farklılık gösteriyor.
Severek okudum.
October 30, 2018
This was an OK police procedural, but I'm beginning to wonder about Miyabe's writing abilities. Her celebrated All She Was Worth felt a little poorly plotted and the ending was frankly lazy (my review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and some of the writing was a bit clunky. I had thought that was possibly the fault of the translator, but the translator is different for this one and the same faults are present, so there's only one person to blame. That's not to say Shadow Family (Japanese title RPG, which is a better title btw) is objectively bad, it isn't, but it just falls a little flat. The banter between the detectives felt unnatural, the puzzle over-dominant and the social problem being explored -- the terrible danger of internet chatrooms -- felt a bit dated and silly, like a novel warning of the dangers of fax machines or something. But despite those flaws, it was good about the problems of a broken family, which in Japan often means one staying together when it really is non-functioning and all members would benefit from being free to go their separate ways. The book did keep me reading all the way to the end, so that's worth an extra star, but I'm still waiting to be wowed by Miyabe.
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July 27, 2012
Extremely impressive.
Like Seicho Matsumoto, another favorite Japanese crime novelist, Miyabe is less interested in keeping the reader guessing 'who did it?' than in showing us how the detective(s) come to discover the murderer, and in this case, wring a confession. Miyabe is equally interested in exploring a social problem: in the last novel I read, All She Was Worth, it was the world of credit, loans, personal debt and bankruptcy; here it's the fantasy/alternate life the Internet provides.
Astute and well-written. She's excellent with character as well as plot.
Like Seicho Matsumoto, another favorite Japanese crime novelist, Miyabe is less interested in keeping the reader guessing 'who did it?' than in showing us how the detective(s) come to discover the murderer, and in this case, wring a confession. Miyabe is equally interested in exploring a social problem: in the last novel I read, All She Was Worth, it was the world of credit, loans, personal debt and bankruptcy; here it's the fantasy/alternate life the Internet provides.
Astute and well-written. She's excellent with character as well as plot.
January 18, 2022
2.75
Xác chết của một người đàn ông được tìm thấy tại một công trường đang xây dựng. Trước đó tại một nơi khác, một cô gái trẻ bị siết cổ cho tới chết bằng sợi dây nhựa. Qua những gì có được ở hiện trường, cảnh sát xác định hai vụ án này có liên hệ với nhau.
Và qua quá trình điều tra, cảnh sát phát hiện nam nạn nhân trước khi chết đã tạo nên một 'gia đình ảo' trên internet, ở đó ông ta đóng vai trò 'Dad' cùng ba người còn lại 'Mom', 'Kazumi' và 'Minor'.
Xuyên suốt câu chuyện chỉ là màn đối đáp lấy khẩu cung của các nghi phạm có liên quan. Mình thích những gì liên quan đến 'gia đình ảo', Shadow Family được xuất bản khá lâu nhưng ý nghĩa của nó về internet vẫn xuất hiện cho đến hiện tại.
Về phần vụ án, thực sự ngay từ đầu không khó để đoán được thủ phạm là ai, chỉ là bản thân mình chỉ chờ đợi những diễn biến sau đó. Và sau đó nó cũng chẳng có gì ngạc nhiên, ngoài việc đưa ra những lý lẽ gia đình. Ở cuối câu chuyện tác giả đã "ăn gian" để tạo sự ngạc nhiên, ít ra thì Miyuki Miyabe đã xin lỗi độc giả ở phần Tái Bút.
Xác chết của một người đàn ông được tìm thấy tại một công trường đang xây dựng. Trước đó tại một nơi khác, một cô gái trẻ bị siết cổ cho tới chết bằng sợi dây nhựa. Qua những gì có được ở hiện trường, cảnh sát xác định hai vụ án này có liên hệ với nhau.
Và qua quá trình điều tra, cảnh sát phát hiện nam nạn nhân trước khi chết đã tạo nên một 'gia đình ảo' trên internet, ở đó ông ta đóng vai trò 'Dad' cùng ba người còn lại 'Mom', 'Kazumi' và 'Minor'.
Xuyên suốt câu chuyện chỉ là màn đối đáp lấy khẩu cung của các nghi phạm có liên quan. Mình thích những gì liên quan đến 'gia đình ảo', Shadow Family được xuất bản khá lâu nhưng ý nghĩa của nó về internet vẫn xuất hiện cho đến hiện tại.
"Mối quan hệ giữa các cá nhân trong thế giới ảo vẫn có giá trị và sự ấm áp của thế giới thực, và nó không chỉ là nơi tràn lan sự giả tạo và dối trá. Đôi khi chỉ vì không thể nhìn thấy nhau mà bạn có thể gạt bỏ ngoại hình của mình hay vị trí. Hãy thể hiện khí chất thực sự của bạn và vun đắp tình cảm gia đình thực sự."
Về phần vụ án, thực sự ngay từ đầu không khó để đoán được thủ phạm là ai, chỉ là bản thân mình chỉ chờ đợi những diễn biến sau đó. Và sau đó nó cũng chẳng có gì ngạc nhiên, ngoài việc đưa ra những lý lẽ gia đình. Ở cuối câu chuyện tác giả đã "ăn gian" để tạo sự ngạc nhiên, ít ra thì Miyuki Miyabe đã xin lỗi độc giả ở phần Tái Bút.
March 4, 2016
Miyuki Miyabe daha çok anaakım yazarlık diyebileceğimiz, korku/gerilim, polisiye, dönem dramaları ve melodramlar yazıyor. Oldukça çok sayıda da eseri var. Aslında bu tarz kitaplar ülkemizde her zaman okur bulur ancak Miyabe'nin yalnız bu kitabı çevrilmiş, ilginç geldi bana.
Polisiye/gerilim türündeki Gölge Aile, kolay okunabilecek; kendinden akan bir kitap. Grange'den sonra bu tarz polisiyenin iyi örneklerini okumak çok zor. Ciddi anlamda, her şeyin sarmal olduğu, sonunda da etkileyici bir şekilde katilin ortaya çıktığı polisiyenin maksimumunu Grange zaten yaptı. Ama yine de çok kötü bir roman değildi. Polisiyeseverlerin okuyabileceği, butik bir eser.
Kitaptan edebiyat beklemeyin. Öyle bir polisiye değil. Yeni dünyanın her gün bir tane karşılaştığı türde bir eser.
3/5
Polisiye/gerilim türündeki Gölge Aile, kolay okunabilecek; kendinden akan bir kitap. Grange'den sonra bu tarz polisiyenin iyi örneklerini okumak çok zor. Ciddi anlamda, her şeyin sarmal olduğu, sonunda da etkileyici bir şekilde katilin ortaya çıktığı polisiyenin maksimumunu Grange zaten yaptı. Ama yine de çok kötü bir roman değildi. Polisiyeseverlerin okuyabileceği, butik bir eser.
Kitaptan edebiyat beklemeyin. Öyle bir polisiye değil. Yeni dünyanın her gün bir tane karşılaştığı türde bir eser.
3/5
July 19, 2017
A Japanese mystery.
A man is killed. When the police investigate, they find he had a real family, as well as an entirely different family that he met online.
A police procedural, but also, like most Japanese mysteries, a book of manners.
A man is killed. When the police investigate, they find he had a real family, as well as an entirely different family that he met online.
A police procedural, but also, like most Japanese mysteries, a book of manners.
February 11, 2016
Дуууже неспішний й добряче дивнуватий не-детектив - поліцейський роман. Причому в межах останнього - по-своєму цікавий, адже помережаний красномовними дрібничками щодо того, хто на кому стоїть, коли дві слідчі групи працюють разом, як треба дивитися на колегу, що зіпсувала собі колись кар'єру, та в яку саме мить варто поклонитися начальнику, якщо не конче з ним погоджуєшся. З детективом гірше. Подвійне вбивство із соціально неблизькими жертвами - воно ніби й нічого. Моцний віртуальний слід - також симпатично. Але коли розслідування - це майже суцільний допит кількох людей, що розмовляють переважно програмними заявами - це трохи нервує, і такий-сякий обоснуй під кінець враження не рятує. А ще дуже прикольно читати міркування героїв щодо "віртуал vs реал". Ех, за 15 років наше життя добряче змінилося... Але воно таке концентровано японське, що лише цим заслуговує на увагу.
"Неужели Накамото и впрямь утомили его обязанности? Неужели любому человеку, безраздельно посвятившему себя какому-либо делу, в конце концов, несмотря на успешную карьеру и всеобщее восхищение и уважение, надоедает заниматься одним и тем же? Неужели и Накамото перегорел? Неужели то же самое ждет и его, Такегами? Несколько минут Такегами думал над этими вопросами и пытался разобраться в себе, но ответов так и не нашел".
March 18, 2023
Bueno, al final no estuvo tan mal. Un último tercio original, unas últimas reflexiones algo vistas pero muy ciertas, sobre esa otra ciber-vida que parece que nos crece a todos como una sombra con ideas propias, una sorpresa que no me esperaba (valga la redundancia) en la técnica policiaca para resolver el caso 😳 y unas personalidades con valores y formas de expresarlos que me siguen resultando algo ajenos lo que evita que se produzca la menor identificación real. Un poco de comprensión intelectual lejana fue lo más que conseguí. Eso me disgusta bastante. Seré una lectora visceral?🤔🤷♀️
Conjunta Escuela (Novela independiente)
Conjunta Escuela (Novela independiente)
March 28, 2023
La historia está bien, entretenida, aunque, lo confieso, a veces me he liado con los nombres de los personajes. La novela no es muy larga y se lee bien, pero, para mi gusto, le falta profundizar más en los personajes. No es una serie que creo que seguiré, no se, no me ha enganchado mucho, la verdad. Entretenido sin más.
February 1, 2017
Qué pasaría si sabes que tu papá tiene una familia virtual y que se lleva mejor con ellos que contigo... siiiiii es muy interesante este libro, lleno de sentimientos y resentimientos.
July 27, 2021
Очень раздражало поведение всех свидетелей, кроме матери Казуми, в полицейском участке. Наверное, уже подзабыла, какими бывают подростки.
В целом история скорее не понравилась, хотя попереживать заставила.
В целом история скорее не понравилась, хотя попереживать заставила.
July 27, 2009
I like reading Japanese stuff and generally stick to the well-known ones like Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto; I'd never heard of Miyuki Miyabe before, and would totally read more of her writing (a bunch of the characters have a past together so I'm assuming this is a sequel or follow up novel). This was a super quick read, a murder mystery involving four unrelated people who meet online and form an imaginary "family". Most of the drama actually takes place at the police station, in the interrogation room specifically. I've heard a lot about forced confessions in Japan, and in this story the police are heroic masterminds of justice who prevail. It's nice, just not very deep.
January 6, 2008
Shadow Family is an interesting look, via a mystery story, into the universe of online role-playing. The odd thing about this particular role-play is that a girl has other people role-playing her own family, after finding her own less than attentive, let alone supportive. Though at times this framework seems a bit to literal for those of us who grew up in the age of going online and interacting with others (as an escape mechanism or otherwise) it's still an interesting read nonetheless.
August 23, 2015
The only other Japanese book I've read is Out, by Natsuo Kirino, and I loved it so much that Shadow Family disappointed me a little. It's not bad, it's just too predicable and a little slow in the middle.
October 11, 2020
“Shadow Family” (originally titled “RPG” ~ Role Playing Game in Japanese) is Miyuki Miyabe’s second novel to be translated into English. Her English debut, “All She Was Worth” was one of my favorite books back in 2017 when I read it, and I’ve been looking forward to reading another book from the same author for a while now. Unfortunately, a lot of her books seem to be out of print, and getting my hands on one involved a bit of book hunting. The hunt for “Shadow Family” definitely did not disappoint.
“Shadow Family” is centered around the murder of Ryosuke Tokoroda, at first glance, an average Japanese man. As the investigation progresses, the detectives discover the victim had a frigid family relationship with his wife and teenage daughter, a “soft spot” for young women, and a “made-up” family on the Internet. The book kicks off with an operation underway that is meant to reveal how all these discoveries came together, and to reveal Ryosuke Tokoroda’s murderer.
I really enjoyed this detective mystery. The pacing was effective, and the mystery kept me hooked until the end, even though I partly suspected the reveal around the middle of the book. I also really enjoyed the back and forth discussions about the nature of Internet relationships. While that is something very common nowadays, at the time of this novel’s publication, in the early 2000s, this was an emerging social issue. In addition, the book also explores the issue of broken families and the disconnect that often exists between spouses, as well as parents and children. If you are a fan of Japanese crime and mystery novels, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.
“Shadow Family” is centered around the murder of Ryosuke Tokoroda, at first glance, an average Japanese man. As the investigation progresses, the detectives discover the victim had a frigid family relationship with his wife and teenage daughter, a “soft spot” for young women, and a “made-up” family on the Internet. The book kicks off with an operation underway that is meant to reveal how all these discoveries came together, and to reveal Ryosuke Tokoroda’s murderer.
I really enjoyed this detective mystery. The pacing was effective, and the mystery kept me hooked until the end, even though I partly suspected the reveal around the middle of the book. I also really enjoyed the back and forth discussions about the nature of Internet relationships. While that is something very common nowadays, at the time of this novel’s publication, in the early 2000s, this was an emerging social issue. In addition, the book also explores the issue of broken families and the disconnect that often exists between spouses, as well as parents and children. If you are a fan of Japanese crime and mystery novels, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.
April 23, 2017
Hace mucho que no me divertía tanto con un libro. Si lo van a leer, tengan en cuenta una cosa: acá no importa que sepamos rápidamente quién es el asesino, disfruten del viaje porque hasta a mí me ha sorprendido al final y eso es extremadamente difícil de lograr. Sabemos quién es el asesino, pero mejor es cómo llegó hasta ahí y cómo se resuelve todo. Tiene unos diálogos impecables en cuanto a autenticidad y unos monólogos internos creíbles.
October 1, 2018
Intriguing premise about a married man who had a pretend online family. I don’t think I have ever come across a book with this type of story. The mystery was good too.
June 21, 2022
Painfully slow, though as twisted and dark as all Japanese mysteries.
August 1, 2019
Tenía otra idea de como iría la historia y me gusto bastante que no fuera así, la psicología pesa más en este libro y asi entiendes más claramente los motivos de los personajes.
October 22, 2009
Shadow Family is a mystery story. Two people get murdered within a couple of days of each other, and seemingly unrelated. But thread from a striking blue parka left on both crime scenes soon prove to the police that things are more than meets the eye. Meeting dead end after dead end, one of the officers come up with a theory that could potentially make or break the mystery behind the curious deaths.
And it is here that the story finally starts to reveal itself.
One of the victims had, during the one year or so before his tragic death, been part of an online ‘family’. He called himself ‘Dad’, and his family consisted of ‘Mom’, ‘Minoru’, and ‘Kazumi’. A 4-member family. A typical family set-up, only that it was all virtual.
Upon finding out about this make-believe family, how does the real-life family respond? And how do these deaths reveal the truth behind all the pain, anger and loneliness?
*
Personally, I feel that the mystery in this plot is not at all strong. In fact, I felt like I already knew who the culprit was half-way through the book. However, I also feel that the redeeming point of this book is how the story unfolds. The mystery of the plot itself may not have been its strongest virtue, but certainly the way the characters were introduced, and how certain things were thrown into light just when you least expect it… These make the plot feel less significant.
We’re made to think, exactly why does a man with his own family go in search for a virtual family on the Internet? What drives a person to such measures? Then we are given a chance to see things from the wife’s perspective. How would one feel if her husband were to find another ‘wife’ on the Internet? Does one feel lonely? Does one feel like a failure?
How about the people with whom this man forms a ‘family’ with? Why does one choose to be the virtual daughter of a stranger?
On the face of it, this is a mystery story. But underlying this story is the undeniable search for connection. Under the surface of it all, is the question of how each different person reacts to a given set of circumstances. How does one overcome feelings of loneliness and desperation?
At the end of it all, when family ties start to tangle up into a big mess, or maybe fray away at the ends, what is it that holds the family unit together?
From: http://sushu.blog.com/2009/10/22/shad...
And it is here that the story finally starts to reveal itself.
One of the victims had, during the one year or so before his tragic death, been part of an online ‘family’. He called himself ‘Dad’, and his family consisted of ‘Mom’, ‘Minoru’, and ‘Kazumi’. A 4-member family. A typical family set-up, only that it was all virtual.
Upon finding out about this make-believe family, how does the real-life family respond? And how do these deaths reveal the truth behind all the pain, anger and loneliness?
*
Personally, I feel that the mystery in this plot is not at all strong. In fact, I felt like I already knew who the culprit was half-way through the book. However, I also feel that the redeeming point of this book is how the story unfolds. The mystery of the plot itself may not have been its strongest virtue, but certainly the way the characters were introduced, and how certain things were thrown into light just when you least expect it… These make the plot feel less significant.
We’re made to think, exactly why does a man with his own family go in search for a virtual family on the Internet? What drives a person to such measures? Then we are given a chance to see things from the wife’s perspective. How would one feel if her husband were to find another ‘wife’ on the Internet? Does one feel lonely? Does one feel like a failure?
How about the people with whom this man forms a ‘family’ with? Why does one choose to be the virtual daughter of a stranger?
On the face of it, this is a mystery story. But underlying this story is the undeniable search for connection. Under the surface of it all, is the question of how each different person reacts to a given set of circumstances. How does one overcome feelings of loneliness and desperation?
At the end of it all, when family ties start to tangle up into a big mess, or maybe fray away at the ends, what is it that holds the family unit together?
From: http://sushu.blog.com/2009/10/22/shad...
February 12, 2008
Right away, let me tell you that this book is not really "active," in the sense that it is purely psychological. So if you're looking for an action-packed mystery, this is not the one for you. A large number of people totally panned this book because there was very little action between its covers. But, if (like me) you are okay with exploring psychological motivation behind a person's acts, then you'll like this one.
The Metropolitan Police District is investigating two linked murders: a young girl and a middle-aged man. They have a suspect, but for some of the investigators, the suspect just doesn't feel right. So they keep digging, and find that the dead man was keeping up a regular Internet correspondence with three other people, known only as Mom, Minoru and Kazumi. As it turns out these four people were playing at being a "family" on the internet...the "shadow" family of the title. The police want to put the remaining "family" members together to take a look at them individually and as a group to see what they can discover not only about the dead man, but also to take a look at why 4 people would keep up this bizarre relationship.
Miyabe's last book, For All She Was Worth, took on predatory credit practices in Japan and the concept of identity; this one takes a look at alienation within families there, as well as the separate lives people lead in cyberspace. At first you may be a little in the dark, scratching your head going "huh?" but do NOT stop reading -- there is a very nice twist at the end of the novel which plays out in a way I haven't seen before in a mystery. Sadly, I figured out who the killer was long before I got to the end, but the ride was fun.
I liked this book, but it may not be for all mystery readers.
The Metropolitan Police District is investigating two linked murders: a young girl and a middle-aged man. They have a suspect, but for some of the investigators, the suspect just doesn't feel right. So they keep digging, and find that the dead man was keeping up a regular Internet correspondence with three other people, known only as Mom, Minoru and Kazumi. As it turns out these four people were playing at being a "family" on the internet...the "shadow" family of the title. The police want to put the remaining "family" members together to take a look at them individually and as a group to see what they can discover not only about the dead man, but also to take a look at why 4 people would keep up this bizarre relationship.
Miyabe's last book, For All She Was Worth, took on predatory credit practices in Japan and the concept of identity; this one takes a look at alienation within families there, as well as the separate lives people lead in cyberspace. At first you may be a little in the dark, scratching your head going "huh?" but do NOT stop reading -- there is a very nice twist at the end of the novel which plays out in a way I haven't seen before in a mystery. Sadly, I figured out who the killer was long before I got to the end, but the ride was fun.
I liked this book, but it may not be for all mystery readers.
May 20, 2011
It's hard to talk about a mystery, especially one as short as Shadow Family, without giving too much away. What I am comfortable saying is that the story is not exactly what I'd expected from the summary, but not in the way which makes me cringe and wonder if the blurb writer even read the same book. Rather, to have said too much would have dampened my enjoyment of the revelations made throughout the novel. The author slowly pulls back layer after layer of stories and role-play, to expose the truth of the murder. I could almost say that the entire novel is one long Parlor Scene during which the detective stands up and announces that the murderer is here in this very room and explains how he solved the mystery.
But even that would be inaccurate, as our detective, Desk Sergeant Takegami, is far too self-effacing to command the attention of a roomful of interested parties. He would, by his own account, feel much more comfortable pursuing paperwork than conducting interviews. The language itself is far more beautiful than I expect from literature of this genre, though I'm sure that's an unfair generalization. I loved the way characters' appearances were sketched in with a few clever turns of phrase and the beautiful use of metaphor and analogy, especially towards the very end.
Shadow Family is a good, fast read. My only trouble with it arose from the high number of unfamiliar family names which were introduced too quickly in the opening chapters for me for me to get a good handle on which name belonged to which character. A reader more versed in Japanese names would probably not have the same problem, and I could have made my own life easier by cribbing a character sheet to refer to until I had the names down.
But even that would be inaccurate, as our detective, Desk Sergeant Takegami, is far too self-effacing to command the attention of a roomful of interested parties. He would, by his own account, feel much more comfortable pursuing paperwork than conducting interviews. The language itself is far more beautiful than I expect from literature of this genre, though I'm sure that's an unfair generalization. I loved the way characters' appearances were sketched in with a few clever turns of phrase and the beautiful use of metaphor and analogy, especially towards the very end.
Shadow Family is a good, fast read. My only trouble with it arose from the high number of unfamiliar family names which were introduced too quickly in the opening chapters for me for me to get a good handle on which name belonged to which character. A reader more versed in Japanese names would probably not have the same problem, and I could have made my own life easier by cribbing a character sheet to refer to until I had the names down.
August 14, 2016
"Shadow Family" is a short book by Miyuki Miyabe, which is quite fun, but also light and not very complicated, with a plot seen hundreds of times.
It all starts when the police calls the daughter and wife of a man that was killed to the station. They want the daughter to check on some people the father met on the Internet, some people with whom he had made a fake family on the net. While the police interviews the "family", she tries to remember if she had seen any of them with her father.
The plot of "Shadow Family" is simple as they come: a couple killed, some suspects, some interrogations, police work. Kudos to Miyabe for keeping all going without false starts or breaks on the pace. The book is easy to read, too easy actually, more of a short story than a novel, even if it clocks (in the English version) at almost 200 pages. Miyabe does a great job in fleshing out characters, and making them real and offering some depth in the character department. Too bad that the plot is as shallow as they come, and it is barely original.
The idea may had been more or less original when it was published, but by now the world has changed, and it doesn't stand very well the test of time. But "Shadow Family" is dark and psychologically interesting enough to be a fun ride for any reader.
6/10
It all starts when the police calls the daughter and wife of a man that was killed to the station. They want the daughter to check on some people the father met on the Internet, some people with whom he had made a fake family on the net. While the police interviews the "family", she tries to remember if she had seen any of them with her father.
The plot of "Shadow Family" is simple as they come: a couple killed, some suspects, some interrogations, police work. Kudos to Miyabe for keeping all going without false starts or breaks on the pace. The book is easy to read, too easy actually, more of a short story than a novel, even if it clocks (in the English version) at almost 200 pages. Miyabe does a great job in fleshing out characters, and making them real and offering some depth in the character department. Too bad that the plot is as shallow as they come, and it is barely original.
The idea may had been more or less original when it was published, but by now the world has changed, and it doesn't stand very well the test of time. But "Shadow Family" is dark and psychologically interesting enough to be a fun ride for any reader.
6/10
November 26, 2008
If you’re looking for a great modern Japanese piece of mystery/crime noir, check out Miyabe’s Shadow Family. I had read her other book, All She Was Worth awhile back and wasn’t overly happy with how the story ended. That wasn’t the case this time around. Shadow Family is a fabulous novel whose action revolves around a small cast of characters. Most of the action takes place inside a police interrogation room, although what is going on isn’t what you’d expect. This relatively short novel (~ 190 pages) only covers a few hours in the police station, but effective flashback techniques fill in the missing pieces. The characters are well-developed and the emotions run high. The action involves a former desk jockey who stands in to help investigate two murders, which originally seemed unrelated but become connected through an the internet. Four unrelated characters, including one of the murder victims, formed a cyber-family on the internet. The interactions of these family members online and off drives the novel.
December 17, 2012
Police investigating the murder of a middle-aged office worker and his young over discover that he had been a regular in an internet chat site where he is the “father” in a make believe family. Other participants are a young girl, a young boy, and a middle-aged woman, the “mother”. All four are drawn into this fantasy family because of less than ideal situations with their real families. A female detective is assigned to protect the real daughter of the murder victim, for she claims to being stalked.
This story has so much potential as it explored a world not written much about in crime novels. For me, it fell short, however. The acquisition of clues that solve the murder are done as a narrative. In this short work, the initial part is virtually all narrative. The bulk of the scenes are in an interrogation room. While the psychological drama is intense, I would have liked it better if the author had made this into a procedural, showing how detectives follow leads, get clues and solve the puzzle.
This story has so much potential as it explored a world not written much about in crime novels. For me, it fell short, however. The acquisition of clues that solve the murder are done as a narrative. In this short work, the initial part is virtually all narrative. The bulk of the scenes are in an interrogation room. While the psychological drama is intense, I would have liked it better if the author had made this into a procedural, showing how detectives follow leads, get clues and solve the puzzle.
April 14, 2015
Yani şimdi... O bir yıldızı vermeye elim gitmedi yeminle ama hiç oylamasam puanı düşmeyecek. Oylamaya etki eden sıfır yıldız seçeneği olsa acımaz basardım.
Arkadaş ben ömrümde böyle rezil bir polisiye/gerilim okumadım, diyeceğim ama bunun ne polisiyeliği belli ne gerilimi belli. Eleştiri yazacağım elim gitmiyor yeminle. İyisinden kötüsüne çok polisiye okudum. Sürüyle çer çöp geçti elimden. Sıkılıp yarım bıraktıklarım da oldu ama böyle rezalete rastlamadım. Sırf hakkında kötü şeyler söyleyeceğim için haksızlık olmasın diye sonuna kadar sabrettim belki ufak da olsa vazgeçmeme sebep olan bir şey çıkar diye. Yok arkadaş. Ne konu, ne kurgu, ne anlatım... Bir şeyde de parıltı olmaz mı arkadaş! Görüp de okumaya niyet eden olursa hiç zahmet etmesin, eline alıp bıraktığı zaman ziyan olur o derece.
O bu değil bunu basmak için kullanılan kağıda, çevirmenin harcadığı zaman falan yazık.
Bu kadar sayıp sövüp kitap hakkında tek nesnel bilgi vermediğimin farkındayım ama somut şeyler yazarsam elimden bir kaza çıkacak diye korkuyorum. Bu da böyle öznel bir yorum olarak kalsın.
Arkadaş ben ömrümde böyle rezil bir polisiye/gerilim okumadım, diyeceğim ama bunun ne polisiyeliği belli ne gerilimi belli. Eleştiri yazacağım elim gitmiyor yeminle. İyisinden kötüsüne çok polisiye okudum. Sürüyle çer çöp geçti elimden. Sıkılıp yarım bıraktıklarım da oldu ama böyle rezalete rastlamadım. Sırf hakkında kötü şeyler söyleyeceğim için haksızlık olmasın diye sonuna kadar sabrettim belki ufak da olsa vazgeçmeme sebep olan bir şey çıkar diye. Yok arkadaş. Ne konu, ne kurgu, ne anlatım... Bir şeyde de parıltı olmaz mı arkadaş! Görüp de okumaya niyet eden olursa hiç zahmet etmesin, eline alıp bıraktığı zaman ziyan olur o derece.
O bu değil bunu basmak için kullanılan kağıda, çevirmenin harcadığı zaman falan yazık.
Bu kadar sayıp sövüp kitap hakkında tek nesnel bilgi vermediğimin farkındayım ama somut şeyler yazarsam elimden bir kaza çıkacak diye korkuyorum. Bu da böyle öznel bir yorum olarak kalsın.
December 3, 2015
Final para la Tetralogía de Tokio.
Nuevamente Miyabe me ha enganchado con sus forma de escribir, sus personajes y sus casos.
En este caso, como en los anteriores, el culpable es bastante sencillo de adivinar, pero eso no es lo que importa en esta novela.o importante es la soledad, la falta de comunicación y la familia,esto por encima de todo.
Hay algunos momentos en los cuales me he llegado a emocionar, y he tenido que parar.
Como me gusta esta autora, y espero que sigan apostando por ella en España.
Nuevamente Miyabe me ha enganchado con sus forma de escribir, sus personajes y sus casos.
En este caso, como en los anteriores, el culpable es bastante sencillo de adivinar, pero eso no es lo que importa en esta novela.o importante es la soledad, la falta de comunicación y la familia,esto por encima de todo.
Hay algunos momentos en los cuales me he llegado a emocionar, y he tenido que parar.
Como me gusta esta autora, y espero que sigan apostando por ella en España.
May 25, 2015
I have to say that this was quite a disappointment to me. I enjoyed reading All She Was Worth (also by Miyabe) very much and expected a book of the same quality but Shadow Family just didn't do it for me. I didn't like the characterization much and found the plot slow and quite uninteresting really.
August 28, 2017
The mystery is easy to figure out, but some surprises await in the denouement. Implausible surprises, but entertaining nonetheless. Miyabe's usual poetic-for-a-mystery writing style is a bit too overwrought here, but still, it's an interesting little novel that's not a terrible way to spend a few hours.
December 1, 2011
Terrific novel, just as good as All She Was Worth. Definitely kept me guessing, and there's a big twist at the end, AFTER you find out whodunit. I wish more of Miyabe's books were available in English.
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