Bookverdict.com

Peace (Tokyo Year Zero) returns to postwar Japan in this complex mix of history, mystery, and Japanese literary tradition. The historical crime element comes from the 1948 poisoning of employees of a Tokyo bank by someone posing as a health official. The history lesson touches on the relatively unknown Japanese biological weapons program that was tested on Chinese and Russian prisoners of war. Peace draws on Akutagawa Ryunosuke's classic short story "Rahshomon" with his use of multiple points of view; narrated by 12 characters, the novel shifts between poetic elegance and narrative cacophony while maintaining the fast pace of a historical thriller. Verdict This original amalgam of storytelling, history, and style compares to Haruki Murakami in its content and scope but challenges the reader to unravel the mysteries in 12 distinct voices. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy complicated and layered writing. [Peace's "Red Riding Quartet" about Britain's Yorkshire Ripper murders of the 1970s is now an acclaimed trilogy of films.-Ed.]-Ron Samul, New London, CT Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc. Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc. ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More