My Annihilation
(Sprache: Englisch)
"Japanese literary sensation Fuminori Nakamura's latest novel is as a dark look into human psyche--what turns someone into a killer? Can it be something as small as a suggestion? Turn this page, and you may forfeit your entire life. A confessional diary...
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Klappentext zu „My Annihilation “
"Japanese literary sensation Fuminori Nakamura's latest novel is as a dark look into human psyche--what turns someone into a killer? Can it be something as small as a suggestion? Turn this page, and you may forfeit your entire life. A confessional diary implicates its reader in a heinous crime, and reveals with disturbing honesty the psychological motives of a killer. With [this novel, the author] has constructed a puzzle-box of a narrative that delves relentlessly into the darkest corners of human consciousness, that interrogates the unspeakable thoughts that all humans share and that only monsters act on"--
Lese-Probe zu „My Annihilation “
1 A cramped room in a rundown mountain lodge, and on the desk a manuscript, left open to page one, as if it had been waiting here for ages to be read.
The only other piece of furniture a simple bed. The wood floor creaked with every step. The slight breeze was enough to set the thin glass of the tired window rattling. My thoughts went to the various forms of identification in my bag. An insurance card, a certificate of residence, even a pension booklet, all under the name Ryodai Kozuka. Born in 1977, he was two years older than me. Japanese standards for applying for IDs are a joke. None of these cards had a photograph of me, but I could use them to apply for a passport that did. Trading places with Ryodai Kozuka.
I looked at the text of the pages. The paper was old, bound simply with a clip. This manuscript had to have been written by Ryodai Kozuka. An account, or even the life story, of the man whose place I was about to take.
A white suitcase stood in the corner of the room. My heart beat a little faster. I hadn t brought that suitcase here. That must be where it was. Kozuka s body. Trees danced outside the window, as if to tell me of the sinister nature of this place. But I had understood immediately what to do. Bury that suitcase in the forest, and this would all be over.
Turn this page, and you may give up your entire life. Or so the first page said. But I had no intention of giving my old life up. He might have left behind unfinished business, but it was no business of mine. All I wanted was his identity.
The light from the scrawny desk lamp cast an orange glow over the dust. I lit a cigarette and turned the page of the shoddy manuscript.
*
I guess it started with the funeral.
A girl who lived nearby was kidnapped and discovered dead. The younger
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sister of one of my classmates. People sweating through their black funeral clothes milled awkwardly about. I was in the third grade, and watched these strangers dressed in black surround my classmate. His parents stood nearby, holding a portrait of the lost girl.
They had apprehended an unemployed man in his thirties, who went on to testify to having lured the girl into his car and murdered her when she began to kick and scream. The man had a hulky build and wore ratty basketball shoes. I had seen him wandering around town several times, leaning a little forward as he walked.
My classmate had told me that he never liked his sister, who happened to have a different father. I suppose he told me because I also had a sister I disliked who had a different father.
When the hall had started to clear out, I went over to say something to him. My mouth dried up. My breath was shallow. The murder of the girl and the man they had arrested were plenty scary as it was, but what really terrified me was my classmate. I addressed him in a whisper. The range of lights decking the funeral hall transformed the tense figures of the strangers into shafts of shadow on the floor. The shadows overlapped, forming peculiar geometric shapes on the linoleum.
. . . What happened?
I had a feeling this was all because of him. That he had flaunted his pretty little sister in front of the giant man. A man without a job, left to nurse his dark side or perhaps the dark side had expanded on its own as he wandered miserably around town. Had my classmate dangled his sister at the man the way that you might tease a stray dog with a piece of meat?
Back then I didn t know the term existed, but I suspected this was what they call a perfect crime. Without d
They had apprehended an unemployed man in his thirties, who went on to testify to having lured the girl into his car and murdered her when she began to kick and scream. The man had a hulky build and wore ratty basketball shoes. I had seen him wandering around town several times, leaning a little forward as he walked.
My classmate had told me that he never liked his sister, who happened to have a different father. I suppose he told me because I also had a sister I disliked who had a different father.
When the hall had started to clear out, I went over to say something to him. My mouth dried up. My breath was shallow. The murder of the girl and the man they had arrested were plenty scary as it was, but what really terrified me was my classmate. I addressed him in a whisper. The range of lights decking the funeral hall transformed the tense figures of the strangers into shafts of shadow on the floor. The shadows overlapped, forming peculiar geometric shapes on the linoleum.
. . . What happened?
I had a feeling this was all because of him. That he had flaunted his pretty little sister in front of the giant man. A man without a job, left to nurse his dark side or perhaps the dark side had expanded on its own as he wandered miserably around town. Had my classmate dangled his sister at the man the way that you might tease a stray dog with a piece of meat?
Back then I didn t know the term existed, but I suspected this was what they call a perfect crime. Without d
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Autoren-Porträt von Fuminori Nakamura
Fuminori Nakamura; Translated by Sam Bett
Bibliographische Angaben
- Autor: Fuminori Nakamura
- 2022, 288 Seiten, Maße: 13,9 x 20,8 cm, Kartoniert (TB), Englisch
- Übersetzer: Sam Bett
- Verlag: Penguin Random House US
- ISBN-10: 1641294078
- ISBN-13: 9781641294072
- Erscheinungsdatum: 01.02.2024
Sprache:
Englisch
Pressezitat
Praise for My AnnihilationEsquire 50 Best Mysteries of All Time
An NPR Best Book of 2022
CrimeReads Best International Crime Fiction of 2022
A Sunday Times Best Thriller Book of 2022 (So Far)
CrimeReads Most Anticipated Books of 2022
[My Annihilation] is a literary labyrinth of forking paths. Surgical memory erasure, subliminal messaging, sexual blackmail and suicide all feature in this bravura work, which evokes the feel of such diverse writers as Calvino, Highsmith, Kafka and Dick.
Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal
Camus meets Chandler in Japan, via the hall-of-mirrors thriller My Annihilation . . . This is a book that doesn t afford easy succor or any particular comfort at all. In Nakamura s universe we are all damned, not by our sins so much (although those, as well) as by our ignorance. Who are we? What are we doing here? The answers to those questions are unavailable to us, but it doesn t matter anyway. Turn this page, and you may give up your life, indeed. For Nakamura, this is less a choice than an inevitability.
David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times
[A] lurid and intellectually ambitious new thriller . . . My Annihilation attempts to annihilate our sense-making capability, operating somewhat like the ECT machines beloved by his unsavory shrinks . . . Every time you think you grasp what s going on, Nakamura reminds you that you are not in control here. Perhaps you are never in control.
The New York Times Book Review
A haunting novel of ideas where secret agendas abound and narratives are wrapped inside each other, this sharp, labyrinthine tale is probably Fuminori Nakamura s most cerebral novel to date . . . Dark and complex, sure, but also thrilling and endlessly entertaining.
NPR.org
A dark novel that s the literary equivalent of a puzzle box; an experimental, cerebral story in which questions reign supreme, secret agendas slither under
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everything, every narrator is unreliable, memory is shaky at best, and reality is a shifting thing that refuses to be pinned down.
Esquire
[A] bewildering jumble of texts, tropes and registers, mixing pulpy devices with psychopathological musings . . . [A] Dostoevskyan literary thriller.
John Dugdale, The Sunday Times
My Annihilation is an exploration of the psyche, how trauma shapes individuals, and how dark desires can easily turn people into murderers . . . A wildly entertaining narrative in which things like abuse, grief, murder, and vengeance are seen through the lens of psychoanalysis. Nakamura is a gifted storyteller, and this fast, slim, cerebral noir, beautifully translated by Sam Bett, is a great addition to his oeuvre.
Vol. 1 Brooklyn
Nakamura s philosophical brilliance shines through each page of his latest sadistic, genius thriller.
Asia Media International
A tricky and taut work of literary noir that implicates the reader in a disturbing murder, [My Annihilation] might just be the antidote for anyone who s addicted to pressing play on another true crime doc.
Chicago Review of Books
A disturbing and thoughtful novel, almost surreal at times . . . This book will make you think deeply about what a human personality actually is.
New York Journal of Books
[Nakamura] has made a career out of pushing the boundaries of existential horror, shining a light on the darkest shadows of humanity . . . My Annihilation is a compulsive read . . . This chilling psychological mystery about a violent crime promises not to disappoint. Expect anything but a happy ending.
The Japan Times
An anxiety-inducing horror/mystery tale not for the feint of heart.
Books and Bao
My Annihilation is one hell of a ride. From the first sentence Turn this page, and you may forfeit your entire life Nakamura plays tricks on the reader, the narrator, and even the notion of existence itself. Perfect for those who like their noir obsessive and deeply philosophical.
CrimeReads
If you like Japanese crime novels, psychological stories, revenge, that feeling of maybe nothing is as it seems, and want a quick read, this one is for you.
BookRiot
A dark, psychological tale.
The A.V. Club
[My Annihilation] dives deep to explore the inner workings of a murderer.
Crime Fiction Lover
A thought-provoking picture, in Nakamura s words, of what it means to be human and what it means to exist in the world. Some true crime set in Japan might be the thing after this.
First Clue
A shocking and darkly rich tale that will stay with you.
Tokyo Weekender
My Annihilation is literally multi-layered, and these are peeled back at different times and in different ways to reveal (and obscure ...) more of the story . . . My Annihilation keeps readers on their toes, and guessing, and there are some very satisfying turns and reveals here . . .[A]n enjoyably constantly unsettling read.
The Complete Review
Masterfully crafted suspense . . . My Annihilation is a terrifying and unpredictable work that is a must-read for any thriller fans.
International Examiner
A work of dark brilliance.
BookReporter.com
A jigsaw puzzle of a novel exploring themes of connection and consequence through personal identity and responsibility . . . The psychological thriller My Annihilation poses multiple philosophical questions during its roller coaster of a story not a whodunnit, but a who-is-it.
Foreword Reviews
Nakamura is a gifted and highly imaginative writer. His characters and the shocking plot are bewildering and bizarre, with even the layout of the book supporting the dark, eerie theme . . . A profound, revelatory, and deeply moving examination of the human mind.
Booklist
The story becomes a maze of conflicting accounts, back and forth between manuscript and reader black boxes within black boxes, memory and personality transient, even basic facts losing a foundation . . . [A] dark, elegant novel.
Library Journal
Nakamura expertly mixes a look into the criminal mind with a story of doomed love. This fever-dream of a novel will long linger in the reader s memory.
Publishers Weekly
Searing . . . An unnerving tale that richly earns its title. By the last chapter, you won t believe a word the narrator tells you.
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Fuminori Nakamura
Japan Objects' Best Japanese Authors of All Time
"A thriller in the same elevated sense as is Dostoevsky s Crime and Punishment or Camus s The Stranger . . . Nature versus nurture, free will versus fate: Such are the themes that flicker almost subliminally through this shocking narrative, which also emits echoes of Poe and Mishima."
The Wall Street Journal
"A suspenseful study of obsession. . . Love, even illicit love, has a way of bringing out the best or the worst in a person."
The New York Times Book Review
"Nakamura's impassioned writing is part of a continuum that stretches from Dostoevsky to Camus to e."
Los Angeles Times
Esquire
[A] bewildering jumble of texts, tropes and registers, mixing pulpy devices with psychopathological musings . . . [A] Dostoevskyan literary thriller.
John Dugdale, The Sunday Times
My Annihilation is an exploration of the psyche, how trauma shapes individuals, and how dark desires can easily turn people into murderers . . . A wildly entertaining narrative in which things like abuse, grief, murder, and vengeance are seen through the lens of psychoanalysis. Nakamura is a gifted storyteller, and this fast, slim, cerebral noir, beautifully translated by Sam Bett, is a great addition to his oeuvre.
Vol. 1 Brooklyn
Nakamura s philosophical brilliance shines through each page of his latest sadistic, genius thriller.
Asia Media International
A tricky and taut work of literary noir that implicates the reader in a disturbing murder, [My Annihilation] might just be the antidote for anyone who s addicted to pressing play on another true crime doc.
Chicago Review of Books
A disturbing and thoughtful novel, almost surreal at times . . . This book will make you think deeply about what a human personality actually is.
New York Journal of Books
[Nakamura] has made a career out of pushing the boundaries of existential horror, shining a light on the darkest shadows of humanity . . . My Annihilation is a compulsive read . . . This chilling psychological mystery about a violent crime promises not to disappoint. Expect anything but a happy ending.
The Japan Times
An anxiety-inducing horror/mystery tale not for the feint of heart.
Books and Bao
My Annihilation is one hell of a ride. From the first sentence Turn this page, and you may forfeit your entire life Nakamura plays tricks on the reader, the narrator, and even the notion of existence itself. Perfect for those who like their noir obsessive and deeply philosophical.
CrimeReads
If you like Japanese crime novels, psychological stories, revenge, that feeling of maybe nothing is as it seems, and want a quick read, this one is for you.
BookRiot
A dark, psychological tale.
The A.V. Club
[My Annihilation] dives deep to explore the inner workings of a murderer.
Crime Fiction Lover
A thought-provoking picture, in Nakamura s words, of what it means to be human and what it means to exist in the world. Some true crime set in Japan might be the thing after this.
First Clue
A shocking and darkly rich tale that will stay with you.
Tokyo Weekender
My Annihilation is literally multi-layered, and these are peeled back at different times and in different ways to reveal (and obscure ...) more of the story . . . My Annihilation keeps readers on their toes, and guessing, and there are some very satisfying turns and reveals here . . .[A]n enjoyably constantly unsettling read.
The Complete Review
Masterfully crafted suspense . . . My Annihilation is a terrifying and unpredictable work that is a must-read for any thriller fans.
International Examiner
A work of dark brilliance.
BookReporter.com
A jigsaw puzzle of a novel exploring themes of connection and consequence through personal identity and responsibility . . . The psychological thriller My Annihilation poses multiple philosophical questions during its roller coaster of a story not a whodunnit, but a who-is-it.
Foreword Reviews
Nakamura is a gifted and highly imaginative writer. His characters and the shocking plot are bewildering and bizarre, with even the layout of the book supporting the dark, eerie theme . . . A profound, revelatory, and deeply moving examination of the human mind.
Booklist
The story becomes a maze of conflicting accounts, back and forth between manuscript and reader black boxes within black boxes, memory and personality transient, even basic facts losing a foundation . . . [A] dark, elegant novel.
Library Journal
Nakamura expertly mixes a look into the criminal mind with a story of doomed love. This fever-dream of a novel will long linger in the reader s memory.
Publishers Weekly
Searing . . . An unnerving tale that richly earns its title. By the last chapter, you won t believe a word the narrator tells you.
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Fuminori Nakamura
Japan Objects' Best Japanese Authors of All Time
"A thriller in the same elevated sense as is Dostoevsky s Crime and Punishment or Camus s The Stranger . . . Nature versus nurture, free will versus fate: Such are the themes that flicker almost subliminally through this shocking narrative, which also emits echoes of Poe and Mishima."
The Wall Street Journal
"A suspenseful study of obsession. . . Love, even illicit love, has a way of bringing out the best or the worst in a person."
The New York Times Book Review
"Nakamura's impassioned writing is part of a continuum that stretches from Dostoevsky to Camus to e."
Los Angeles Times
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