The Snow White Murder Case
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Illustrated cover
Movie Tie-in Cover
Title: Shirayukihime Satsujin Jiken
English: The Snow White Murder Case
Author: Kanae Minato (Author of Confessions and Penance, published by Mulholland Books)
Publisher: Shueisha
Adaptations: Live-Action Movie that was screened in many festivals including ones in the US and Canada under the name of "The Snow White Murder Case"Kanae Minato, I first heard this name when I watched the psychological movie based on her first novel, Confessions which won many awards back in Japan.
The novel was translated in English, winning the Alex Award and nominated to other awards as well.
That's how an ex-housewife became one of leading names in Japanese Mystery and she earned the name of "the queen of iyamisu."Iyamisu is subgenre of Mystery in Japan that usually deals with dark side of humans.
(Funny thing, when Gone Girl was translated in Japanese, they call it "One of the best iyamisu novels from overseas." and when Confessions was translated a year later, they call it "the Gone Girl of Japan.")
Now, with understanding of what kind of stories she writes, let's talk about this book in particular.
Synopsis:
Beautiful Noriko Miki works at a cosmetic company. One day, Noriko is murdered.
People begin to suspect that her co-worker Miki Jono might have killed her. Television begins to cover this story.
A TV reporter interviews Miki Shirono's colleagues, family, and people from her hometown. Rumors turn into fear. Is she really a wicked woman?It sounds normal then why did I choose this one title among so many other titles of such achieving author?
For 2 reasons:
- It's meant to comment on media and internet. (it's pretty obvious when u see the phones on the illustrated cover or tweets on the movie tie-in cover.)
- It's an experimental work. How?
Well, It's half novel, half material.
Apparently, at the end of the book, u can find "materials" as SNS messages, clips of articles, photos, etc. letting you play the role of detective as well.
Well, some people liked the idea of going back and forth, some say it was annoying on Kindle, some say it's difficult to read SNS and stuff like that on paper.Well, personally, I think it's nice idea and would love to read the title (but I think it would be annoying as e-book -- maybe, I am just biased towards physical books)
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I loved Confessions so easy +1 for this.
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@the-green-death
Actually, I kinda thought if no one else upvotes, at least, I know you will cuz of Confessions lol -
I feel like @Terrence may due to the mystery tag
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@the-green-death
and @Hak0 as well, since he's fan of Eiji Mikage who shares a lot of elements with iyamisu mystery. -
@the-green-death said in The Snow White Murder Case:
I feel like @Terrence may due to the mystery tag
I just didn't yet because I've been yeahing a lot this week (besides some Harem + Isekai). xD
But to be fair, the cover looks intriguing. So I'll likely yeah it.
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@terrence said in The Snow White Murder Case:
@the-green-death said in The Snow White Murder Case:
I feel like @Terrence may due to the mystery tag
I just didn't yet because I've been yeahing a lot this week (besides some Harem + Isekai). xD
But to be fair, the cover looks intriguing. So I'll likely yeah it.
C’mon Terrence, all the cool kids are pressing the like button, you should do it too! ;)
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Damn it, man! Only 3!
Didn't know that the cool kids club was that small!! lol
(and I kinda was of the oddball club lol) -
@bloodygaikotsu said in The Snow White Murder Case:
Damn it, man! Only 3!
Didn't know that the cool kids club was that small!! lol
(and I kinda was of the oddball club lol)Hey if there were too many people in the cool kids club it wouldn’t be real elite and special and cool!
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@the-green-death
It feels like audience of JNC prefers a happy or feel-good story, which makes worried that Kokoro Connect ain't a fit here...(It's one of my favorite series and I would love to have it on my shelf so I want it to do well, very well....it deserves). -
I wouldn't say it is just the audience of JNC, but light novels in general. You don't come to LNs for depressing stories.
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@hak0
I didn't mean depressing per se but smth that a bit serious.However, at the same time, a lot of the most popular titles ain't that happy or laid-back and got a lot of serious scenes or themes, Hakomari, Monogatari, Oregairu, SukaSuka, Re:Zero, 86, Youjo Senki, Overlord, etc...
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@bloodygaikotsu Hakomari wasn't popular among LN readers I would say. Its MAL rating made anime fans read it, or people who aren't the hardcore LN readers. Suka Suka was almost canceled in Japan and doesn't sell particularly well either.
86 appeals to mecha fans, Youjo Senki appeals to history otakus - probably a bigger group than even mecha fans. And Monogatari has a bunch of harem elements and just a lot of comic relief
Not saying you are wrong. I am just trying to explain why they might be popular. I mean look at the best-sellers in Amazon's light novel category. The vast majority of stuff there is lighthearted Isekai and SOL.
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Many want a book they can escape from the rigors of everyday life into, and light fantasy is a good way to do so. That doesn't speak for everyone of course. I'm sure Grimgar still has a solid fanbase.
Even those light fantasies here though do delve into difficult political + social topics much of the time. So it's not all sunshine.
I'm hoping we always get the occasional dark or horror laden book. I'm hopeful the Hayakawa stuff does ok. =]
@hak0 said in The Snow White Murder Case:
@bloodygaikotsu Hakomari wasn't popular among LN readers I would say. Its MAL rating made anime fans read it, or people who aren't the hardcore LN readers.
The Goodreads light novel reading group I'm in read Hakomari and many couldn't stomach it.
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@hak0 said in The Snow White Murder Case:
Suka Suka was almost canceled in Japan and doesn't sell particularly well either.
It's weird that it got an anime tho (and sequel)
What issued all of that?
(Well, I like it so u won't hear me complaining, I cried while watcihng the anime)Even if Monogatari has moe elements, it doesn't appeal to everyone due to its structure and it was my first recommendation to non-anime fan who likes reading.
I was like "Hey, you like reading, right? I'll lend you Kizumonogatari and you will read it!!" loland do we really have that much of history otaku??
I kinda liked it for the whole faith thing -
@terrence
Well, Eiji is like Asano of prose
It's difficult to sit for reading character suffering unless you are into that. -
@bloodygaikotsu
Suka Suka anime was one of most suprising anime announcements to me. I am not saying people don't read type of stuff we are discussing, but it most definitely is a very small minority.The problem with Hakomari, just to answer Terrence, is that it has no comic relief. Even Suka Suka had some but Hakomari has like 2 scenes in 7 volumes. FYI it wasn't a problem for me.
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But it still makes me curious...
Eiji Mikage has a solid followers and reviews on goodreads and MAL
Hyouka is popular on reddit and they don't shut up about it
Otsuichi is selling for VIZ that they re-released his work under different imprint and divided one book into 2.Yet this same fandom (even if they are a bit of minority) is almost nonexistent here
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Eiji Mikage is owacon - outdated. Maybe if he wrote more frequently people would have remembered him. The same people who enjoy his stuff aren't here because they aren't really hardcore LN fans and there is literally nothing for them here. I have a discord server for the fans so I know ^_^
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@hak0
This kinda makes me wonder what if there was a connection with regular novel market (again)
I think Eiji fans would love things like Ryu Murakami and Kanae Minato stuff -
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