A book that can boast equal parts of being humours and horrific. Aside from the Japanese names, the writing style (although translated) flows as if it were always written in English. Starting from the titbit of the origins of his name mentioned in the forward, (say Edgar Allen Poe fast enough and you get Edogawa Rampo), you can already sense the writer’s dedication to his craft and genre.
“The Caterpillar” is a terrifying story of the aftermath of war; the deterioration of the body leading to the deterioration of the human soul. Yet somehow because it is so realistically plausible, the story lingers like a surreal nightmare. Other detective stories are full of human hubris that lead to unexpected outcomes that are quite funny. My favourite outrageous tales being “The Human Chair,” and “The Red Chamber.”
-The Red Chamber
“As I sat with the rest like one bewitched, I unconsciously stared at the dark-red shadowy faces around the table and shuddered. Although I was perfectly familiar with the features of the others, I always felt chills creep down my spine whenever I studied them at close hand, for they all seemed perpetually unexpressive and motionless, like Japanese Noh masks.”
JohannaAirth 
Leave a comment