Apr 28, 2013

Expectations...

Expectations are strange things...sometimes they make you feel joyous, and sometimes they bring you disappointments. Sometimes they leave you at lack of words or expressions. I feel at loss of words today.... But I guess, I'm running ahead. I should start at the beginning...

After a long time, I applied for a review for BlogAdda. But again, that also is not the "start" of the things. It started with me talking to a friend of mine about what she should pick up next for reading....my suggestion was "Devotion of Suspect X" and while I was praising the creepy brilliance of the twist in the plot, I googled the author for Suspect X...Keigo Higashino. And to my surprise, I found out that he (I'm assuming its a HE, I'm not good with Japanese names) has written another book...by the title "Salvation of a Saint". A little research also made me realise that the book is available in India and I had planned to pick it up next time I stopped by in Crossword. And as if the Universe was conspiring so that I get to read...I got a mail from BlogAdda that Salvation was up for review. And I applied. :)

I was very impressed with Mr. Higashino's Suspect X and knew of his style of writing. The seemingly straightforward storyline, intelligent police work, interesting characters and a deadly twist had been high points of Suspect X. I was hoping the same from Salvation. And I'll be lying if I said Salvation failed me on these parameters. What really happened was, I built a lot of expectations from the book and that made sure I'll be left unsatisfied. Salvation has all the markers that one has started anticipating in the works of Mr. Higashino. There is a very interesting plot revolving around very real, believable people, and promise of an unsolvable, PERFECT crime. We meet detective Kusanagi and beloved Professor Yukawa. This time standing on opposing view points and dealing with Detective Kusanagi falling for the main suspect.

Salvation is complex and at times seems like really Unsolvable. You are treated with the constant reminder of the question..."how was he poisoned?" You find yourself asking and hypothesis-ing the ways it could have been pulled off. And even when you think you know WHY, at the end of the novel, you are presented with the "twist"

Is it as spine-chilling as Devotion's twist was...may be not. But dies it springs on you completely suddenly?...oh yeah. Does it changes how you think of characters at play? Sure does. Will it make me wanna read more works by Mr.Higashino? Definitely.

So, what's the verdict?

Pick up n read this one...if you have not read Suspect X, and even if you have read it.




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