by Riku Onda (Translated by: Alison Watts)
SYNOPSIS
Set in Tokyo over the course of one night, Aki and Hiro have decided to be together one last time in their shared flat before parting. Their relationship has broken down after a mountain trek during which their guide died inexplicably. Now each believes the other to be a murderer and is determined to extract a confession before the night is over. Who is the murderer and what really happened on the mountain? In the battle of wills between them, the chain of events leading up to this night are gradually revealed in a gripping psychological thriller that keeps the reader in suspense to the very end.
REVIEW
The entire story told in Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight is based around the relationship between Aki and Hiro with only very minor mentions of any additional characters. We join Aki and Hiro as they prepare to spend one last night together in the apartment they share, before going their separate ways the following day. This simple concept becomes much more complex as we learn that since the death of their guide on a walking trip, both Aki and Hiro have been convinced that the other played a part in the man's death. Both equally determined to hear the other confess, the night takes a sinister turn with revelations that will have a profound impact on their relationship and their lives in general going forward.
I haven't read the previous novel from Riku Onda, The Aosawa Murders, so I went into this book completely blind, with no idea of the style or atmosphere and I was completely blown away by the amount of tension that was created even in just the first few pages. The strain between the two characters was so real that I felt every breath and every moment of panic. I really felt like I was right there with them and weight of the issues between Aki and Hiro was almost suffocating.
The biggest surprise for me was the way the story developed. I had an idea of how I thought the plot would play out but I was proven wrong with some very surprising reveals which played on the traditional idea of relationships, family roles and behaviours. To get the full enjoyment from this book you really need to go into it with no spoilers so I don't want to give away any more details about the storyline but I will say that this is the second massive hit that I have read from Bitter Lemon Press recently, and I can highly recommend this book if you are looking for a more unusual take on a thriller.
I completely agree with the comparison with Leila Slimani's Lullaby and also think it would appeal to fans of Dinner Party: A Tragedy by Sarah Gilmartin which also looks at family secrets and sibling relationships. Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight is a claustrophobic and unique thriller, perfect to read on a heavy summer night.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Riku Onda, born in 1964, has been writing fiction since 1991 and has published prolifically since. She has won the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers, the Japan Booksellers' Award, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and the Naoki Prize. Her work has been adapted for film and television. Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight follows on from the success of The Aosawa Murders and is her second work to be translated into English.
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Bitter Lemon Press - @bitterlemonpub Riku Onda and @sashikolady for the opportunity to read and review.
Fiction: Mystery / Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press
ISBN: 978-1913394592
Pages: 286pp
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