Evaluation

Treating this as a psychological thriller, this book does fit the genre in terms of twists and plot progression that you might expect; however, it isn’t as fast-paced or heart-racing as “thriller” might suggest. It is also very introspective and character-driven, so it fits literary fiction expectations as well. 

I think one of the reasons that it can be described as multiple genres is it hits multiple genre expectations while also adding dimensions that reach across genre lines. 

The main character throughout is the teacher Yuko Moriguchi. Her four-year-old daughter also plays a major role as the catalyst to the whole novel. Then there are three students who feature prominently and each gets their own chapter to share their own side of the story.

What really makes this story unique is that each main character gets their own chapter to share their side, something that Moriguchi would probably argue against when it comes to children who commit crimes. Crime committed by children is also a big theme in this book. Confessions poses and considers what drives children to commit serious crimes and how should society treat cases of such crimes when it comes to reporting on them—and the risk of copycats and privacy in sensationalizing such stories. It also covers mental health and the phenomenon of Hikikomori or severe isolation. The final prominent themes fight stigmas of single motherhood—and motherhood in general—and HIV/AIDS.

While there were moments I found slow in comparison, the more quiet, introspective narrative parts made the plot twists even more shocking. As soon as you settle into the voice of each new part, more information is revealed. As soon as you think you know everything, you are shown that there is more to this story. 

Each of the six parts is told in a different form, the first in Moriguchi’s retirement speech to her middle school class in which the reader only gets her side of the conversation, no thoughts, no description other than what she verbally describes. It’s a very fitting introduction to a story that takes perspective and sharing each side of the story individually so seriously.

This is extremely effective in my opinion. 

My Rec

I absolutely loved this book and just as it was recommended to me, I will continue the chain and recommend it to anyone interested in a little literary psychological thriller. To put it simply, I highly recommend it to everyone.

It is truly unique and I honestly have not read or experienced anything like it. Despite this, I do see some similarities to other stories. After reading this book, I watched the Netflix show Adolescence which follows the investigation of the death of a 13-year-old girl and the 13-year-old boy accused of killing her. It has a similar insight and exploration of the teenage/preteenage mind and a desire for power, control, and attention that young boys can have. While these take different forms in each piece of media, I find it interesting to see the similarities. Both Adolescence and Confessions also explore the impact that a few moments can have on the people who make such decisions as well as the families involved who are forced to deal with the aftermath.