None of Natsuo Kirino’s novels that have happened in English has yet to disappoint me in any way, she’s three for three as far as I’m concerned. Real World is another well-written piece of crime fiction infused with feminist musings and cultural anxieties aplenty.

Once again, Kirino jumps from character to character, situating the reader right there inside each of their heads. Although the characters in Real World felt slightly too similar – in the same way many of Haruki Murakami’s protagonists do – they are made unique through their personal histories, nuances, and outlooks on life. As the novel progresses, the theme of the story really starts to shine from character to character, and you realize just how strong the work is overall.

Personally, I think there could’ve been more though. I was surprised when I saw how short this novel was compared to the two previous ones put out by Vintage/Knopf; I finished Real World in a week whereas it took me about a month for Out and Grotesque at a similar pace. Not that it detracts from the story, but it does make me think that Kirino could’ve delved deeper into some of the other characters who don’t get nearly as much “screen” time (to use a film term). Even though by the end you really feel like you understand all of the characters, some of them remain a bit of a mystery. Maybe I just like closure in my novels.

Overall though Real World is a fantastic piece of work, and Natsuo Kirino has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I’m glad to see another one of her novels has been picked up for an English translation, and I hope more of them will – after all, she’s written like 16 novels and a bunch of short stories.