Kuniko and Yayoi felt like they were one-dimensional. Not because it wasn't but when I did read the male-gazey parts I always second guess myself into thinking that I might be reading too much into these things but that review just confirmed my thoughts. I saw a review saying that the book was male-gazey and that did taint my reading experience a little. ‘And I’m willing to march into hell if I’m following you.’ Was that where they were headed, Masako wondered.” “Yoshie had wrapped up everything personal that mattered in a tight package and stored it away somewhere far out of sight, and in its place she had developed a single obsession: diligence.” But the painful truth was that there was no one to help her.” “The role kept her going, helped her survive the dreary work it was her one source of pride. Mad respect for Yayoi’s character - if I came into the kind of money she did, I don't know if I’d keep taking care of my MIL like that. The friendship and camaraderie between Yayoi and Masako was something I wished I saw more of.

(yes, smarter than chopping up the bodies) Our girl Masako is running for her life with all the money she has and the consequence for Satake is that he has to move out of his apartment? Masako actually trying to outwit Satake instead of falling into the trap of her anxiety was super refreshing compared to the other characters, who were ballsy enough to chop up humans but not brave enough to face this random club owner they never met? Although, it felt like there were no dire consequences for Satake when it came to the smartest thing that Masako tried to do to him in the whole book. It feels like what came for her was the most justified. Kirino’s portrayal of Kuniko’s inherent unlikeability really shone through in both her actions, the other characters' reactions, and the writing. Even Yoshie, who had to juggle her mother-in-law’s diapers while dealing with her runaway daughter, didn’t measure up to Masako’s strength and wit. I really liked Masako’s no-nonsense attitude - it was a sharp contrast to the whining that the rest were doing. Opinions are my own, based on my reading habits. SPOILERS and also Trigger warnings for those of you who are thinking about reading this book.

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