“Confessions”, Kanae Minato
告白 • First published in Japanese in August 5, 2008
Her pupils murdered her daughter. Now she will have her revenge.
After calling off her engagement in the wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old child, Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation.
But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a diabolical plot for revenge.
Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you'll never see coming, Confessions probes the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You'll never look at a classroom the same way again.
“You can’t blame your crimes on someone else; they’re your own responsibility.”
This was one the most creepingly explosive books I’ve ever read (listened to)—a masterclass is psychological suspense, and female rage & revenge (see Slewfoot by Brom). What began as a teacher’s calm, detached monologue unravels into a chilling spiral of grief, vengeance, and psychological warfare against her young students—all set in motion by the murder of her young daughter.
I listened to the audiobook in a single afternoon while building the LEGO Hogwarts Castle (should I review this…?), and the juxtaposition of a peaceful and meticulous task with the unraveling intensity of this disturbing story was quite an experience.
The shifting perspectives peeled back layers of manipulation and consequences, which means that just when you think you understand the characters and their motives, a new voice or a different angle reorients your view of the incident. Works translated into English often sound clunky to me, but in this case, the simplicity of the translation added flavor and emotional weight to the horror of the Yuko’s master plan.
And you know what? I’ll never look at a carton of milk the same way ever again.
FUN FACT: A Japanese movie adaptation was released in 2010; however, it is not widely or readily available in the US. So, I guess that’s a NOT-SO-FUN Fact.
Content Warnings
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of content and trigger warnings.
child death • murder • bullying • suicidal thoughts • AIDS
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