Salvation Of A Saint Review: Will Certainly Keep You On Tenterhooks
Even though I am not a big fan of thrillers, I am an admirer of Japanese fiction and writing which is why I have been purchasing too many Japanese thrillers lately. The best thing about Keigo Higashino’s books is that you know who the murderer is right from the beginning of the book. Same goes for this book. In Salvation Of A Saint, the reason behind the murder is also partially revealed. What remains to see is how it is done. 300+ pages determining how a crime is committed may seem like a boring affair but take my word, this book will keep you hooked. I am a very impatient person and I cannot wait for a mystery to solve after 300 pages. But Higashino’s writing was so gripping that I stayed up late at night to read every single page of this book only because Higashino’s books are an experience like no other.
Salvation Of A Saint (Detective Galileo #5) by Keigo Higashino, Alexander O. Smith (Translator) With Elye J. Alexander
Yoshitaka and Ayane Mashiba are a couple on the verge of a divorce within one year of their marriage. Reason being that Ayane is unable to conceive a child. When she agreed to marry Yoshitaka she had also agreed to his stipulation of having a baby within a year or else they will mutually separate. Since she failed to get pregnant, Yoshitaka now wants her to keep her end of the promise and divorce him as decided. Ayane agrees to his demand but asks him for a few more days and leaves to visit her parents. But Ayane is forced to cut her visit short as the police inform her of Yoshitaka’s death in their apartment. She learns that his body was discovered by her apprentice Hiromi Wakayama who has also been seeing Yoshitaka behind Ayane’s back. For some strange reason, the police have a strong suspicion against Ayane though she was miles away on the day of the murder.
Points I Liked About Salvation Of A Saint
Writing: I cannot bear suspense which is why I often end up reading the last few pages of the book first, so I do not feel anxious to know how it all concludes. But, Higashino’s writing is such that I enjoy the anxiety. I want to feel the nervousness. I want to be on tenterhooks. The plot of Salvation of a Saint is strong and though the writing is slow paced it is never boring. Higashino presents the story from the culprit and the investigator’s point of view in such a way that you will find yourself relating to both. In most murder mysteries, if the culprit is driven by circumstances to commit the crime, my sympathy lies with him but here I felt a little bad for the victim too. Yoshitaka’s ideologies were not good, but I appreciate the fact that he was honest. The one thing he craved for most in his life was a family and he was always very clear about that with the women he dated. I do not sympathise with Ayane even though she had her own reasons to do what she did. How she did it was beyond my comprehension and believe me, the more you think you have figured it out, the more you are away from the actual truth.
Points I Did Not Like About Salvation Of A Saint
Climax: Since I read The Devotion of Suspect X before this book, I had high expectations of it. The book did live up to my expectations writing-wise but left me a little underwhelmed with its climax. I am not saying that the climax is bad or disappointing. It is just that the previous book stunned me to a great extent and moved me to the core. And I was expecting something similarly moving and astonishing. I know it is unfair to compare the two books that deal with completely different characters and storylines. But I also wasn’t fully convinced by the murderers’ meticulous modus operandi. The climax is surprising and unpredictable but it was a little unbelievable.
Final View: Japanese fiction is my favourite. And I bow down to Higashino’s exemplary style of writing. If you feel suspense novels never unruffled your brain, then you certainly have not read Keigo Higashino’s novel. Fans of suspense novels, grab this one NOW!
You can check Amazon.in for discounts on this book.
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