i feel stupid reading this book. i don’t understand anything, is this normal? the grammar rules seems different, and i am having to look up dictionary 5-10 words per pages 😔

Asakawa is presented as kind of a bad person. He's far more interested in pursuing this case than he is any of his other duties, including being a good husband and father. I thought this part where he pities Tomoko's father to be particularly telling. He thinks of him as being in denial because he speaks to his daughter's shrine cheerfully, but I see it as him continuing his relationship with his daughter after she's passed on. Asakawa, on the other hand, has seemingly no interest in developing a relationship with his child, and is only motivated to help out with her when it benefits his investigation. Plus the shitty comment about wishing his wife would be quiet like her namesake. I'm wondering if this will turn into a cautionary tale for him when he goes too far and realizes it's too late.

It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but I am also intrigued by the film's choice to make Asakawa a woman instead, changing the dynamic of the main character pretty drastically. I'll have to rewatch it after I read this and see which I prefer!