Frank
Hello, this is Frank.
This is my review of The Mathematical Madman of Venice by Takataro Kigi, featured in My Best Mystery IV (Bungeishunju, ed. Japan Mystery Writers Association). Spoiler Alert.
When I first started reading, the heavy scenic descriptions—perhaps because the story is set overseas—felt like an overload of information. As someone who has traveled extensively, the single word “Venice” already evokes vivid imagery for me, which might explain my reaction.
The repeated references to characters as “Oriental,” “Chinese,” or “Japanese” were a stark reminder of the era in which this was written. As a Japanese reader, I wasn’t entirely sure how to emotionally engage with those labels. Meanwhile, the epilogue’s forced connection between the “mathematical madman” Oriental and the daughter of a famous Russian mathematician came across as a heavy-handed twist by a science-minded novelist.
In pursuing the culprit, the narrative leaned heavily on the objective perspective of a hotel bellboy. However, this denied the reader the chance to explore the inner worlds of the Oriental man or the Gypsy, keeping the storytelling rather surface-level.
If I were the author, I might have told the story from the Gypsy woman’s perspective, leading to an ending where she treats the “Oriental” man—who, in some sense, saved her—as a kindred spirit. I think that could have made for an intriguing conclusion.
That said, it was fascinating to see expressions rarely found in modern novels—such as “caressing the earlobe,” “frozen in astonishment,” “gently persuaded,” and “smiling warmly”—and to think about how best to digest them within the story’s flow.
The closing line—“The Japanese believed that this murder was not merely a case of robbery”—hints at deeper layers involving politics, race, or perhaps other motives. It leaves the reader wondering what the author truly meant by “Revenge!”
Ultimately, this work was a reminder of the nuances to consider when writing fiction that includes characters of different nationalities.
If you’re intrigued, I recommend giving it a read. And if you enjoy socially conscious mysteries, you might also like my full-length novel, Mystery of the Rouge.
＊My Best Mystery IV (Bungeishunju, ed. Japan Mystery Writers Association)
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新品価格 |
＊Mystery of the Rouge (by Frank Yoshida)
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新品価格 |
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