I find that some of Jokichi Hikage’s books feel like a blend of literary fiction and mystery, but 孤独の罠 leans more on the side of literary fiction. The story is mainly focused on our protagonist, Shinobu Oogi, and while it starts with an unsettling mystery, it is not central to the book, and the complex character of Shinobu is really what makes this book shine.
With several deaths occurring at the beginning of the novel, Shinobu’s ties to others are slowly cut off. He feels like a stranger in his wife’s family and his sister remains his only blood relative. However, his attachment to her and his concern to her well-being is not as genuine as people think. His relationship with his mother, his attraction for the beautiful wife of the local post owner, and the burden of unspoken desires and shameful memories will make Shinobu fall into the trap of self-deception, disguising his selfish desires into acts of concern and care.
When murder occurs, the novel borrows elements from the mystery genre, but it’s more interesting to see how our protagonist reacts to the murder than solving it. The investigation and solution are not bad, but there is also nothing really exciting about them.
Shinobu’s sister, Kanae, could have been the protagonist if this book was a mystery novel. She tries to live her own life, she is fighting for justice and for love, does not care about social conventions and follows her own choices. But we see the story from Shinobu’ point of view instead, and we have to deal with his contradictions and psychological burden, which makes the book quite a heavy read.
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