Ultimately not for me, but provided some interesting historical detail and mystery-weaving. A story that needs a bit more nuance and compassion to really soar.

This book made me feel icky but without any payoff. Like it should have been compelling but it just seemed misogynist.

I found this novel super compelling and hard to put down! The beginning section almost read like In the Cut written from the perspective of the cop. I do agree with other commenters that the sex scenes were really bad -- they almost felt like they were written by a different writer, they were so cheesy and poorly written. It didn't totally detract from my enjoyment of the book, but I definitely preferred My Annihilation,

If you’re kinky and you know it, clap your hands….oh wait, they are tied up….

Book Information

The Rope Artist was written by Fuminori Nakamura. It’s due to be published on May 2, 2023 and is 288 pages. Nakamura won the 2002 Shinchō Literary Prize for New Writers for his first novel, A Gun, the prestigious Noma Literary Prize for Shade in 2004, and the 2005 Akutagawa Prize for The Boy in the Earth. The Thief, his first novel to be translated into English, won the 2010 Oe Prize, Japan’s largest literary award, and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Thanks to Soho Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review.

Summary

Two detectives are faced with a perplexing case involving identical women and a rapidly increasing body count. The victims are all tied to Japan's underground BDSM scene, specifically the intricate art of kinbaku, a form of rope bondage with a complex cultural history encompassing spirituality, torture, cleansing, and sacrifice. Togashi, a young member of the police force tasked with investigating the murder of a kinbaku instructor, finds himself struggling with his own desires and childhood traumas as he delves deeper into the case. Meanwhile, his partner Hayama, a Sherlock Holmes-like detective with exceptional powers of deduction, is committed to uncovering the truth and maintaining his unwavering moral compass. As Hayama begins to sense a dangerous darkness lurking within Togashi, he launches his own parallel investigation, ultimately leading both detectives down a dangerous path beyond their control.

My Thoughts

The Rope Artist is a departure from my usual reading, blending elements of mystery, cultural exploration, cop story, and erotica. While there are certainly turns and surprises in the plot, the book isn't exactly a traditional mystery, as many of the crimes are not shrouded in secrecy. Instead, the story offers a rich cultural exploration of Japanese Bondage (shibari & kinbaku), delving into its history, significance, and importance.

At its core, The Rope Artist is a cop story, with a focus on the detectives involved in the case and the seedy underbelly of policing. The book's erotic elements are also notable, with explicit sexual content that may be lost in translation. I don't recall encountering the word "penis" so frequently in any other story.

The story unfolds from multiple perspectives, adding depth and complexity to the plot. However, the book's detailed nature can also make it confusing at times, and I appreciated the backstories provided for many of the characters, which helped clarify their motivations and actions.

Nakamura's unique writing style is a standout feature of The Rope Artist. However, it's unclear whether his style overshadowed the content or whether the translation impacted my perception of the book. While I believe there is an audience for this novel, I don't think it will appeal to a broad general population.

Recommendation

The Rope Artist is a must-read for fans of Nakamura's previous works or those who may enjoy books that blend cultural exploration of Japanese Bondage with police investigations of multiple murders. If either of these descriptions fits you, then this book is sure to captivate and intrigue you from start to finish.

Rating

3 Hemp Rope Bound Stars

My thanks to both NetGalley and Soho Press for an advance copy of this mystery featuring both murder, adult behaviors and compulsions, the occult and the darkness that dwells with us.

Humans tend to get into knots about a variety of things. Outside stressors, the voices inside our heads, being roped into situations that are hard to get out of. Add in romance, or fear of romance, past failures, lost loves, some of these things bind us in place, making it hard to wiggle out of these fears and doubts, leaving us stuck in place. Many long to try something new, to find release in different ways. Sometimes when bounding into a new adventure, bad things can happen, and the compulsion to try something new, to give into those deep down locked away thoughts can take a person to a dark place, or leave on hanging in place like a fly in a web. The Rope Artist by Fuminori Nakamura is a story of rage, the punishment many feel they deserve and the ties that bind a person to past failures.

At a murder scene Togashi, a junior police detective daydreams about a day that he almost died at the beach, sucked down by a rip current, that the person who rescues can't believe was there. Thinking of drowning helps him not to think about the victim, and allows him in his disconnected state to remove some evidence from the scene. Outside smoking, Togashi bumps into a senior detective Hayama, a person known for his strong moral code, his ability to solve crimes and even better to read people, and know what they are capable of. Togashi is enamored with the world of BDSM, and finds himself thrust into this investigation, one in which bodies are starting to appear with more frequency, all having in common a tie to the art of kinbaku, or tight binding. Soon both men are carrying on an investigation that will take them to places neither expected.

Fuminori Nakamura is known for his books that go to extremes with a lot of dark imagery, and an energy that can be kind of manic, but still quite interesting. This book is no exception with a lot of racy pages, and a lot of imagery that could be a bit extreme for certain readers. Though a lot of them will be weeded out by the title. This is not 50 Shades of anything, this is dark writing, with some very dirty characters, including the lead. The writing is good, though sometimes I think the translation might be missing the point in some spots. I have read other books by Nakamura before, I believe with the same translator, but some scenes seemed watered down. Which I can see cause there is a lot. The book takes a bit to get into, but once it starts going, the book goes full on. This reads almost like a 70's movie, dark, confusing for the characters, gritty, no message, just full on story. A very different kind of journey.

Recommended for fans of Japanese horror comics or manga, especially the readers of the author Junji Ito, or even dark anime stories. A story not for all readers, but that is interesting for some, with a propulsive ending that keeps readers flipping.

Talk about a book that has twists, turns, unexpected scenes and a satisfactory if not surprising ending. Starting this book, you are automatically placed on the defensive. You are unsure if you want to even trust the narrator and you are brought along for the ride for the story as everything unfolds. This book is masterful at making you question what actually has happened and keeps you guessing at what is coming up next. Excellent book, if not a bit on the scary side.

My thanks to Penguin/RH for an e-ARC of this novel (release date May 2023). Nakamura's 19th, my first to read by him.
Hmmm, a new genre - historical, bondage porn, Noir pulp.
There is a fine line between misogyny and power through submission. The core of the book is based around Japanese shibari - traditonal hemp rope bondage. Nakamura provides us with a nice thumbnail history of it in Japan, including its political implications. Again, a thin line between choosing submission (leading to a power of your own) and forced actions. Also, he seems to want to have it both ways, talking about the damaged lives of the women when they were young. But also how they were trained to feel comfortable with limiting situations. The sex scenes are graphic, and honestly, male fantasies.
3 narrators, including the convenient long letter left by the original murder victim. Not really a "mystery", as we know who-done-it about half way through. And Nakamura has his characters explain it all, rather than to show and drop hints, allowing us to figure it out on nour own.
I have 2 other Nakamura novels sitting about, and I will give them a read down the road.