The Salaryman's Wife

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't believe how bad this was
Review: I was bothered by stilted, unrealistic dialogue and completely unsympathetic, stereotypical characters. Her knowledge of Japan was off in a few spots. The only thing good was the plot was involved enough to keep me reading, but I kept wanting to say to people around me, "Listen to this! It's so bad you've got to hear it!" I'm baffled that this has apparently turned into a series.

Rating:
Summary: Good mystery, interesting insights on modern Japan
Review: As an exchange student in Yokohama, it's interesting to read a book set in places I'm familiar with. The people, the attitudes, the "Jinglish" (or "waseieigo"- "Made-in-Japan English" as it's known in Japanese), the struggle to learn kanji ... I could relate to it all. The mystery was interesting, the plot was believable. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in mysteries with an exotic touch.

Rating:
Summary: The Salaryman's Wife
Review: The Salaryman's Wife is an intriguing book that mixes mystery, adventure and just the right amount of romance. With an intriguing look at Japan through the eyes of Rei, a Japanese American gen xer, who teaches english in Tokyo. When she decides to go to the country on vacation over the New Year stumbles accross a murder, it changes her entire life. Following Rei while she uncovers the murderer is truely deligtful. I can not wait to read her other books now.

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Summary: Terrific Mystery that Enlightens as it Chills
Review: This book is a terrific work that combines facts about Japan and women's roles within the Japanese community with a mystery that propells the reader to stay up nights just to read it. If you love cultural enlightenment mixed in with murder this is the book for you. This writer is gifted and all of her books are a great treat for the intellectual mystery reader

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Summary: Wonderful Taste of Japan
Review: This book is really wonderful. The author and main character are not Japanese so the sense of being on the outside looking in is very appropriate to most readers, making many of the mysteries of Japanese custom clear.It is an elegant, tight story with fascinating characters. I had never been interested in things Japanese but after reading this book I am obsessed with finding more mysteries from the Land of the Rising Sun. Thank you, Sujata Massey!

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Summary: Massey's loosely constructed novel lacks credibility.
Review: I have never read a novel where the author's personal prejudices run so close to the surface. It's hard to determine who she despises more: the Japanese, Europeans or Americans. However, her totally ignorant descriptions of people, places and events around Yokosuka Naval Base make me think that her primary prejudice is aimed at Americans. I have lived on this base, in this city of Yokosuka for almost two years and it is obvious she has never been here. First, there is no "slummy area" around the base: Yokosuka is a Yokohama/Tokyo suburb with a booming construction market. The base is surrounded by new civic buildings,an Arts/Theatre/Prince Hotel complex, apartment complexes, and a couple of shopping malls. Secondly, there have been perhaps three demonstrations outside the main gates, usually when a major ship or sub rolls in. These anti-nucelar warhead events are so small, quiet, and mannerly, if someone wasn't speaking into a bullhorn, they'd be invisible. Apparently Massey is ignorant of Asian history and Japan's role in it: if the United States had walked away from Japan after it's defeat in WWII, the rest of Asia and Indonesia would have readily made this island a crater in the bottom of the sea. And, unfortunately, hatred of the Japanese still runs incredibly strong throughout Asia and Indonesia to this day. No one wants nuclear war, and it has been my experience that at a grassroots level the Japanese are endeavoring very deliberately to promote world peace. Thirdly, there are no separate entrances onto the base for Americans and Japanese. A person must have either a military identification card, or, in the company of a SOFA sponsor, present a driver's license, passport or health insurance papers with picture identification. Again, Massey's ignorance is apparent. Because of various agreements between the two governments, most of the people on the base are Japanese: about 4 to 1. They are hired by both the American and Japanese governments to provide the workforce for the construction projects (which total in the billions), ship yard projects, retail and restaurant businesses, security, hospital and dental staff, and a myriad other employment positions. Which leads me to my third point: even with Threat Con Alpha in force, no bags are searched at the gates. Also, there are no signs denegrating either the Marine or Japanese security guards' personal attitudes. And, with the thousands of Japanese going in and out of the gates on a daily basis, Massey's characters didn't think to ask any questions of them? Fourth, Massey's portrayal of the both local Japanese and military personnel is appalling. It is true that businesses need not cater to foreigners, but the illmannered rudeness of her characters towards strangers is a figment of her imagination. As is the behavior of the military personnel. It is a good thing I read her second novel first: I never would have picked it up had I read this one first. This novel is too poorly done and contains too much misinformation. She is obviously just a hack writer trying to cash in on the current popularity of "things Asian" (and things homosexual - is she taking lessons from Anne Rice, or what?). She should seriously take into consideration the axiom that writers should write about what they know.

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Summary: Inside look at Japanese culture
Review: I loved this contemporary mystery novel set in Japan with a feisty, independant Japanese/American protagonist. It is a twist on the English Country Manor Mystery solved by amateur sleuth, as it is a Japanese Inn Mystery solved by a complex young woman who gives a lot of insight into the melding of the Japanese & Western cultures in modern day Japan. A good mystery.

Rating:
Summary: My first experience reading a suspense novel....
Review: In the beginning as the mystery sets up, I was interested in the plot. There were many characters that were introduced, which made me pay attention to the story. But when Rei goes back home and to her normal life, I didn't understand why she wanted to be involved in solving Setsuko's murderer. I would understand if Rei and Setsuko were acquaintances, but they had no relation to each other at all. I found Rei Shimura very nosy and annoying because at times, she wouldn't speak up for herself, especially when Mamasan and other people she met were very rude to her. Her nosiness gets her into trouble most of the time, which made her look clumsy and childish. The murderer was revealed in an "all of a sudden" matter, which created no suspense for me. All in all, my first experience reading a suspense novel is only two stars, but I won't stereotype all suspense novels on this first experience.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent read!
Review: I had the pleasure of reading the Salaryman's Wife will on the Bullet Train in Japan. This neat little mystery added flavor to my trips between the Japanese cities of Kyoto, Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Himeji. The book is well written, the mystery is suspensfull, and the book give you a great feel for modern Japan. I highly recommend this book to people with an interest in Japan, or who just want a good read.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent debut
Review: Congratulations to Ms. Massey on a great first novel! What I liked best about this novel was seeing Japan--its culture and traditions--from the point of view of a young Japanese-American woman, Rei Shimura. I felt that Rei was painting an accurate picture of Japan, with its rich history and culture, its beauty, and its patriarchal and xenophobic society. It made me want to visit Japan--but not live there for an extended period of time. I think the novel is well-written, insightful and somewhat suspenseful. The first two hundred pages or so are especially engaging, but then some of the momentum is lost as the novel moves on. Perhaps it could have been shortened a little to better sustain the reader's interest in "whodunnit." I have to admit that I did not predict the ending, but one of the earlier "surprises" was not a surprise to me--and I was left wondering why someone as sharp as Rei did not figure it out immediately. Overall, this is a very good read, and I recommend it highly. I am planning to check out Ms. Massey's Zen Attitude.