![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Thus in addition to containing a truly strange scenario set in modern times, the book is rife with literary and historical references dating back to the Early Edo Era (1600s) of Japan’s leading authors and literature recording these ancient legends and ghost tales.įor someone with an interest in the historicity of such supernatural tales, the footnotes alone open up rich options for further reading. Only through identifying and exploring contemporary remnants of the earlier “folklore society” can the mystery such as that faced by Natsuhiko’s characters be understood to the point of “resolution”. Natsuhiko repeatedly refers to what he calls “folklore society”, a specific time, place and social mentality wherein the traditional ghosts and demons of Japan thrived in people’s minds and lore. To say that such superstitions are taken seriously would be an understatement, but they are not handled or approached as mere ghost tales. Rather than utilize supernatural trappings as mere props in an otherwise secular procedural, Natsuhiko’s characters are confronted with making sense of the role of ancient superstitions in the contemporary world. It has been said that author Natsuhiko Kyogoku has created a new sub-genre within the Mystery / Horror spectrum, a claim I now find quite believable. ![]()
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