Book Review : Strange Pictures

Uketsu is a prolific Japanese writer of minimalist mystery stories with eerie elements. The peculiar narrative sets apart his stories. His face is yet to be revealed as he only appears with a mask on his face and loves to discuss mind-boggling puzzles.

Strange pictures starts with a lecture by a child psychologist explaining the face value meaning of a painting by a child. The story moves forward with different scenarios wherein drawing is the main element. A murdered person leaves behind a drawing. Similarly a mother who died at childbirth leaves behind a series of drawings. The perception behind each of the drawings keeps the reader hooked to the book.

“Adults can draw what they see, the real thing, in their pictures. Children, though, draw the “idea” of what appears in their heads. Like an artist.”

At first the stories seem just general and the reader may almost think “so what?” till suddenly they are hit right in the face with a twist. The twist will make readers question everything and will help to bind the story together.

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Cheers to Reading!