Customer Reviews

Promenade of the Gods

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Acclaimed Japanese author Koji Suzuki now has his biggest novel since his beloved Ring trilogy published in "Promenade of the Gods." Miyuki's husband suddenly vanishes, and not willing to accept single motherhood without a fight, she contacts her husband's old friend in a desperate attempt to find him. What they find is not something one would call ordinary. Expertly translated from the original Japanese by Takemi Nieda, "Promenade of the Gods" is highly recommended reading.

This book arrived on time exactly how it was described but UGH. What a let down. I've read the entire Ring series and other works by Koji Suzuki and this was just disappointing. It started out interesting and I really wanted to find out the mystery, but nothing supernatural seems to be going on, and the middle through the end of the book plods along at such a slow, meandering pace I could barely stay interested. The ending was not predictable, but also not very satisfying. Toward the end there is a chapter, which I had to reread to clarify, adds absolutely nothing to the plot. It's a conversation with a totally ancillary character that doesn't add or reveal anything, or tie in later, it just exists like a moment in time that is utterly useless to the reader. I really cannot recommend this book. If you want to see Koji Suzuki at his best, read Ringu or Spiral but not Promenade of the Gods.

i loved some of Suzuki's other works. but this one...by the time i reached the end, i was just wanting to get it over.

maybe i missed something that made it all worth while?

there was the search for the missing husband. it was interesting to a point. but then it tapered out...

and, despite having at least one character in common with The Ring, there was nothing that felt scary or supernatural in this one. but maybe that's what i missed somehow?

if someone can explain this book, please let me know.