Piercing by Ryû Murakami

(2007; translated from the Japanese by Ralph McCarthy)

From the back cover

“Kawashima Masayuki is a successful graphic designer who lives with his loving wife, Yoko, and their baby girl. Outwardly, their lives the picture of happiness and contentment, but every night while his wife sleeps Kawashima creeps from his bed and watches over the baby’s crib with an ice pick in his hand an almost visceral desire to use it.

“One particular night, as this struggle unfolds once more, Kawashima makes a decision to confront his demons, and sets into motion an uncontrollable chain of events seeming to lead inexorably to murder.”

Review

Piercing is an immediately immersive, disturbing and sometimes brutal tale of two disturbed individuals and how they─in their strange, violent and otherwise frelled-up ways─seek redemption from their twist-the-knife demons. This is an excellent and perfect read, one of the best books I have read in a long time.

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An American film version is scheduled to be released stateside on February 1, 2019. Nicolas Pesce scripted and directed it.

Christopher Abbott played Reed (the Americanized version of Kawashima Masayuki). Mia Wasikowska played Jackie (the Americanized version of Sanada Chiaki). Laia Costa played Mona.

Marin Ireland played Chevonne. Wendell Pierce played Doctor.