I had to stop. I picked this book up because I enjoyed Out so much. However, I only got about 1/3 of the way through this novel before I just couldn't take it anymore. There's some good commentary on the hyper-competitive schools and the treatment of women in Japan. And it's all bound into a story that's sick, twisted and - dreadfully dull. Stylistically, this tale wanders in circles through the minds of various unreliable narrators, but I just couldn't make myself care to follow.