Book Review: Now You’re One of Us by Asa Nonami

Title: Now You’re One of Us

Author: Asa Nonami

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Number of Pages: 240

Rating: B+

Recommended?: Yes

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Holy shit, this book was insane! I actually really liked it but I can understand why other people wouldn’t. Let me just say after reading a synopsis of this book I don’t think anybody would be surprised that it was Japanese. It has that glorious Japanese weirdness along with some social commentary on some of their cultural mores and expectations. Noriko is getting married, and going to live with her husband and his family. And his family is so nice. Seriously, they’re so nice they’re almost perfect. Except… something is off. As Noriko starts to be gaslighted, she looks for proof that her in-laws aren’t the deliriously nice people they seem to be.

First of all, this book was definitely a page-turner for me. I read it in two days but I had trouble putting it down. Some of the writing is a little repetitive- Noriko constantly has chills going down her spine and she’s perpetually soaked in a cold sweat. The writing is good, but it’s not amazing. Some of that might be due to the translation, but I don’t know. The story, however, is fantastic as her husband’s family starts out too good to be true and then gets creepier and creepier, and the ending… wow. I did not see that coming.

Out of all the ways this story could have ended I think it’s safe to say the author took one of the most insane routes possible. This novel really plays into the claustrophobia of being around a lot of people you don’t really know all that well, plus the strain of keeping up appearances and being a picture-perfect wife. Also, I don’t know if anybody’s thought about it yet but I think this book would make a great movie.

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