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Book Review of Crossfire

Crossfire
reviewed on + 289 more book reviews


At first glance, the paranormal thriller Crossfire doesnt seem like the type of book to make the list of 1001 books you must read before you die. Junko Aoki is a loner who can start fires with willpower alone; she sees herself as a vigilante loaded gun. When she stumbles across the commission of a crime, she uses her powers to try to save a young kidnapped woman. Chikako Ishizu is a middle-aged detective on the arson squad trying to make sense of seemingly impossible deaths caused by fire. However, with these two strong female characters Miyuki Miyabe interjects subtler dimensions into this story. She explores what is the appropriate pursuit of justice and the toll it takes on individuals in the game. Although the story takes some sudden and improbable turns, suspension of disbelief is probably in order when pyrokinesis is involved. The translation is a little uneven, but retains some Japanese character. I found this a very quick and interesting book to read.