Heather’s Bookshelf: Smile or Die
Author: Luc Jorgart
Released: 08/22/22
Genre: Psychological/Dark Fiction
“The one who shall be executed is the person who the system deems to be the unhappiest.”
“Smile or Die” introduces Shuji, a young man who dreams of being a police detective. Shuji lives a pretty standard life until he wakes up in a horrible situation.
He and 599 other high school students have been kidnapped and transferred to a strange place. A makeshift city without anyone present except the abducted. Their given food rations and instructions. They will be held in the city for a full year- 365 days. Anyone that makes it to the end of the year will be allowed to leave. However, each day a student will be executed and that person will be the one deemed as “the saddest”.
Initially, the students live in disbelief- until the first of them is killed…and then another. Leaders emerge with their own styles and motives. Everyone much show their worth and it doesn’t take long before the worst of humanity shows. To try to curtail the crime and pursue his dream, Shuji forms a detective agency. He and his friends pursue crimes, while trying to find purpose and contentment in order to stay alive.
Will Shuji and his friends make it out of this alive or will they succumb to the desires of their captors or fellow students?
Trigger Warning: violence, attempted sexual assault, murder, torture, kidnapping, adult language
Overall, I was a bit torn on this one. This book highlights a great concept which could fit right into a Black Mirror episode. It’s a dark premise and the author doesn’t shy away from the elements that lean into the horror realm. The “boogieman” was exceptionally terrifying- especially the Joker-esque forced-smile elements. However, the writing structure and fluidity of reading suffers from the translation. The book was originally published in Japanese and some of the descriptors don’t quite come through resulting in sometimes choppy or oddly structured sentences. It took away from some of the emotional component that could have been more presence when following Shuji and his friends along their tasks. I found the investigative tie-in and the friendships that Shuji forms along the way to be the most intriguing and I enjoyed following him along his journey. The ending felt abrupt and unrealized. The story could have really benefited from an epilogue or an alternate POV to tie up some unanswered questions- the biggest ones being “why” and “now what”?
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A dark story with an interesting concept and characters that draw attention. Structure issues and an unrealized ending hinder this tale.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Luc Jorgart
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