Title: Taroko Gorge
Author: Jacob Ritari
Publisher: Unbridled Books
Date (to be) Published: July 2010
Synopsis: (from publisher)
A disillusioned and raggedy American reporter and his drunken photojournalist partner are the last to see three Japanese schoolgirls who disappear into Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s largest national park. The journalists who are themselves suspects investigate the disappearance along with the girls’ homeroom teacher, their bickering classmates, and a seasoned and wary Taiwanese detective. The conflicts between them complicated by the outrageousness of the photographer and the raging hormones of the young raise questions of personal responsibility, truthfulness, and guarded self-interest. The world and its dangers both natural and interpersonal are real, changing, and violently pressing. And the emotions that churn in dark rooms overnight as the players gather in the park visitors center are as intense as in any closet drama. There’s enough action and furor here to keep readers turning the pages, and the cultural revelations of the story suggest the human need for mystery outweighs the desire for answers.
Why Did It Come From?
The Unbridled Books booth at the BEA.
Why Did I Choose It?
I overheard some people discussing it and it sounded like a worthwhile read.
My Review:
This book is rife with well portrayed characters and accurate cultural predispositions and the misconceptions that occur when three very different groups of people are thrown into a dire situation. Three Japanese schoolgirls disappear and as the story unfolds, all of the characters are suspect. The search for the missing girls and what happened to them is exacerbated by the arrival of a hurricane that settles over Taroko Gorge.
Ritari’s done his research and that is very apparent in his descriptions of the gorge itself and the characters. The story while very simple, becomes an examination of social interactions and the underlying suspicions that are brought forth when everyone is a suspect.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and suggest it to anyone who is looking for a good mystery as it is not readily apparent why the girls disappeared and who is ultimately at fault.







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I am wondering what Victor can do with that!!!
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