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Tutor Lady Ayame 's Column

Hi! I found a good mystery 告白 I wanted to share with you!

Sep 16, 2022

Hello Cafetalk Community!

It's been a while since I've said "hello" on the Cafetalk Tutor Column! I hope you are all doing well! It's suddenly and definitely getting cooler in Canada where I live. I live in the Saskatchewan Province basically in the center of the country. It gets very cold during the winter and it's right around the corner. The summer felt very short, but it was nice to enjoy sunny days! 

I hear it's getting cooler in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan too! I'm glad the sweltering heat wave has finally passed and the weather is getting more pleasant. I'm doing very well teaching English every day! Once in a while, I go out to a nice dinner with my husband!
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[Today's Topic]

I wanted to recommend a very well-written mystery book today. It's written by a famous author named, Kanae Minato. I'm not sure, but perhaps this book is the one that made her famous. A student told me about her when I mentioned that I am a fan of Keigo Higashino's work. Then, I realized I had already read her book when I worked at the Santa Monica Main Public Library! 

It's a book called "Confessions" (or 告白) Perhaps you have heard of it already, but it's a great suspense novel that ends with a totally unexpected and shocking twist!  It's different from other mysteries, for some reason, but it's definitely worth a read!

Why not put it on your English reading list or contact me if you would like to read it with me in my lessons? You can take my mystery lesson and read the story aloud (alone or by shadowing). That's up to you because everyone works and learns differently. Then, I will ask you questions after each chapter to test/access your reading comprehension.

I think another challenge and interesting twist for you is to read a book in English, originally written by a Japanese author. Perhaps, you can read the Japanese version after you read the English version and see how your reading experience and comprehension differ between the two. Wouldn't that be an interesting experiment?

In my lesson, I would love to listen to you read this suspenseful, thriller, edge-of-your-seat, definite page-turner! Please read the book's synopsis from Amazon.com below to get a better idea of the story's plotline.
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[Amazon Plot Summary:]
"After calling off her engagement in the wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old child, Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation.

But first, she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers and sets in motion a diabolical plot for revenge.

Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you'll never see coming, 
Confessions probes the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You'll never look at a classroom the same way again."

[Reference: Amazon Website] 
Confessions
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[*Note] Due to the unavailability of an online (E-book) or Kindle,) you would have to purchase your own copy. I checked but there is no Kindle version that I can share. So, I'm sure you can order the book easily from Amazon Japan. I can also purchase a copy if you would like to take a lesson with me.
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Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this book on your own because it's quite good and I highly recommend it. I'm sure it's good in Japanese too. I don't know if it's been made into a TV show or movie yet in Japan, but please let me know in the comments box if you happened to know.

Well, thank you very much for reading my tutor's column.

[Messages to students:]
  • To all my regular students: "I appreciate you continuing to take my lessons." 
  • To all my previous students: "Come on back! It'll be nice to see you! Don't be shy!"
  • To brand new students: "I'm a friendly, gentle, and caring English tutor, but I also take my work very seriously."
In any case, I look forward to seeing you! I wish you a great day!

Warmest regards,

Lady Ayame
(Patricia Ayame Thomson)



Confessions (2010 film) - Wikipedia

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

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