Spiral by Koji Suzuki Response

Spiral is the continuation of Ring, a Japanese horror trilogy centered around a mysterious VHS tape, where if you watch it, you die in seven days. Japanese horror or K-horror has always interested me, especially when the US adapts Japanese horror stories into films. I grew up watching the two Ring movies and was very interested in reading the Japanese version to see the difference. Ring and Spiral are completely different from that of the two American, Ring, movies, it’s much more unusual and shocking. When it comes to Japanese horror, I feel as though the authors, filmmakers or artists find such a unique and unusual way to tell their stories. The ghost in Spiral is Sadako also known as Samara in the US film. I really enjoyed reading this book because I am such a fan of the series and I was surprised with how the plot turned from the first book. The main character being an autopsy doctor performing an autopsy on Ryuji, who died because of the tape in the last book, goes on a journey to find out why so many people have died in such mysterious ways. This story does have a typical ghost story going on but also follows a stranger detail. In this story, it is somewhat explained how these people are dying and it is connected to a virus all these individuals share, and it is ring shaped.

            What I enjoy so much about J-horror stories is that they are always surprising and suspenseful, you never really know what will happen next. I was shocked when reading that Ryuji actually planned for his own resurrection and had planned it secretly in the first book. I’m always kept on my toes when reading this genre.