BY AMY PHILLIPS

 

Battle royale - a distinct phrase used in any situation to refer to a free for all fight to the last man standing.

When I first discovered Koushun Takami's Battle Royale a number of years ago, I was already very much intrigued. Suffice to say, I read the 624-page book almost completely in one sitting and remarked to as many people as possible to ignore the film and get stuck into the book because it was one of the most viscerally creative books I have ever come across.

In re-reading this book quite recently, I decided to reflect once again on my thoughts of this classic.

The class of 42 students from Shiroiwa Junior High School find themselves part of the government run program. Under the guise of a school trip, these students have to take part in a battle to the death until only one remains. Each student is given a day pack with a weapon and a map and is commanded to explore the island they are taken to, killing their fellow classmates that they have known for years. To make matters worse for them, they also have collars attached around their necks that are set to detonate explosives should they try to take them off, set foot in a forbidden zone, or try to escape.

The book follows all the students in turn, giving each character a sufficient level of back story, before their untimely death at the hands of another.

The main protagonists, Shuya Nanahara, Shogo Kawada, and Noriko Nakagawa, stick together, hoping to convince others not to kill and try to get off the island.

There are a series of twists and turns, clever battles, and disgusting murders that make this such an exciting and very readable story. It is incredibly tangible in its description and clever in its content.

This book is not just a mindless death match, it connects the social, moral and political fibres of humans, and knits them together to make sure that you question everything and everyone.

You also find that you are questioning yourself - could I have done that? Could I survive? Everything is questioned - love, friends, family, the role of the government, the world that they live in. It reminds you that as these are teenagers, who have barely had a chance to live but instead are being forced into a reality beyond their years, many of them are so understanding of the world they already live in and how it is not as rosy as their Dictator would have them believe.

Although originally completed in 1996, it was not published until 1999 because its content was, in my opinion, just too believable.

A fascinating read and wholeheartedly worth anyone's time - to me it is a classic that should be read by everyone.

 

This book was published by VIZ Media and is available to buy for £9.99.