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Book Reviews
The Shadow World
Thursday, 22 March 2007
• Howick and Pakuranga Times
The Shadow World
. By: PC Laird. Publisher: Fraser Books. Price: $35.
IN February 2003 a young Japanese student was murdered by his colleagues at an unregistered Auckland academy for overseas students.
Thirteen men were accused of murder and granted bail. Most of the witnesses left the country, including students, staff and the murdered student’s parents.
They refused to give evidence so murder charges were replaced by manslaughter.
The four who were finally sentenced took responsibility for all of the 13 involved, all of whom had blood on their clothes.
The Columbus Academy was closed down three months after the killing.
Apparently schools like this exist all over the world and are used as dumping grounds for kids who do not fit into Japan’s and similar countries very conformist societies.
The young man who was killed was a pain to his fellow students. He groped girls, stole underwear and money and started fires. It was suggested at the time that he suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism.
The Shadow World
is a fictionalised account of this event. The killing is still fresh in many minds and the story largely remains true to the facts.
It is set in five parts and told through the eyes of four young people drawn together out of need and loneliness. Not only do they study at the academy, but also attend local schools and work long hours in the academy owner’s restaurants. To add insult to injury their living conditions are quite squalid and they undergo prolonged ‘exercise’ sessions every morning by a teacher who seems more sadistic than being interested in the fitness of his charges.
The scene where the 13 students face the boy called Mitsuyoshi is chilling.
The want him to apologise for all the bad things he has done. However their refuse to believe that the apology he delivers is sincere.
One or two start kicking him. Then the others join in and the violence escalates until the inevitable happens.
P C Laird (Dr Pam Laird) has dedicated her career to teaching and lecturing.
This book is dedicated to her concern for her international students and to her lifelong interest in Amnesty International.
This is not an easy or entertaining book but it does shed some light on the events of 2003 and how, even now overseas students trying to survive in New Zealand can sometimes find it difficult and lonely.
