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I haven’t read much Chinese literature, so finding a library copy of A Yi’s A Perfect Crime seemed like a good choice for some casual afternoon reading. I discovered that A Yi worked as a police officer for a few years before becoming a writer, so a crime novel by a former police officer came off as promising. The description left little to imagination: a Chinese teenager decides to kill someone, and he murders a schoolmate of his. Subsequently, he leaves town.

Genre, Plot, and Narrative

I think it’s important to underline a certain fact about A Perfect Crime: the title is misleading, to say the least. I’m not sure if it’s a direct translation from the original or not, but the fact remains. It doesn’t do justice to the novel, which isn’t about “a perfect crime”. It barely is about the crime at all, in a way.

The storyline evolves with almost improbable rapidity. The novel begins with the protagonist having already conceived his plan to murder someone. Before readers can situate themselves into the world of the novel, it’s basically all over. The murder has occurred and the protagonist is on the run.

The police are after him (sort of) and he evades them (sort of). They catch him before the middle of the novel (it’s a small, I estimate about 40-50.000-word work). Then comes his trial and guilty verdict. None of the above are spoilers, since a table of contents at the very beginning informs the reader about what is to come, with explicit titles.

Characters

Things are somewhat mixed in that department as well. There basically is only one character in the novel, its hapless protagonist. Everyone else comes off as hopelessly superficial, irrelevant, and pointless. To an extent it’s part of the author’s plan: the protagonist must appear isolated and marginalized. Yet, narratively speaking, the effect isn’t very rewarding.

The protagonist himself is mildly interesting. Still, the limited length of the novel doesn’t allow for a sophisticated exposition of his inner world. Overall, it feels more like a lost opportunity for something better.

A Perfect Crime: General Impression

Despite my comments above, my general impression is favorable – though only marginally so. It’s a short book, it flows easily, and there is enough psychological complexity to make a reader’s time worth while. However, in terms of genre, crime fiction fans must know that this book probably isn’t what they expect. Despite the author’s background, there is something peculiarly unrealistic in terms of police procedures and the judicial process.

To an extent, it might be a result of the narrative style (it is the protagonist doing all the talking and thinking). So, in other words, you should probably think of this not as pure crime fiction, but rather as a psychological treatise of the murderous mind. Still, one lacking any real insights, and coming off as a bit too chaotic and senseless.