panThis book is a mess. Strongly inspired by Japanese gangster horror, this does well with the brutal violent imagery. The story itself jumps around and does not quite work. It really is just too short and trying to fit too much story into a short novella. Let repeat this is brutally violent and includes a couple scenes of SA. I really only finished because it was short. 2⭐️
#bookspinbingo!
February was a pretty bad reading month for me, as I had the stomach flu and could barely watch TV, let alone read. Earlier in the month I did read this awesome queer feminist Japanese thriller though. It has an incredible twist as well as a great open-ended ending. Still though, my heart is with Murderbot, so my January pick goes on to the next bracket. #BookBracket2025 #Murderbot
pickA intense ride of a thriller with cinematic fight scenes. Full of striking images: Shoko is "like a crane in a landfill". Full of female rage and pulpy in vibes a la martial arts movies, this is violent, as you'd expect from a story about a young woman fighter being kidnapped and forced to work for the Japanese mafia, but not gratuitously so. Otani pulls off an incredibly well done twist and excellent character development. Unconventionally queer.
“Queer thriller — Kill Bill meets The Handmaiden meets Thelma and Louise” !!!!!!!!!!!
The Night of Baba Yaga | 
