The Night of Baba Yaga

De: Akira Otani, Sam Bett - translator

Narrado por: Cindy Kay

Tokyo, 1979. Yoriko Shindo, a workhorse of a woman who has been an outcast her whole life, is kidnapped and dragged to the lair of the Naiki-kai, a branch of the yakuza. After she savagely fends off a throng of henchmen in an attempt to escape, Shindo is only permitted to live under one condition: that she will become the bodyguard and driver for Shoko Naiki, the obsessively sheltered daughter of the gang’s boss.

Eighteen-year-old Shoko, pretty and silent as a doll, has no friends, wears strangely old-fashioned clothes, and is naive in all matters of life. Originally disdaining her ward, Shindo soon finds herself far more invested in Shoko’s wellbeing than she ever expected. But every man around them is bloodthirsty and trigger-happy. Shindo doubts she and Shoko will survive much longer if nothing changes. Could there ever be a different life for two women like them?

Akira Otani’s English-language debut moves boldly through time and across gender, stretching the definitions and possibilities of each concept. Rendered in a gorgeous translation by International Booker-shortlisted Sam Bett, this lean, mean thriller proves that bonds forged in fire are unbreakable.

“Otani’s explosive debut navigates gender and time, offering a gripping, unbreakable thriller.”—Tokyo Weekender

©2020, 2024 by Akira Otani / English translation ©2024 by Sam Bett (P)2024 Recorded Books

Good Quick Read but Lacked Advertised Queer Romance

I really liked this book. it's full of action, snappy and brutal! It is very realistic about its depiction of the Japanese Yakuza and extremely graphic towards woman trapped in this violent world! I enjoyed the ride but I wish we slowed down a little bit more to focus on the romance and the gender exploration of the two characters. While in fact a queer romance, it takes a back seat to the overall story despite the fact that I think it's very important to both the story's development and the characters themselves.
Dont get me wrong, I LOVED our two main characters and when they had their scenes together I really did feel their bond grow genuinely as they got to know one another and realize they're not so different. however, especially later on in the story, I feel like the deeper, more raw connection they share remains unexplored to the viewer.
Overall, don't let my critiques stop you from enjoying this book. I still loved it, but I really do warn you to check the laundry list of triggers cause some can be very graphic and very sudden.