I enjoyed this spooky novella and found it quite suspenseful and fast paced.  The main character is Riko, who is undergoing some difficult times when she finds a journal half buried in the woods.  Strange things start happening that cause Rico and her friends to doubt her sanity.  Her struggle to determine whether the events are all in her head or whether something else is happening makes this book an interesting one.

 

I enjoyed the fact that this book takes place in Japan, with all of its mysticism and unique beliefs.  It made this book feel like a Japanese folk tale and helped create the otherworldly atmosphere.  There were scenes that gave me chills and I found the book to be quite different and unpredictable.  I did find one part a bit unrealistic and I don’t believe Riko would have made the major decision that she did.  But then again, it’s a paranormal ghost story so pretty much anything goes.

 

The author has created an unusual ghost story that will keep your interest.  I very much enjoyed this author's "The Fairy Wren" and thought he would write a good ghost story and he has!

 

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

When ESL teacher Riko finds an old journal buried in the forests beneath Mt Fuji, a malevolent, untraceable force begins to threaten her at every turn.

But is it all in her head?

The more she studies the journal for answers, the more questions she uncovers. Worse, no-one takes her fears seriously and her best lead appears to be a belligerent old man, whose only care in the world is raking leaves deep in the forest.

With her grip on reality shaken and friendships strained to breaking point, Riko has to discover the truth about the journal in order to put ghosts of the past to rest, as strange events turn deadly.

 

 

Review

 

I initially had trouble with this book. There were too many made up words too fast, to the point where I didn't really know what was going on. It gets better though, and overall I enjoyed it in the end. I wish I could give it 3 and a half stars because it's almost a four... but because of how long it took me to read it, and how much I struggled with the beginning, it's just not worthy.Kira, the heroine, is quite good. She has her struggles and her strengths. I do like how her heroine part is believable - we can understand why such honour would be bestowed on her. I liked the characterisations of the other main characters - you could almost guess how they would react, which means they're written well - you got a real feel for their personality, goals and why we're supposed to hate/love them.One other problem with the novel is everyones names. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of who is who. Maxen, Merek, Miken? Too many M-five-letter-names... it was just a bit confusing for me. For a first novel though, it's quite stable.