Synopsis
Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.
When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.
Review
This story was beautifully dark. The characters and the lore develop seamlessly. This is not the only Japanese-American main character I have read recently, and I found a lot of similarities. I think Ren and his struggles are well-written and relatable from this perspective. I loved the world-building and learning about reapers. Japan has such a rich culture that is not a part of the American education system, so if you're an uncultured American like me, you best get to reading!
If you like morally gray characters and scary bedtime stories, this book is for you.
Thank you, Inkyard Press, for a copy of this book.
Dates read: May 25, 2022 - May 27, 2022