Review of Kojiki

 

BOOK TITLE: Kojiki

AUTHOR: Keith Yatsuhashi

DESCRIPTION OF BOOK COVER: Back of a girl going up stairs towards a gate with a serpentine dragon coiling above and around it.

GENRE (optional): Fantasy

PAGES (optional):  448

BLURB: Every civilization has its myths. Only one is true.

When eighteen year old Keiko Yamada’s father dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind a one way ticket to Japan, an unintelligible death poem about powerful Japanese spirits and their gigantic, beast-like Guardians, and the cryptic words: “Go to Japan in my place. Find the Gate. My camera will show you the way.”

Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfil her father’s dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father’s death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession – that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane. Keiko must decide if she will honour her father’s heritage and take her rightful place among the gods.

# OF STARS: 3.5, shading to 4

***

I do like Japanese folklore and I do like the way it’s often presented. (I’m also a fan of Godzilla. Sue me). And I like Studio Ghibli movies.

This has been kind of marketed as a cross between Godzilla movies and anime and it is… well, sort of?

I really enjoyed reading this book, but I have a hard time remembering a lot of it a few weeks later. I like the lore and the world building, and I liked the ideas. But the characters fell a little flat for me (not badly, just not memorable) and slightly stereotypical Japanese anime schoolgirl plus anime spirit feel. But other parts of the book were quite dark and didn’t feel much like studio Ghibli at all, so it made for a slightly confusing mood for this Western reader.

It’s definitely an interesting idea and I like the notion of the spirits having guardians. But I feel like the main character Keiko faded in comparison to Yui and some of the other spirits. I think Yui was more of the main character to be honest than Keiko and it felt like the author had more fun writing her and her people than Keiko. That makes for a bit of a problem when you’re supposed to empathize with Keiko, but you’re rooting more for Yui! Plus it meant that the ending doesn’t quite feel satisfying as they are separated and book 2 has more Keiko. But, like, who cares if you like Yui and get to know her more?!

Ah well.

It was still a good read and a definite change up from the usual western fantasies, so I still recommend it. Just, try to remember that Keiko is supposed to be the main character, lol.

Pros: Very different worldbuilding and lore than the usual western fantasy and a good story all around

Cons: the main character was a bit faded compared to everyone around her.

***

The Glass Slipper Conspiracy is now available on Amazon!