by Akira Otani (Translated by Sam Bett)
Paperback, £9.99
The Night of Baba Yaga is an adrenalising, cleverly-plotted queer action thriller. It is the most violent, goriest, and yet most heartfelt story I have ever read. Translated and published in English in 2024, it won the 2025 Crime Writers’ Association Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation.
Shindo is a solitary, mixed-race young woman; her biggest and only passion is violence. She is kidnapped by a yakuza group who approve of her extraordinary ability to fight. Shoko is the daughter of the boss of the yakuza, who makes Shindo serve her as a bodyguard; Shoko is sheltered and raised to present perfect femininity, always dressing in posh old-fashioned clothes.
Under the extreme patriarchal control and gory power game within the yakuza family, these two very different individuals gradually become bonded for the sake of one shared purpose: to escape from this hell.
The book contains a lot of graphic descriptions of violence and misogynistic language, which you may find unpleasant to read. Yet, what intrigued me is that what the book depicts as truly frightening and hideous is not the violence itself, but the power game that torments and abuses lives, and the psychological manipulation. As I didn’t see the violence in the book as something that tries to gratuitously agitate readers, it didn’t stop me wanting to read on.
Rather, I finished it in one sitting, and it was simply a joy. The chemistry and evolving connection between Shindo and Shoko absolutely hooked me. Otani’s fast-paced, visually vivid and layered storytelling immerses the reader in this fierce tale of resistance.
If you’re a fan of female revenge thrillers, or any fiction that involves unexpected and strong sisterhood, this book is for you. I’d also recommend this to anyone who craves something gripping and absorbing.
Reviewed by Yuka
Contents warning: extreme violence, murder, misogyny, drugging, sexual assault