Managing Expectations with Akira Otani's "The Night of Baba Yaga"

Akira Otani has made her mark in Japanese publishing with projects ranging from manga to novels. In her English-language debut (translated from Japanese by Sam Bett), The Night of Baba Yaga takes readers through what JapanBookbank.com describes as "Thelma and Louise meets Yakuza thriller." It was also nominated for the 2021 Mystery Writers of Japan Awards.

I knew none of this when adding it to my iBooks library. I am a fan of Baba Yaga mythology and was curious about how it would apply to a Japanese action thriller.

At the heart of the story is an unlikely friendship between an impoverished bodyguard named Yoriko Shindo and her protectee, Shoko Naiki. They talk of their upbringing, encourage a wider view of the world, and imagine what life would be like if they were to escape from their present circumstances.

Around this is an almost non-stop adventure that starts with Shindo beating the tar out of a number of men in a Setagaya neighborhood. She has such hair-trigger reflexes that she savagely attacks a man who touches Shoko, only finding out afterwards that it's the young woman's future husband. In a "what on earth is happening" moment for me, she changed the course of the story using only ballpoint pens.

So, where does the titular figure play a part? Shindo tells Shoko of stories related to her by her Gramma and explains that, "You never know what Baba Yaga is gonna do, or whose side she's on, at least not when she shows up. That's what makes the stories fun." The mystery of the book is who in this pair is the Baba Yaga and whether she will be a force for good or an overwhelming representation of power.

The book is 111 pages long in this translation and is as fast-paced as that length demands. Readers should be aware that, in addition to the abundant violence, they can expect sexually explicit content. The men around the two women often fantasize in vulgar terms about their plans for members of the opposite sex, getting physically aroused at the thoughts. Of most concern is a graphic depiction of an attempted gang-rape.

Fans of mystery and action will find something to enjoy in this book, as well as those who want to see the long-term effects of a true female friendship.