Yōkai and Reapers and Darkness…<i>oh</i> my.

<i>The Keeper of Night</i> was deliciously written. Teeming with Japanese folklore, this was much more eerie than I had expected (but in the most wonderful of ways). Unlike most young adult books, Kylie Lee Baker brought forward main characters who are morally ambivalent. The shadows that she cast in our main character, Ren Scarborough, and the questionable motives of Hiro, were chased with the light that Ren’s brother, Neven, carried. For me, this added a thick sticky, sludge of emotions as the story revealed itself to me. I liked this. The morally grey, or questionable, sections of this book added teeth that scraped at my skin, threatening to draw blood. The underlying themes that followed Baker’s morally ambivalent characters, like a creature stalking in the night, stuck with me. I reflected on them long after I closed the book.

Being of mixed culture myself, there were sections of <i>The Keeper of Night</i> that left a bitter taste in my mouth. Particularly near the beginning of the book, but I’m glad that I pushed forward. Parts of <i>The Keeper of Night</i> were written so vividly that I felt like I could see a movie reel playing in my mind, but other sections of the book were dancing on the edge of purple prose. Overall, the writing was most enjoyable.

I feel like my heart was torn out of my chest at the end. And although I know there’s a second book coming, I would also like to say that I think <i>The Keeper of Night</i> could have been a very strong standalone with a bit of finessing at the end. But since Baker tore my heart out, I’ll certainly be picking up the second book. Baker, please give me my heart back.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC. This review has been written voluntarily because I think books are cool.

The Keeper of the Night by Kylie Lee Baker is a moving journey of belonging. Ren is a child of death. Though growing up in London with her father's family and being trained as a Reaper of souls, she's never fully regarded as an equal among the others. Tormented and belittled by the Reapers there, she flees everything she knows to come to Japan, hoping to both find her mother and be fully accepted among the Japanese soul shepherds, the Shinigami. Finding once again a land where everyone sees her as a foreigner, Ren navigates a list of tasks assigned to her by the Goddess of Death, accompanied only by her half-brother Neven, who refused to leave her side since her flight from London, and by Hiro, a curiously sympathetic figure who finds them in the land of the dead. As they travel across Japan, the power of Death grows ever stronger in Ren, and she begins to fear she'll be consumed before she ever finds the place she was meant to be.

This story was an exploration of identity, family, and mythology come to life. As Ren and Neven travel together, they face monsters without and within. As a reader, you're pulled into the tension between compassion versus anger, and loyalty versus independence. As brother and sister in a world where neither of them truly fit in the way they desired to, the struggle of identity -- and the resulting worth they derive from it -- brews a potent fear. Both are born as children of death, but both are at odds with their role in life. But besides these elements of the story, the author brings you into a world of mythology that many may not be familiar with. While even the tropes of "reapers" in the London context were engaging to the imagination, the figures of Japanese mythology were particularly fascinating. And the author weaves it all into a comprehensive and interconnected world where the supernatural doesn't feel so far away.

This was a thrilling book to read. Just as I was becoming confident that I could see where the story would be leading, it turned and started down a new and exciting path that would keep any reader on their toes until the end. I truly can't wait for the story to continue.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Keeper of the Night. It follows the story of Ren the half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami. She’s been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries but after an accident where she fails to control her Shinigami abilities. She and her brother must flee to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten by her fellow Reapers by serving the Goddess of Death.

I love Ren’s character. She is resilient and driven and her feeling of never really belonging in either London or Japan really struck a chord with me. Being adopted from China and moving to the US I never felt like I was truly Chinese or American. I love how the author played with the concept of home and is home just a geographical location or a feeling of belonging. Especially as she traveled with her brother who never abandoned her.

The adventures and trials she and her brother faced were thrilling and spooky. The details about Japanese folklore and the Yōkai were frightening. The monsters definitely gave me the chills.

The book had good pacing and never stalled. I loved the “magic” system and how Reapers collected souls vs Shinigami methods. There were some slower moments but none that felt boring. I definitely loved the characters and the world building. I think this book would appeal to many readers and the representation is very validating to those who may feel stuck somewhere in between.

There is so much to love about The Keeper of Night. I immediately got lost in the lore of the world and am desperate for more. It makes me want to delve deeper into Japanese folklore and learn as much as I can.

The characters were brilliantly done and while there were times that I could not stand Ren, I felt that that was very natural, because you are always going to love someone. And they're darker traits are harder to swallow. The slow decent into morally grey to get what your heart is screaming for is a universal human trait that we all fight against and I think it was beautifully done.

Outstanding debut from Kylie Lee Baker.

My only reason for not giving it five stars is the pacing was a little wonky in the middle.

Likes:
The Keeper of Night is a fascinating take on Reapers and Japanese Mythology. Ren is half Japanese/half British, half Reaper/half Shinigami and all she wants is to belong somewhere and not be half of anything. When something happens in London, she is banished from the Reapers and basically makes her way all the way to Japan to try and be a Shinigami, something similar to Reapers. In tow is her half-brother Neven, who barely knows Japanese. Ren can get by on what’s she’s learned on her own but Japan is nothing like London. In order to become a Shinigami she has to complete a few quests, taking out powerful Yokai (spirits/demons). If Ren accomplishes her tasks then she will become a Shinigami and say goodbye to her Reaper past.

It’s been awhile since I read a book with Japanese Mythology and this one is cool because it involves Yokai! Okay yes, I did learn what yokai was from that tv show my son used to watch, Yokai Watch. Yokai in this book are scary!. But Ren isn’t one to be frightened of them (much) she was once a Reaper. I thought the Reapers were pretty cool, with their clocks to pause time, it definitely came in handy when Ren was killing Yokai.

Ren is going through a struggle – she’s done with the Reapers, who do not want her anyway. She wants to embrace her Japanese side and become a Shinigami but it’s not so easy. She’s a morally gray character, doing whatever it takes to achieve her goals but at what cost? Neven who made the choice to stay with her is getting hurt physically and emotionally in the process. But she sees it to the end even when the unexpected happens.

I thought the secondary characters did their job in keeping Ren conflicted. Neven is the sweetest brother but he loved being a Reaper – it’s his identity. It’s only half of Ren’s identity though and she is struggling with all of it. Neven is her moral compass. As for Hiro, he comes off like a good guy but with that suspicious dark gleam in his black eyes. He helps Ren by giving her intel about the Yokai and feelings grow between them but there is more to him that meets the eye.

This story is dark with death a constant theme and the Yokai are scary and creepy spirits/demons. I love that the story is action packed when it comes to taking down the Yokai.

Random Notes:
Triggers: gory scenes, violence, death, hurting a Yokai in the form of a child

The story starts off to a quick start then there is a little lull when Ren reaches Japan, which is to be expected as she gets her bearings in a country so totally different than England. Luckily they meet Hiro who helps them navigate this Underworld in Japan and help explain the Yokai to Ren and Neven.

FINAL THOUGHTS~
Why you should read it:

*unique world building of Reapers, Shinigami and the Japanese Underworld
*morally gray main character
*lots of action when Ren is fighting the Yokai

Why you might not want to read it:

*some gory scenes
*cliffhanger
*dark story

My Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this dark story. It took me a few days to read, but I had fun with the Yokai and horror scenes (and I can’t even watch horror movies) – what is it with Japanese horror and girls with long hair covering their faces? Just the imagery alone freaks me out but the story was intriguing too. A half Japanese girl trying to find where she belongs and doing anything she can to achieve her goals made me interested in how far she would go or if she would ever pull back. The twist in the end makes me want to read the next book.

I was really excited to read The Keeper of Night because C'MON! Reapers and Shinigamis? I pick up anything Japanese-inspired and this one was no exception.
But a few pages in, I knew I was in trouble when I realised these so called 100-200 year old reapers had the maturity of 16 year old teenagers. Reminded me of so many other YA books wherein you'd have 100 year old [insert a vampire/angel/gremlin/random mythological creature/alien] in the body of a 16 year old, with the emotional maturity of a 13 year old. And so when these "REAPERS" started bullying, cutting hair and just being petty like your typical teen mean girls cutouts, my interest dropped by 60%. When I realised the main character was self-centered and the plot predictable, it dropped another 40%.
While I did love how the author brought in Japanese folklore into the story, it couldn't compensate for the characters or the plot.
This book, unfortunately, was not my cup of tea.

reading this book is like casually dipping your toe in the water and then being grabbed by the ankle and completely pulled under before you even know what’s going on. the writing is beautiful and descriptive and is able to paint such a vivid picture of the dark folklore that inspired this tale.

Initial Thoughts
I was super excited to get an e-ARC of this book on NetGalley - it was one of my most anticipated October 2021 reads!

Some Things I Liked
Japanese folklore and culture. I loved the elements of Japanese mythology used in this story and I also really loved the contrast between traditional myths and their “English counterparts”. I thought the blend between history and fantasy was so well done.
Multi-Cultural representation. I adored this element. As a person of mixed races, this theme resonated so strongly with me. I loved the challenges Ren faced because of her heritage as well as the realism of feeling like she didn’t belong. I can’t wait to continue her story and see more of how she grapples with this struggle.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
The pacing was a touch off for me. The beginning was a slow build and then we did a 180 and flipped to a new setting with all new rules and concepts. I think the scenes in London (while very enjoyable from a world building element) made the plot drag a bit. I actually put this book down for a few weeks because I found I was bored during the first 30-35%.

Series Value
I definitely want to continue this story. I love the world the author created and can’t wait to see more. I can also easily see spin off stories set in this world in addition to a direct sequel.

Final Thoughts
I’m glad I finished this book. After tackling the initial hurdle of the slow build, I found I was unable to put the story down. I can’t wait to read more from this author and read the rest of Ren’s story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe 2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the e-arc.

I am unsure about this one. I love books that explore & personify Death (particularly the Scythe trilogy and Pratchett's Discworld novels), so the premise of this one was interesting. It also kept me engaged enough throughout to finish the book. However, too much just grated for me to rate it highly.

The very start sees 200 year-old Reapers, beings with the power over time and life & death itself, having petty fights and struggles like any teenager. And there were consistency problems throughout, some of which come with any aspect of fiddling with time. Sometimes the author has Ren freeze time to slip by someone unnoticed, or to gather/steal supplies, but other times she seems to forget she has this ability which could solve her problems. "I looked longingly at the kimonos that all the women wore. I wanted their floral fabrics and wooden sandals...instead of the corset and heavy skirts I was wearing. Just like in England, I was a spectacle." Another example, early on the author often makes a big point of Ren's (literal) cold-bloodedness compared to humans, but later "My face birthed with a sudden fever, my heart beating too fast to be healthy, pushing hot blood to my fingers that felt like white hot stars in my hands." This new hot-bloodedness was then referenced several times throughout the novel.

Despite these inconsistencies, which kept taking me out of the story, some aspects were extremely interesting. I liked the exploration of Japanese folklore, which I know very little about. The idea of the power of Death itself was also really well done. Being in the presence of personifications of Death had a physical weight to it, speaking the language of Death had physical consequences too (however, they were then often ignored by the next paragraph).

In the end, there were some too predictable betrayals and the character of Ren was too selfish to care about for me to enjoy the novel more.

I was so intrigued by the mythology and premise behind this book! I love Japanese mythology and I was intrigued to see how it would play out with the plot. Japanese folklore is super creepy and The Keeper of the Night is deliciously dark. The MC is morally grey and it makes the story really wonderful and the story is immersive and vivid. Parts of this really remind me of Inu-Yasha, Bleach and Spirited Away.

The Keeper of Night is such a powerful and dark tale of a biracial girl trying to find her place. I really loved how Kylie Lee Baker was able to weave in such complicated topics of racism into this YA fantasy. Reading this book is like watching a train wreck--a morbid tale where you want to look away but just can't..

Based on the adventure plot structure, Ren is a half English Reaper-Japanese shinigami. who must embark on a three-part quest to take her place in the Japanese underworld after fleeing England with her brother. Through her series of tasks, Ren continually struggles with her morality and self acceptance, embodied by her pure younger brother, and the enticing taste of power and belonging, in the form of the mysterious and beautiful Hiro..

The character development is what ties the whole book together. Ren's struggle to find herself and her place in the world shapes every action and decision. The way she and her relationships evolve is beautifully told through a beautiful morbidity.

For fans of R.F. Kuang's Poppy War or Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow, The Keeper of the Night is another stunning book of a strong Asian FMC 'struggling to find her place without completely losing herself and abandoning her morals. Warning--this book does end on a semi-cliffhanger though.
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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ren Scarborough is sick of living under the British Reapers’ tyrannical authority. Although she is half Reaper, she is also half Japanese Shinigami, and her heritage has caused her to be tormented by others. Like other Reapers, she collects souls for Death, but she secretly wishes to leave London for Japan, where she will be accepted regardless of her ancestry. Ren has no choice but to run after an act of brutality exposes her banned Shinigami abilities, taking her beloved half-brother Neven with her. Ren enters the Japanese underworld of Yomi to serve the Goddess of Death after arriving in Japan. The Goddess, on the other hand, has other ideas for Ren and requires that she show her worth.

I was overjoyed to be given the opportunity to read so early. I was initially concerned because it took me about 20% of the way through to completely immerse myself in this, and there was a stunning amount of information about Ren’s world in the first few chapters. Of course, it must be explained, but I felt as though there was too much information presented at once, leaving me perplexed and overwhelmed. When Ren arrives in Japan, though, the plot starts up quickly and becomes something I can really immerse myself in.

Don’t be fooled by the slow start: this book is jam-packed with intriguing, in-depth explorations of Japanese spirits, Gods, and Yomi’s eternally dark underworld. Baker’s depiction of the hereafter, complete with shadows, terrifying specters, and a spirit community, is particularly moving. It was not just unlike any other novel I’d ever read, but it was also incredibly intriguing in its portrayal of Ren’s character. Look no further if you’re looking for a nuanced, morally grey female character.

This book’s ending, in my opinion, is what sets it apart from others in its genre. It doesn’t shy away from the dark, nor does it try to defend or justify what Ren does (in spite of the fact that she remains interesting and likeable throughout). There are certain flaws in this book, such as the pacing, but they don’t detract from a compelling plot that will leave you begging for more.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for allowing me to read this ARC!


Content Warning: racism, death, violence, gore, drowning, bullying.


Ren Scarborough is tired of living under the oppressive rule of the British Reapers. Although she is half Reaper herself, she is also half Japanese Shinigami, tormented by others due to her heritage. She collects souls for Death, like all Reapers, but secretly dreams of leaving London for Japan, where she will be accepted regardless of her lineage. When an incident of cruelty leads to Ren exposing her forbidden Shinigami powers, she has no choice but to flee -- taking her beloved half-brother Neven along with her. Arriving in Japan, Ren descends into the Japanese underworld of Yomi, to serve the Goddess of Death. The Goddess, however, has other plans for her, and demands that Ren prove herself by hunting and killing three deadly Yokai. But just how far is Ren willing to go to earn the respect she has gone without her entire life?

Requesting this was a no-brainer for me. As someone who has a fascination with Japanese folklore and Shintoism, I was so happy to be given the privilege of reading this early. Initially I was a bit worried, as it took me about 20% to fully get into this, and for the first few chapters there was a shocking amount of information about the world that Ren lives in. Of course it has to be explained, but I felt that there was too much at one time, leaving me slightly confused and overwhelmed. Once Ren gets to Japan, however, the story immediately picks up, and instantly became something that I could throw myself into fully.

Don't let that slow start fool you -- this book is bursting at the seams with a fascinating, in-depth exploration of Japanese spirits, Gods, and the perpetually dark underworld of Yomi. Baker's visualization of the afterlife, with its shadows and frightening specters and spirit-village, is particularly powerful. It was not only totally unique to any other book I've ever read, but also wonderfully exciting in its execution of Ren's character. If you're after a complex, morally gray female character, look no further.

Ren is allowed her rage, her hatred of those who terrorize and underestimate her, her desire for power and her fears that she might slowly be turning into a monster worse than any she's seen before. There were times where I was irritated with her, or frustrated, but not once did I find myself unable to understand her motivations or feelings. Constantly she asks herself: Am I one or the other? Both? Neither? How does one deal with always being half, and never being seen as a whole?

The side characters who help Ren along on her journey are interesting too; her brother, Neven, is sweet, a bit of a moral compass for Ren, although I did find myself thinking that he was prone to simplifying her struggles. Hiro, who Ren slowly begins to fall for, was wonderfully mysterious but thankfully a bit more complicated than the brooding bad boy trope. To be honest, there's so much I could talk about here! It feels like I could write pages on Ren and her story, but in an effort to keep this from running too long, I'll try to quickly sum it up.

I think the ending of this book is what really makes it stand out amongst others of its genre. It doesn't shy away from darkness, nor does it make an attempt to justify or excuse everything that Ren does (in spite of the fact that she remains interesting and likable throughout). There are some imperfections here, like the pacing, but in the end it doesn't take away from a story that will leave you desperately wishing for the sequel.

Highly recommended!

She got what she wanted but did she want what she got? Best use of Japanese Folklore in a YA novel…this one was scary and creepy and a great Story

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately, I found the plot to be kind of slow. I ended up getting very bored with the book less than halfway through. I might give it another try at some point, but for now it’s just not for me.

I've really been drawn to fantasy stories that are based on cultural mythology this last year. The Keeper of Night is a story about Ren, a Reaper, in London, England in the early 1800's. She is a relatively young reaper, around 200 years old. Ren's issue is that she is only half Reaper. Her other half, from her mothers side, is Shinigami. Shinigami is the Japanese version of the English Reaper. Reapers and Shinigami's are what we know as grim reapers. Beings that harvest the souls and lead them to the afterlife.
Ren is hated by her fellow reapers for not being full blooded Reaper and when she accidentally hurts the three reapers that harass her regularly she knows she has to flee of be killed by those who rule the Reapers.
She decides to go to Japan to hopefully be embraced by the Shinigami. Her half brother goes with her. What she finds will push her to the limits of her love of her brother and what she thinks she wants to be.
Overall a masterfully told story that really brings the mythology of the Japanese Shinigami to life (so to speak). The characters are uniquely described and the tale is deeply engaging. It's a very dark tale about death and love and I cannot wait for the next book!
I think if you are a fan of Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver or Uprooted and if you enjoyed the Croak series by Gina Damico you will love The Keeper of Night.

Wow. This book took me for so many twists and turns, and now I don’t know how to even feel. I love the morally grey characters that we get, and I adored the Japanese mythology. Every single character is not a 100% good character, and each have their own selfish issues and desires. I felt for Ren’s plight, if I also wanted to strangle her for her one-sightedness. The beginning is a bit slow, which made me DNF it, but I decided to give it a second chance because I wanted to read a story about Japanese Mythology. The beginning is a bit slow, but once you start, it gets good fast! I recommend this book to anyone who loves Percy Jackson and the essence of Spirited Away, as well as those who watch anime. This was an epic journey and I hate the author for making me desire the second book right now.

**ARC given by the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

Thank you Inkyard Press and NetGalley for letting me review the title.

In this world traveling book, we follow the story of Ren and her brother, Neven. It is a tale of acceptance, darkness, life, death and what it means to her.

Ren’s life is a horror of hate and bullying by all those around her. She isn’t accepted by the others for her mixed blood. After an incident, she runs from England.

The book is full of dark creatures, yokai, and other beings. There are battles, mistakes, regrets, and much more.

It is the first book of a duology.

I’m not sure how I feel about the book. I liked the mythological elements and the world building. Even the blinding blackness of Yomi was visceral in description. The battles were brutal and dark. Most of the characters were more black than white. Few had any actual goodness or redeeming qualities.

I think my problem is with Ren. There were moments where she was unrealistic. Her reactions were too extreme. I was having whiplash from her responses especially with her brother.

All in all, the book was good for setting and gritty darkness. I would read the second book.

The YA genre has had a few other titles that have addressed death in the last few years (Schusterman's Scythe series springs to mind). That said, I thought that Keeper of Night was a unique look at two different cultural mythologies surrounding the idea of where we end up after our bodies stop functioning and the personification of an entity or group of entities who are responsible for facilitating that transition. I enjoyed the characters and although I did see the twist toward the end coming, I still enjoyed the build-up to it.

Although I found this book to be good, I wasn’t blown away by it like I have been by other books that deal with Japanese mythology. I will say that the author does a great job of taking it and making it her own by adding Reapers and creating a main character that is split between two worlds.

From the beginning, the main character Ren struggles with who she is as her parents come from different places. She doesn’t know where she belongs and has never been to where her mother was from. I never connected with Ren myself but I can see others being able to. Besides her brother, the family dynamic of the book isn’t talked about much. I do like sibling bonds but I also would have liked to understand the family as a whole better since she was so willing to runaway from it all. Ren goes through a lot of changes when it comes to her character development and by the end I would say that she could definitely lean towards morally grey.

There is one character that really stood out to me and that was Hiro. He was very mysterious but also willing to help Ren get where she wanted to be. The plot twists that involved him were very intense! I did like them and they gave the second half of the book spice.

The most interesting part of the book was the combining of two worlds: Reapers and Shinigamis. I liked learning about them but I also felt that we could have been given more details about the Reapers. The book starts off with them but by 10% Ren and her brother are already running away so we never get to see how their ranking works and what exactly goes on besides the little snippet of Ren doing her job right at the beginning.

Overall, this was a good book. I think that more details were needed for some aspects of the book but I do think readers will enjoy this one if they like Shadow of the Fox and other books similar to that.