Hyo The Hellmaker is such a fun albeit heartbreaking at times read. The layers of character depth are as stunning as the art, as you embark upon this journey. I would buy (and have pre-ordered) this book after reading. I think it is appropriate for ya and adult readers. While there are some adult themes, I feel it's a great book for a mature teen. This book is a visual delight, the concept is unique , I honestly have nothing but praise for this ! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I am enamored completely.

I love the cover and description of Hyo the Hellmaker by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh it's what pulled me in and wanted to read the story but I didn't really like the book and ended up not finishing it.

the book started off really great. and ended really great! and the illustrations were good too. but in the middle, it sorta went foggy? it was hard to keep track for a bit. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Hyo the Hellmaker is the book of a type that feels like it should belong in a subgenre appended by "punk." Not enough gears for steam punk. Maybe a strong note of solar punk. (One thing I'm definitely sure of is the post-apocalyptic feel.) I may just have to settle for Shinto god punk. Though that's actually pretty reductive. The setting is a sort of alternate Japan, post an extremely alternate Second World War. (Alternate! Japan in this setting is under the occupation of Harbour Lakes, which is the Alternate! U.S. No, I don't know why the names are so different, though I laughed about the Harbour Lakes god referred to as "Pater-in-Pieces.")
Our Protagonist, thanks to a curse placed on her family, is a "hellmaker." One of her ancestors killed the gods of misfortune, and because there needs to balance, her family has to pay out the misfortune instead. Instead of becoming evil overlords or something, they decided to turn it into a business. (Which may be better or worse.)

Hyo and her older brother Mansaku are approached by a demon about hitodenashi pears that are being grown where it is supposedly impossible to be grow them: Onogoro, an island where living gods live along side mortals. (And by "approached" I mean "coerced and threatened." The demon has had them stuck in the Worst Timeloop Ever for years, watching their entire village die horrible deaths due to the pears.) Hyo and her brother are extremely disturbed about this accusation--the reason the hitodenashi can't be grown there is because that's where the cure for becoming the host for a parasitic pear demon is made.
Their arrival to Onogoro turns into a murder mystery when the friend they were going to stay with before finding an apartment ends up dead due to a god's curse. From there, they stumble across a mystery involving one of the "pillar gods" of the island. A mystery that may or may not involve the hitodenashi pears. Hyo also ends up befriending a god who no longer possesses his "heavenly name" and as a result, is extremely cursed.

This book is an engaging dark fantasy with lots of interesting worldbuilding. This is a story with a lot of baked-in horror ranging from existential horror to body horror. It's grim in a few places, given the nature of Hyo and her brother's curse and their shared trauma, but it's leavened by moments of humor to break up the darkness of the overall plot.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC.

Hyo the Hellmaker is a pleasant surprise and a fun romp. Judging on the cover alone, there isn't really much to give away, other than you know it will be a Japanese inspired fantasy at the very least. Which Hyo the Hellmaker is, and I've read other reviews that compare it to an anime. I disagree on that front.

If you're a fan of murder mysteries, Hyo the Hellmaker will be right up your alley. However, one needs to push past the introductory chapter as you will feel confused rather than enlightened as to where the plot will go. In short, our main character, Hyo, is requested to go to an island blessed by the gods to find a... unique pear.. that when consumed curses humans. I'll admit when the mystery was starting to unfold I finally was able to grasp the meat of the story and settle in for the ride.

This book is primarily plot based, with a little focus on character growth which in my mind is a O.K. in a murder mystery. The problem mostly stems in that due to this being a fantasy novel, a lot of the worldbuilding was not done naturally but rather in infodump chunks throughout the story. They can be difficult to parse out, but I feel on a reread they will be more welcoming.

Focusing on characters, I found that I didn't really grow super attached to any of them, nor was I concerned about their safety in the perils of their quest. Not only is Hyo fairly nonchalant, she puts all the pieces together way too quickly for me, the reader, to follow along. She made it feel like everything was oh so obvious when I didn't feel it was, albeit I wasn't really invested in the clues but just enjoying the story.

All in all, Mina Ikemoto Ghosh's writing flows so smoothly that I look forward to reading more by them in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley and Scholastic Press for the ARC. This book sounded excited but the plot was super boring and slow moving. The only good part was the art. If the author wrote a manga rather than a book, maybe I would enjoy it more.

The art and illustration in this book was the icing on a fantastic cake. Though sometimes YA books feel like they are showing their label when I read them, I did not feel that. I was so enthralled, I read this in one sitting. I flew through this book of pure entertainment, full of mythology, death, darkness, and conspiracy. The storyline and plot were well written and developed.

PS I definitely felt like I was reading an anime and that’s a huge plus in my book.

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this fantastic ARC!

The novel follows Hyo, who is a “hellmaker” tasked to bring vengeance on the island where gods, demons, and curses exist. It is perfect for fans who love Japanese mythology, folklore, and fans of anime. It gives you some similar aspects of Okami, the iconic videogame of Capcom, meets anime like Dororo and Nurarihyon no Mago. The illustrations provided throughout the novel will give any anime fan enjoyment.

The world-building mixes Japanese cultural aspects with steam-punk elements which gives you a bit of a twist. The story involves hydrogen-powered technologies which makes this novel a little bit of an urban fantasy, almost. Dark, grungy with complex lore is how I would define it. Ghosh’s world alone would draw in many readers I would think, albeit some of it is explained sporadically. I will applaud the mythology involving the gods and demons and tying in family curses relating to our main character which made the story more intriguing. Though, I think I would have liked more explanation of the magic and curses in this novel.

As for the plot, it was confusing to follow and frankly, I still somewhat struggle to understand it. I had to take many breaks and reread sentences to see where I was disconnected. However, taking it in piece by piece seemed to help in some shape or form.

3.75 rounded up 4.

Thank you Scholastic & Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

A richly detailed Asian-inspired fantasy featuring a complex and intricately crafted world, populated by equally engaging characters, and all built around an intriguing and deeply entertaining plot. Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was everything I could have asked for and more! I think if you enjoy books like The Art of Prophecy or Never Die, this is going to be right up your alley so I encourage everyone to at least try reading this for the vibes ;)

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Hyo the Hellmaker” by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh is an ambitious and visually immersive YA book that blends Japanese mythology with a grim, fantastical story. The story follows Hyo, a "hellmaker" tasked with bringing vengeance to a secluded island, where gods, demons, and human curses coexist. This book is very unique and interesting with its unconventional take on urban fantasy with a distinct Japanese hydrogen-punk flair. If you are a fan of anime, then you may really enjoy this book, especially with the illustrations provided throughout.

The world-building is unique, drawing on Japanese cultural elements and supernatural traditions with a 19th-century, almost steampunk twist, featuring hydrogen-powered technology that sets it apart from typical fantasy. Ghosh’s world feels authentic and richly textured with references to Japanese customs, from the distribution of cooking duties to communal bathhouses, but the information is presented in sporadic bursts that may feel disconnected. The mythology surrounding gods and demons, paired with Hyo’s family curse, adds intriguing layers, though I did want more clarity on the magic and curse systems that are central to the story.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its artwork, which complements the dark and atmospheric prose. The illustrations capture the mood of each character, drawing you further into Ghosh’s intricate world and giving life to Hyo and her companions, especially her whimsical brother Mansaku and the enigmatic gods she encounters. This approach enhances the immersive quality of the book, creating a manga-like reading experience without detracting from the book’s textual depth.

As the plot progresses, the structure becomes fragmented, with short, disconnected scenes that may leave you struggling to follow what exactly is going on, but it also felt more like an anime through these various scenes being depicted, like if I were watching weekly episodes. I absolutely loved the world-building in this book as it was incredibly unique and engaging, though the detailed lore is occasionally overwhelming. I loved the world that Ghosh created, and I wanted even more of Hyo and her adventures.

For fans of dark fantasy who appreciate complex lore and morally ambiguous characters, “Hyo the Hellmaker” definitely offers a unique experience. Its fresh take on supernatural themes and rich illustrations make it a worthwhile read for those looking to explore something outside of mainstream fantasy. Ghosh’s creativity and world-building prowess make her an author to watch.

This illustration were so well done in this novel and enjoyed how it added to the world. The plot worked well overall and thought the concept worked in the genre. Mina Ikemoto Ghosh has a great writing style and was able to weave a strong story going on in this. It uses the high-fantasy element to its advantage and glad I got to read this.

This book was amazing. I had so much fun reading it. I was a bit confused at first. There was a lot of names and circumstances that I was confused about because we are kind of just thrown into the books. But Once I got past the first few pages I was hooked. I never knew about Japanese murder mystery, but this has given me a new genre to obsess over. This is the first time I have ever heard of this author, but she has become one of my auto buy authors. (I preorder both the ebook and the hardcover of this)