The Night Of Baba Yaga should be a film. This was a thought that attached itself to my brain from the very first page of this debut novel by Japanese writer Akira Otani. Its protagonist, Shinda, is a fighter kidnapped by Tokyo’s underground mafia – whose boss, upon realising the extent of Shinda’s skill and power, decides to force her into protecting her teenage daughter, Shoko.

She follows her orders at first reluctantly, but soon, upon crashing over and over against the misogyny, bloodthirst and sheer violence of the gang, Shinda becomes devoted to her job of protecting Shoko. It all adds up to a quick read, with a narrative perspective changing each chapter. The writing is snappy, sharp, brilliantly observed but that seems to stop at the outside world.

The characters, including the main hero Shinda, seem one dimensional, and we never find out much of their internal thoughts and motivations. And it’s gore. So, so gore. This book is perfect for fans of Tarantino or John Wick, but with the queerness turned up, and some may find it a difficult read at times, as the depictions of sexual assaults can be… brutal. A wild ride, and not entirely unenjoyable – but hold on tight if you decide to go with it.