Aside from a very interesting premise (a dog that is a Japanese demon but… still a dog!?), this story is wonderfully creative and fun. It borrows a lot from Japanese folklore, but it’s a ride all of its own.

The characters are simple in a relatable way, and managed to make me teary eyed in a couple of moments, while bursting out in laughter in so many others. This book also features some of the best (or worst?) villains ever, so there’s also that.

The beginning is a little slow while it sets the scene, but speed picks up and doesn’t drop until the end.

Narration is top notch. Character voices were identifiable and captured the appropriate emotions, and I didn’t get any cringy pronunciation hiccups even with some specific Japanese words that popped up sometimes.

All in all, a really captivating book told in a captivating manner. It won’t win any literary awards, but I must say I would totally pay multiple entries to see this in the movies.