Welcome to my spot on the tour for Shadow Shinjuku by Ryu Takeshi! Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the copies of these books and the opportunity to be on the tour. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments.
The streets of Tokyo are different at night.
There is darkness behind the glitter and the neon lights, and people who prefer to stay in the shadows, to dwell in the underworld – whores, gangsters, the homeless, the lost.
People like Sato.
He’s part of this world, he always has been, but a feeling of change is lingering in the heavy air of the bustling city. A feeling brought to life by fateful encounters of solitary souls.
Shadow Shinjuku is a dark, yet magical journey into the depths of Tokyo’s nightlife and the depths of the human soul.
Ryu Takeshi’s first novel is both a crime thriller and urban fantasy. It’s a unique and mesmerizing blend of the imagery of Japanese animation and film, the colors and details of street photography, and the mystical lyricism of soulful music.
But above everything, it is a gripping story that doesn’t let go.
Review:
Shadow Shinjuku by Ryu Takeshi is a Japenese crime thriller. I love the genre blending, because not only is this a crime thriller, but there is also some fantasy/supernatural elements, and it has a noir vibe.
Sato is the main character and the story is told from his perspective. He is a deeply flawed yet very relatable character. I like the way this character was written, because the narrative feels intimate and helped me connect to him even more.
The plot of this novel is intriguing. I thought the fantasy/supernatural elements added a really fun spin to what was already and entertaining idea. I would have loved to dive more into the world-building, but what I got, I loved.
Overall, I enjoyed Shadow Shinjuku quite a bit and look forward to more from this author. Check it out!
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Rating:
4/5☆
Ryu loves to write. It’s a way for him to find and explore new worlds, both inner ones and those way outside. And this process is spontaneous and instinctive, his stories born out of a single image, following a path Ryu himself never fully understands – not its origin, nor its end -, immersed in the magic of the moment, and the magic of everything that surrounds us, the visible and the invisible.
Ryu is a daydreamer, a believer in the magic of humanity, a friend to all the mystical creatures of the night, and a sucker for the visual beauty of anime. But above all else, Ryu is just a human being, like yourself.
Ryu was born in 1983, has a beautiful wife, a funny little dog, and a lovely daughter. He adores sumo, practices traditional kenjutsu, sometimes plays basketball (Go Denver Nuggets!), relaxes playing video games, watching anime and reading books.
Oh, and he loves to eat! But who doesn’t…
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Jessica Belmont 
Thank you so much for this fab review and for taking in the tour today x
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