Japanese Gothic by Klie Lee Baker

 


Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Rating: ★★★★☆

Japanese Gothic is eerie, shadowy, and delightfully odd.

The story centres on Lee, a young man haunted by the belief that he’s killed his roommate though he’s hazy on the details, uncertain about what actually happened or where the body might be. With this dread hanging over him, Lee abruptly leaves his American college, heading to his father’s new home in Japan.

That’s when things take a turn for the truly unusual.

Lee stumbles upon a portal reminiscent of Narnia, linking present-day Japan with its feudal past. Through this gateway, he meets Sen, a young woman samurai, and together, they navigate trauma, cultural expectations, and the weighty burdens placed on them by family and society.

Though marketed as horror, I’d say this book leans more toward horror-thriller. There’s definitely gore, and some scenes are quite graphic—at times, I wondered if the author had a particular fascination with maggots, given their frequent appearance.

On a fear level, it’s relatively mild. It didn’t make me want to sleep with the lights on, but instead tapped into deeper anxieties—like failing to protect loved ones, or living under the pressure to meet impossible ideals.

The story is a slow build, developing toward a twisting conclusion that blends trauma, mythology, family issues, violence, and even—surprisingly—turtles.

Overall, it’s a memorable and atmospheric read that lingered with me after I finished, especially paired with the background sound of waves. I’m eager to read more from Kylie Lee Baker in the future.

Rating: 4 stars

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