Not what I was expecting.
Going into YAKUZA MOON I had envisioned a rich and
provocative look at the raw and uninhabited side of the inner trappings of the
Yakuza. Instead, what I got was a memoir of a young woman who has had to endure
torment, trials and tribulations throughout her teenage years - some of which due to her father’s long-time
association and subsequent departure from the Yakuza.
Despite not delivering what I had perceived to be the books
focus, I still enjoyed YAKUZA MOON. Author Shoko Tendo bleeds her life story
through wordsfrom being under the control of a ruthless and obsessive Yakuza
gangster, a gradual addition to speed, to the growing resentment towards
authority and the eventual growth which comes from hitting rock bottom.
YAKUZO MOON is very much a nonfiction novel of
self-discovery amidst adversity and a lengthy streak of bad decisions. Her father’s association with the Yakuza is very much on the
peripheral yet the unlawful activities and heinous crimes committed on behalf
of Tendo’s ‘circle’ are on full display – from lovers to fellow gang members.
YAKUZA MOON is well worth a read; just don’t expect to learn
much about the Yazuka.
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