Bakemono

Review of Emma Bowers' book *Bakemono* With a modern Japanese setting, Emma Bowers' debut novel *Bakemono* is an engrossing investigation of identity, tradition, and the afterlife. Readers are drawn into a world where the past and present coexist through Bowers's intricate web of cultural allusions and first-person accounts. Synopsis of the Story Aiko, the protagonist of the narrative, is a young woman who struggles with her mixed heritage and her family's expectations. Following the passing of her distant grandmother, Aiko receives a curious heirloom: a tiny, finely carved figure thought to be a shapeshifter, or bakemono. Aiko starts learning about family mysteries that contradict her conception of who she is and where she came from as she explores her grandmother's background and the Bakermono's stories. Concepts Book Review: "Bakemono" by Emma Bowers Emma Bowers' debut novel, *Bakemono*, is a compelling examination of identity, tradition, and the supernatural, set in modern Japan. Bowers creates a complex tapestry of cultural references and personal anecdotes that transport readers to a realm where the past and present intersect. Plot Overview The plot revolves around Aiko, a young woman dealing with her mixed origin and her family's expectations. Following the death of her estranged grandmother, Aiko inherits a curious heirloom: a little, delicately carved figure thought to be a bakemono, or shapeshifter. As Aiko investigates her grandmother's past and the traditions surrounding the bakemono, she discovers family mysteries that challenge her sense of herself and her origins. Themes One of Plot Overview The plot revolves around Aiko, a young woman dealing with her mixed origins and her family's expectations. Following the death of her estranged grandmother, Aiko inherits a curious heirloom: a little, delicately carved figure thought to be a bakemono, or shapeshifter. As Aiko investigates her grandmother's past and the traditions surrounding the bakemono, she discovers family mysteries that challenge her sense of herself and her origins.