Okiku is a vengeance spirit. Her story is the one that inspired countless Japanese films and horror stories, and now it's her turn to tell it. Okiku spends her days traveling the world seeking out child-murders and giving them her form of justice (often involving drowning and/or the ripping off of heads). She's content with this existence until she meets Tark. The boy with the strange tattoos and the demon on his back. Tark ignites feelings that Okiku hasn't experienced in over 300 years, and she's not about to let some demon take them away so easily.
I loved the Japanese folklore and the way Okiku tells her story. I had some issues with the way some of the characters spoke to one another (didn't feel very realistic), and some of the situations were a bit too farfetched even in a paranormal story (what school employs an 18 year old to teach 4th graders?). Other than those slight problems, I really enjoyed it. Very creepy and just the right amount of gore. If you want something scary to read in time for October, give this one a try!