Blood of the Kami is the first novel in the YA fantasy series Yaseki Monogatari, written by Baptiste Pinson Wu. An action-packed and dangerous journey across feudal Japan, telling the story of a soul-hunter trying to pay his debt to the Yaseki in a novel that feels as an homage to Japanese mythology with touches of The Witcher.

Ren Fudō is a young soul-hunter, part of the Yaseki sect; he's in a big debt to them, as his mother requires a ton of care after a Yokai attack. When a mission with an extremely high-reward is presented to him, he jumps and takes the opportunity despite not knowing much about it, and having to team up with a young shrine maiden possessed by a land kami, Suzume; what he couldn't imagine is the scope of the mission, as the destiny of Japan will be over his shoulders while his bond with Suzume grows, teaching her how to take control over her powers.

There's something that is clear from the first page of this book: the passion and the reverence Pinson Wu has for Japanese mythology and rituals. During the whole journey, not we will meet more Yokai, with will require our hero to deal with them, and sometimes collaborate, but the attention put to the shrines and rituals make you feel as a part of this fantastic world. There are a great amount of interactions between the characters that also contribute to this richness, being the absolute highlight of the book (and seriously, I love Ren and his companion interactions).

In terms of characterization, it is true that while Ren fits a bit in the archetypical hero of shonen category, there's a bit more when we get to know him through his conversations with Suzume; one of the few bloods of the Yaseki, and who shows his skill in combat against the Yokai, even if his social skills are a bit less developed. Suzume acts a bit as the counterweight to this balance, being much better at navigating social interactions; our duo forms a great team.
The pacing is great, but I would have enjoyed to have some slower scenes to let me catch my breath between the action scenes, which are extremely well written.

Blood of the Kami is a great novel, that I recommend if you like Japanese mythology and want to read an engaging high-stakes adventure. I wonder how Ren's journey will continue in the next books, but for one, I found this to be a really enjoyable read!