This was not quite the sweet, fun story about a young American woman experiencing Japan for the first time. Well, it was but not just that. There's a darker part to the story as well, one that develops slowly and believably.
The main character, who tells the story, was likeable but her motivations for going to Japan in the first place felt a little unconvincing perhaps, but not nearly enough to detract from the book.

The issues raised (the darker part of the plot) are important, presented in a few key moments that set the tone for the rest of the book.