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Blood Stained Tea, by Amy Tasukada, is the first novel of a series called “The Yakuza Path”. As the name implies, the plot of Blood Stained Tea unfolds in modern-day Japan (Kyoto, to be precise). The local Yakuza syndicate, the traditional Japanese organized crime, struggles to maintain control of the city, as a competitor group of Koreans attempt a takeover. Nao, a young tea merchant and a former (sort of) member of the Yakuza, tries to balance between his family loyalty and his feelings for Saehyun, a prominent member of the competitor gang.

Genre, Plot, and Narrative

Amy Tasukada’s novel is marketed as crime fiction, and that it is. Fans of the genre will feel familiar with the style, descriptions, and plot progression. The book generally strikes a good balance between familiarity and originality. In other words, although nothing really is surprising in terms of generic conventions, having LGBT characters as the two main characters in a Yakuza novel is certainly original.

However, I must stress the fact: although the two main characters are LGBT, this is not an LGBT story. It remains almost exclusively a novel of crime fiction. It’s certainly refreshing to essentially see a version of Romeo and Juliet in an LGBT Yakuza context, but the reader should not expect the romantic relationship to be the main narrative focus. Perhaps peculiarly (considering how central part it plays in the whole plot), the feelings between Nao and Saehyun are not elevated to the position one would expect.

Nevertheless, as the last word reveals, it’s all about expectations. If a reader chose to approach the novel as an LGBT story, s/he would inevitably notice narrative imbalances. But seeing Blood Stained Tea for what is it – crime fiction – there is no issue. The plot and the narrative progression are exactly what they ought to be, with one exception. The ending appears slightly surprising-and-avoidable (see my article on narrative endings for more information). This leaves the reader with a somewhat bitter taste.

Characters

Having two LGBT characters as protagonists in a novel of crime fiction is quite original. This is especially the case considering they’re members of  organized crime. Both Nao and Saehyun are generally well-written, with enough background information and personal traits to render them realistic, at least considering the genre.

However, there are moments where the author seems a bit too preoccupied with narrative exposition, and it’s the characters that pay the price. Their inner dialogue comes off as a bit too loud, repeating again and again their fears and thoughts.

One issue I did notice was the almost complete lack of women. Besides a quasi-ghostly phone call and an insignificant funeral-service staff member, there are no female characters in the book. Perhaps to be expected in the context, but it also reveals another issue: there doesn’t seem to be a greater picture. For all its wonderful background information on Kyoto, at no point did I feel there was a world outside the gang wars.

Blood Stained Tea: General Impression

Overall, Blood Stained Tea left a favorable impression. Personally, I don’t care much about crime fiction, and still I was able to enjoy the novel for its interesting (though sadly underdeveloped) LGBT aspect, as well as the magnificent cultural information on Kyoto and tea preparation. I think crime fiction readers will enjoy it even more.

Having said that, it does feel a bit as a lost opportunity. The romantic aspect, though still believable and engaging, did not reach its full narrative potential. At the same time, I found the lack of a “bigger picture” aspect quite striking. Perhaps some readers would see it as some sort of metaphor: there is indeed no life outside being a member of the Yakuza. However, in reading terms it left something to be desired.

Still, to counter the criticism above, Blood Stained Tea is clearly superior to the average novel of crime fiction. Its pace is fast, and its plot is engaging. The writing is on high levels, yet accessible to the target audience. You really can’t go wrong with that.