Otani’s ‘Night of Baba Yaga’ Wins Dagger Award in London; Violent Novel Hailed for Exceptional Literary Quality

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:13 JST, July 5, 2025

LONDON — “I believe you all love blood, murder, crime and violence as much as I do — in fiction, of course,” said novelist Akira Otani on Thursday in London.

Otani, 44, was calmly expressing her joy at the award ceremony on Thursday where she was presented the Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation for “The Night of Baba Yaga,” which has been lauded for its exceptional literary quality and thrilling narrative.

This recognition from a prestigious British mystery literary award comes at a time when translated Japanese works are receiving significant attention in Europe and the United States.

“I believe that people who enjoy violent fiction are the ones who must strive for peace in the real world,” she said.

Translated by Sam Bett, the novel centers on a woman who uses violence to survive and the daughter of a crime boss whom she guards. Together, they resist male oppression and forge an indefinable bond.

During the selection process, Otani’s work narrowly beat out Asako Yuzuki’s “Butter,” published under the Shincho Bunko imprint of Shinchosha Publishing Co.

The judges praised Otani’s work, stating its depiction of the yakuza world is like a manga filled with merciless violence that highlights the characters’ deep humanity. It overflows with originality and effectively tells a strange love story, they said.

Baba Yaga is an ogress from Russian folklore. Although the work contains vivid depictions of violence, Otani explained: “There are times when every woman wishes they were strong. In a novel, I can make them go wild in any way I want. I wanted to depict a fantasy and not let it end there.”

Otani started writing around age 19. She worked various jobs concurrently, such as a security guard and call center worker, before transitioning to a full-time writing career around 30.

“The Night of Baba Yaga” was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in the category of best novel and series of short stories. However, Otani does not limit herself to writing mysteries and crime novels. She also produces a variety of genres, including short story collections that portray women struggling with life.

“I am considered an ambiguous writer. The protagonists of my work also have relationships and lives that cannot be labeled,” she said at the award ceremony. “I believe that embracing ambiguity in ourselves and acknowledging the ambiguity of others makes the world a better place.”

In recent years, works of Japanese literature translated into English have received high acclaim abroad. This year alone, Hiromi Kawakami’s “Under the Eye of the Big Bird” was a finalist for the Booker Prize, and Yuzuki’s “Butter” was selected as the Waterstones Book of the Year for 2024 by the major British bookstore chain.

The Daggers were founded in 1955. Hideo Yokoyama’s “Six Four” was shortlisted for the translation category in 2016; Keigo Higashino’s “Newcomer” in 2019; and Kotaro Isaka’s “Maria Beetle” (“Bullet Train”) in 2022.