I listened to the audiobook version, which was probably a bad idea in this case, since the narrator, although capable of creating distinct voices for many characters, did them in accents that were basically American, so the whole Japanese flavor of the story suffered. As for the story, of a group of Yakuza on a hit, it also suffers from an excess of style and a shortage of substance. There are some interesting moments and characters, but it never really comes together as a good story should. Nor does the ending make a lot of sense or provide a sense of completion--but it is the first of a series (so someone else can let me know what becomes of Nanashi!) ( )