Apparitions: Ghosts of Old Edo by Miyuki Miyabe

Apparitions: Ghosts of Old Edo by Miyuki Miyabe is described by goodreads as:

"In old Edo, the past was never forgotten. It lived alongside the present, in dark corners, and in the shadows. In these tales, award-winning author Miyuki Miyabe explores the ghosts of Japan, and the spaces of the living world they inhabit. Written with a journalistic eye and a fantasist’s heart Apparitions bring the restless dead, and those who encounter them, to life."

As the blurb can most likely tell you, the book is full of intrigue and suspense, so much that I couldn't put it down for a minute! It ranges from mildly creepy ghost stories to extreme horror, yet all of the stories are captivating, making you want to read more and more. All of the scenes are elaborately described in an eloquent style, enabling the reader to get a clear picture of old Japanese life, even if they know hardly anything of the history or culture back then. It even taught me an awful lot about the belief in ghosts and superstition in those times (my guess is that it's extremely well-researched), such as the 49 day wait for the spirit of a departed one to leave the earth.

A lot of the stories were written about the masters and mistresses of the shops, as well as their working class workers that lead fairly miserable lives. The stories reek of death and despair, and touches heavily upon the themes of domestic servitude, apprenticeship and squalor. 

My favourite short story was called "A Woman's Head" as it was the most intense story of all, in my opinion. There were many more that I loved, but this one stood out to me as it was from a young boy's point of view, as opposed to an adult's.