Cue the entrance of Suimei Shirai, an injured teenage boy Kaori encounters inside Shinonome's home, who is revealed to be an exorcist in the spirit realm, completely shattering all of her peaceful days. Making matters more complicated is that with Suimei being an exorcist meaning that he is a primary Arch-Enemy to the spirits. However, lines between the world of humans and spirits are blurred and Kaori must convince him that it is far more complicated that what he initially thinks.
The Haunted Bookstore - Gateway to a Parallel Universe (わが家は幽世の貸本屋さん Wagaya wa Kakuriyo no Kashi Honya-san) is a light novel series by Shinobumaru and illustrated by Munashichi. It was published by MICRO MAGAZINE INC. and licenced by Seven Seas Entertainment for the English release. The first volume released on 19 October 2021, with a total of seven volumes released so far.
There will be spoilers, so be warned!
Tropes of the Novel
- Always Night: There is no such thing as daytime in the spirit realm, as it is always nighttime, no matter what the clock dictates.
- Anachronism Stew: The titular bookstore. When in focus to the spiritual realm's ancient time period, the concept of bookstores in Japan did not become a reality until Meiji Restoration.note
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: The spirits themselves fall to this, in regards to how they treat the burial services to humans who passed away in the other realm, which are considered bizarre to normal people. To start it off their definition of "funeral" involves devouring the entirety of human's remains, which was done to start a spiritual link between humans and spirits and connecting to them permanently even after their death.
- Brutal Honesty: Nyaa exhibits this in Chapter 3's Side Story, when he straightly calls Akiho out for being too trusting with her uncle and her aunt-in-law, where both turned out to be embezzlers secretly stealing her savings reserved for Kaori upon her death.Nyaa: So you don't want to believe it? What a fool you are, trusting monsters like them. If you're a mother, face the facts. Look... Given the way those two treat you, you don't seriously think they care about you, do you?
- A Day in the Limelight: The focus of Volume 3 Side Story's other half within Nyaa's perspective, chronicling his history with Kaori in the past and his encounter with Akiho.
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: The spirit realm's residents mostly range from not just humans, but supernatural creatures appearing in Japanese folklores, including tengus, kappas, tanukis, youkais, onis, etc. as well as unusual creatures including glimmerflies, which are glowing butterflies.
- Great Big Library of Everything: The shelves within the bookstore that Kaori works in are much taller than the average bookshelf. First-time visitors who visit the place would be surprised at how tall these shelves are.
- Missing Dad: Kaori's father was long dead before her mother Akiho and Nyaa met for the first time.
- Narnia Time: The spirit realm is reminiscent to feudal Japan that is hundreds of years from the past, while the mortal realm aligns more at the present time within the modern era.
- No Body Left Behind: The funeral services for humans in the spirit realm all border into the I'm a Humanitarian spectrum, as a spirit has to consume all of their remains, both bone and flesh, in order to connect their feelings permanently within the said spirit who consume him/her.
- Our Monsters Are Different: The monsters seen in the other realm are not hostile towards humans, unless threatened that is. But Suimei, the resident exorcist, proves otherwise, as he sees them as a threat, though the line between humans and spirits are far more complicated and hazier than the obvious.
- Portal Door: The shrine serving as an entrance to the spirit realm.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Akiho's reaction, when she finds out from Nyaa about her uncle and aunt being embezzlers, planning to finally desert them for real.
- Strong Girl, Smart Guy: The reverse, in fact. Kaori is an ordinary but an intelligent woman who works at a bookstore, whereas Suimei is an exorcist from the mortal realm, dedicated to hunt down rogue spirits.
- Spirit World: The spirit realm itself. It connects through a mysterious shrine, which is the entry point between it and the mortal realm (Earth).
- Wacky Parent, Serious Child: Shinonome, Kaori's adopted father, is an immature Jerkass, while Kaori is his serious, level-headed adopted daughter.
- Whole Episode Flashback: The Side Story chapter in Volume 3 details the history of Kaori's past life, as well as the life of her long-lost biological mother Akiho and her encounter with Nyaa within the latter's point of view.
