I was doing some shopping in Melbourne and I saw this book... I have to be honest the actual cover jumped out at me as I really liked the tattoo on the front of it and I have always been interested in gangster stuff.

I started to read the book in the store and before I knew it I realised that I had been standing there reading it for about 20 minutes and I was starting to get a few glances from the shop owner with looks of "Are you going to buy it mate?"

So I thought I better buy it because I think that he was on the verge of kicking me out of the shop. So I took Yakuza Moon home. I had lost my place of where I was up to in the shop, I thought I would just start reading it from the start again.

In parts of this book I was thinking 'this is cannot be real... why would anyone subject themselves to such torment and torture. How could someone have subject themselves to such negativity throughout their lives? As I read on, the sincerity and honesty in how the book was written negated all doubt that Shoko's story was in any way false. I was conviced everything was true and accurate.

There was such detail as Shoko recounted events. It painted a very accurate picture whilst reading this shocking and interesting story.

The book is written with complete honesty and transparency. I really admire that.

Shoko's story was about her being a Gangsters daughter. She walks you through her life of abuse from family and boyfriends, some who are married and she also talks about her drug addiction.

This book is all about overcoming the odds. It actually taught me to appreciate what I have. It actually made me feel selfish that I have ever complained about anything at all at any stage of my own life.

I guess a good book will always have lessons in it... Yakuza Moon had many for me.

I can't really say that I felt sorry for Shoko, at least after she was an adult. What I most liked about the book was how someone that felt that they were at the bottom of the World summoned the complete honesty, courage & strength to turn everything around into a complete positive. I think that is great.

This is the best book you will ever read. I really liked it. There are very strong messages to be learned throughout this book, even if you don' realise it right away.

My Recommendation: Buy It.

Ben's Score: 8.5/10