Okiku has been stranded in this world for centuries. She is a spirit of vengeance, taking the lives of killers and freeing the spirits of murdered children. But there is no peace for her. She drifts through the world, always hunting.

Then she meets Tark, a young boy with a darkness inside, and his cousin, Callie, who would do anything to protect him. Okiku knows that Tark is innocent, another victim of evil who needs to be freed, but destroying the demon trapped inside will also kill the host.

There are many reasons THE GIRL FROM THE WELL by Rin Chupeco makes my top ten favorite books of the year list. The main reason is because the story is told through Okiku's point of view. Okiku's rage and need for vengeance are truly to be feared. She's horrifying to look at, she is without mercy for those who have murdered, and there is an excitement in her tone when she's stalking her prey. I won't call them victims because Okiku is a yuurei, a dead spirit stranded in this world and fueled by vengeance, one who is able to harm the living. She's been here so long that her rage, while not less than it was when she died, is controlled. She chooses who to hunt, who to make pay for their crimes, and she always hunts people who've murdered children.

Okiku's voice when stalking a murderer is disjointed, manic, and methodical. She's scary and what she does to these people is truly horror-movie worthy. But there's more to Okiku than the rage. When she meets Tark and his cousin Callie, her role in the world once again changes. She was a victim, then a spirit of vengeance, and now...she's curious. The change in her voice, how she sees the details of the world, how she describes herself and what she does flows lyrically. I love the dichotomy between her rage at the murderers and the emotionally distant tone she uses when trying to figure out Tark and Callie.

THE GIRL FROM THE WELL is intense. While you will want to read as fast as you can to find out what happens, slow down. The ending can get confusing if you're not paying attention. There is so much going on and so many emotions on the page that you need to read carefully. I'll admit to staying up until 2 am reading so I was a little bit tired and desperate to see what was going to happen, so I did end up re-reading a few passages because I got confused.

THE GIRL FROM THE WELL by Rin Chupeco makes my top-ten list for the year. The legends of Okiku and her history are fascinating, Rin Chupeco's writing is superb, and the plot is intense. I highly recommend THE GIRL FROM THE WELL and can't wait to see what other stories Rin Chupeco has in store.