David Kudler

This book reminded me so much of Tamora Pierce's Tortall books, specifically the first Alanna or the first Kel book. Many of the plot-points are the same: a girl enters a new institution and spends all her time learning new skills, training, and passing tests. Only instead of a fictional fantasy world, Kudler's tale takes place during feudal Japan, during a time of civil war when different clans fought for political domination. Risuko's story takes place during the sixteenth century reign of Oda Nobunga.

Risuko, along with Emi and Toumi, are picked up by Lady Chiyome and taken to Mochizuki where the girls become novices and begin training to be kunoichi. The characterization is simplistic, with the author falling back on generalizations in character rather than creating fully fleshed-out people. Toumi (along with junior initiates Mai and Shino) are mean girls. Emi is the quiet one. And Risuko is the headstrong willful one who is too curious and smart for her own good. Even the more dominant background characters seem bit one-dimensional in characterization. Kee Sun, for example, is one who gets a lot of space in the book, but other than being Korean, dedicated to food, and jolly with a bit of a temper, there's not much to glean from him. Hopefully, this is something that is rectified in the second book.

There's a whiff of "chosen one" to this story. Of course Risuko is a skilled climber, which becomes plot relevant many times. Of course Risuko is smart and clever.

That all said, I did really enjoy this book. The plot moves a bit slowly, and other readers may get bored with the day-to-day life of Mochizuki (it does devolve at times with this happened, and then this, and the this). Others may enjoy it as it is nice worldbuilding and lets the reader learn what it was like in one of the centers that trained elite warriors. There is also enough hints of Risuko's larger purpose that I'm extremely intrigued where Kudler takes the character.

Readers who already enjoy Tamora Pierce and similar authors would enjoy this. I'm looking forward to the second book.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.… (meer)

This is a book for young adults . I got to read the beta version of the story. This story about small girl who is destined to play a major role in a war in Japan as the plot mentions. What it does not mention is that this book is based on a true historical figure,Lady Chiyome who created an army of Female Assassins in the Sixteenth Century and provided them to Takeda Clan.

I actually picked up the book because I liked the cover and the plot. I thought I would be disappointed as the initial narration was way too simple and slow paced. But I was not as disappointed as I thought I would be when I completed the book. It has History, It has adventure.It has Cruelty, It has Treachery. It has Drama. The book was amazing to me as this was the first time I was reading about female Ninjas. This is the first book in the series. Therefore, this is an introduction to Risuko and how she gets to be a part of highly skilled women samurai warriors of the Takeda Clan. There are a lot of innocent discoveries and surprising revelations. The concept of the book is very simple. The author has nicely linked the name Risuko to the high vantage points she holds throughout the story. This book made me curious about the operatives and it made me read actual history. The challenges and helplessness was a different story, but these women were pretty cool and total bad-ass. . Nice to read a story which covered this aspect of war.… (meer)