Flame in the Mist
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Historical
3.7
(1.1K)
Renée Ahdieh
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan where Mulan meets Throne of Glass. “[A] fun feudal samurai drama. . .action-packed and well-paced.”—The Washington Post “If you live for books that have lush worlds, swoony romance and non-stop action, you’ll want to read this.”—Paste Magazine The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and track down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she's within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she's appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she's ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.
Romance
Magic
Mystery
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More Details:
Author
Renée Ahdieh
Pages
416
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2017-05-16
ISBN
0399171630 9780399171635
Community ReviewsSee all
"it took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I sped right through it. I especially love how Renee Ahdieh didn't make Mariko a warrior within a few chapters of the book. It always annoys me when main characters have had no previous training but yet within a few pages they are considered the best fighter. I also love how the characters aren't faultless. It makes them more easy to connect with and adds depth to their personality⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"
"Such an underrated book! I don’t see it anywhere and that makes me sad! Takes place in Edo(?) Japan where a girl named Mariko defies the traditional male and female roles in Japan and ventures off in disguise as a boy. Now that I think about it, sounds a lot like Mulan…in any case, highly recommend!"
"While I enjoyed Ahdieh's writing style (the descriptions of the setting is just beautiful), I feel the story fell short.<br/><br/>The feminist message feels forced and Mariko came off with a "Not like other girls" vibe. She claims she's strong and as cunning as the men around her but she isn't portrayed as such. I felt like she was stumbling through the plot as needed.<br/><br/>I was more interested in Kenshin looking for her to be honest. I wish there was more of his journey and less of Mariko's. <br/><br/>I loved the premise. I love that it's set in feudal Japan. However, I just wish it was executed better.<br/>"