The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt 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.

“I’ve never been angry to have been born a woman. There have been times I’ve been angry at how the world treats us, but I see being a woman as a challenge I must fight. Like being born under a stormy sky. Some people are lucky enough to be born on a bright summer’s day. Maybe we were born under clouds. No wind. No rain. Just a mountain of clouds we must climb each morning so that we may see the sun.”

I knew I would love this book from the moment I first heard about it, and I was lucky enough, back in February, to get my hands on a proof copy. It was pitched as a mix between Mulan and 47 Ronin, with a bit of Robin Hood thrown in. However, this particular story takes place in feudal Japan and focuses on samurai warriors and the seven principles of Bushido or the Way of the Warrior. Now that it is out in hard copy (yay!) I have read it once more, and can finally put my thoughts into a coherent review…

Flame in the Mist is told through two alternating perspectives: our kickass, sassy main character Mariko and her twin brother Kenshin. The story begins as Hattori Mariko is on her way to meet her betrothed for the first time – the emperor’s son. Along the way, her and her entourage are forced to travel through the dark forest or risk being late to the palace. But, the dark forest is a dangerous, deadly place, frequented by the Black Clan. Mariko’s cart is consequently attacked during the middle of the night, and she barely escapes with her life after convincingly playing dead, whilst the murderers search the rubble. What then ensues is a battle of self-preservation and survival as Mariko must make her way through the woods nearly naked, alone, and a woman. She is stalked and attacked by a homeless vagabond and she has to fight for her life, culminating in her chopping off her hair (true Mulan style) and donning the disguise of a young man who has run away from home.

She then goes on to track down her attackers in the hope of discovering why her convoy was targeted. Things, however, do not go as planned, and she soon finds herself deep within the ranks of the Black Clan, a Robin Hood/Lost Boys-esque group of warrior rebels, and her supposed killers. She must keep her true identity hidden if she ever wants to survive whilst also gaining their trust and learning their ways. Meanwhile, Mariko’s brother and brutal samurai soldier, Kenshin, is out on a mission to prove that his sister is still alive, tracking her, and getting into all sorts of fights along the way, and find the criminals responsible for attacking her.

There were some brilliant, unexpected plot-twists and action scenes in this book. The plot is intricately woven with mystery and intrigue, from the world-building to the mystical, rain drenched woodland setting, you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds. Ahdieh’s writing style is just beautiful. The passages of description were lyrical, whimsical, and stunningly detailed. This is the first book I have ever read that is set in feudal Japan, so I can’t speak for how historically/regionally accurate it was, but it had me believing in every essence of the world from the very start. I could almost smell the scent of oak and cherry blossoms and rainwater that Mariko lived and smelt every single day. And just as we experienced in the Wrath and the Dawn duology, the author manages to successfully and authentically include Japanese terms that only added to the tangibility of the story. (There was also a glossary in the back for times of confusion, but I soon found myself understanding the terms in context to the events.)

Mariko’s character development is probably my favourite aspect of the novel. She is often called ‘odd’ or ‘curious’, both of which she originally has an adverse and negative reaction to. She later comes to realise that these labels only make her who she is. She is sarcastic, witty, completely bad-ass and brave and she totally, wholly owns herself and her idiosyncrasies. Her confidence grows within the Black Clan, far more than it ever would have done if she had remained simply a daughter and wife, as society had mapped her future to be. She is a creator, an inventor, and a warrior, and she develops this within the Black Clan, making weapons and learning to fight. Even as she pretends to be a boy, she still remains completely feminine in the sense that she is always struggling with an internal crisis of identity – pondering the strength of being a woman and a woman’s place in the male-dominated world of feudal Japan.

The romance in the novel is also excellent. It is slow-burning, as mysterious as the world in which it is set, and you never quite truly know what is going to happen next or what the couple are really thinking. Can they be trusted? Does he really like her? Is this a game or is it real? You are never really sure, as is often the case with the ‘enemies falling in love’ zeitgeist. This varied plenty from the common star-crossed lovers’ trope though, and it is beautifully, realistically and slowly done. As well as the romance, you find yourself falling in love with the Black Clan – originally meant to be enemies – they are endearing and comical and they stole my heart.

As expected, in this book Renee is responsible for some seriously incredible world building, tangible characters, another perfectly independent kick ass heroine, and a plot so intricate you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds.
There is fighting and flirting, a wonderfully evasive and extremely steamy romance, a heart-stopping twist, and cleverly spun lies.

In summary, I am totally lost to this beautifully brutal world of feudal Japan. Of sharp, smart Mariko and her gutsy determination, of the shadows of the forest and the mystery of Okami and the Black Clan… I need a sequel now!

Samurais, shadows, secrets and deadly revenge… what’s not to love?!

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