So, I gave up on this around the 20% mark because I was both confused and bored.

"Perhaps the forest simply knew this was where someone like Mariko - a lost girl in search of a place to call home - could plant roots and flourish"

* * *
3 / 5

Flame In The Mist is the latest book by the author of The Wrath and The Dawn, which I really enjoyed and do recommend. This book is very loosely a Mulan retelling in which Mariko, daughter of a noble house, is attacked by bandits on her way to marry the second in line to the emperor's throne. Lost in a creepy forest, Mariko cannot return home in shame and so endeavours to infiltrate the Black Clan, who she believes is responsible for her attempted murder.

The first thing I noticed is that, whilst like in The Wrath and The Dawn the prose is lovely and descriptive and transport, the whole thing is written in incredibly short sentences. Seriously. The novel reads. Like. This. With periods in. Completely weird. Places for dramatic. Effect. Once I noticed this it became very difficult to ignore and genuinely impacted on my enjoyment because I was just going huh, another short one, and another one, ooooh a connective, which was such a shame. There's also a ton of line breaks, for example:

"She returned his embrace. Returned each of his kisses. Every touch. Until nothing at all existed between them.

But shared breaths.

And unspoken promises.

Lies.

And unshakeable truth."

Really? Was it really necessary to write the whole book like this? Once or twice for dramatic effect, sure, but the whole thing is written this way.

"Hattori Mariko was not just any girl. She was more."

This grievance aside, I liked every other aspect of the writing: the scene setting, most of the characters, the multiple POVs. We hear mostly from Mariko, but there's also the Emperor, Okami, a boy in the Black Clan, and Ranmaru the leader of the Black Clan, and Mariko's twin brother Kenshin who is tracking her across the country. The start of the book is pretty great, full of action and solidifying Mariko as a brave, cunning young woman; there's lots of great quotable lines here and she's got a subtle feminist vibe going, which was tastefully done.

When Mariko infiltrates the Black Clan the book gets a little slow and weird. I found it a little hard at first to tell the members of the clan apart: they're all young men with swords who look a mix of angry/sad/lazy/tragic/pretty and they all seem to have multiple nicknames and titles thrown around. They're also all weirdly philosophical. It's really bizarre. I'm doing my undergrad in joint honour philosophy so I love a decent philosophical discussion, don't get me wrong, it was just really odd, whilst Mariko genuinely thinks these men might kill her and has just seen a man die horribly in front of her, for her to be having discussions like:

"We are what we do." Though Okami's words sounded fierce, weariness tinged their edges.

"We are so much more than what we do!" Mariko drew closer, as if nearness could invoke a sense of truth. "We are our thoughts, our memories, our beliefs!"

And this was quite a reasonable discussion, there's lots more pseudo-discussion or "banterous quips" about honour, duty, truth, and freedom that got pretty grating as I was waiting for the action to get going again. Thankfully these bits were interspersed with Kenshin chapters where he hunted for his sister, to add a bit of excitement.

"If I am marching to my death then I will march to it as a girl. Without fear."

I did genuinely enjoy most of Flame In The Mist. I was going to give it four stars before I remembered how annoying all the short sentences were and that Ahdieh leaves a lots of threads hanging: Mariko's relationship with her father, with her brother; the Emperor and his relationship with his wife and consort and his two sons and all of their respective plots; the Black Clan and what their goals are. There's a lot of ideas and threads in this book and not all of them are given due exploration and there's a lot dropped in right at the end to set up the next sequel, which I will almost definitely read.

I recommend this book for those that like Mulan (though this is a very rough retelling), 47 Ronin, Japanese-inspired settings, and badass female characters. It's a good, solid book, but unfortunately not a jaw-dropping one.

“Tell me — right now — what do you want, Asano Tsuneoki?”

Oh, Renee Ahdieh. How you do manage to move my frozen heart.

After having fallen so wholeheartedly for her previous series, The Wrath & the Dawn, I could not have been more thrilled to hear about her new series. And what a series it’s going to be.

I’ll be honest — Flame in the Mist is a a much slower, quieter read than its predecessor. Which is unexpected, since I was expecting all kinds of action in a book set in feudal Japan and all its bloodiness, with katana-wielding sort-of samurai taking the stage.

And it’s not just less action, either; the romance takes somewhat of a backseat here. It’s more subtle, less intense, and frankly, it’s simply less of a big deal. I don’t think Ahdieh is capable of writing a romance that I won’t immediately fall in love with, but if you’re looking for the kind of lusty, all-encompassing thing in The Wrath & the Dawn, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

I won’t lie, I did miss the whole heart-melting, soul-shattering thing that Ahdieh does so well, but I appreciated how the characters didn’t let themselves get consumed in the fiery passions of love, et cetera, because — and this might be nitpicking again — but showy, dramatic romances are just not very Japanese. And I do love a good slow-burn love story, which is what this one is making out to be.

Aside from that, however, there are a lot of things that are pretty confusing, and that I’m hoping will be cleared up eventually. The whole forest yokai thing, for one, totally lost me.

It’s pretty clear that this book is more of a prologue than a first installation, with a lot of buildup and no real climax. And yet there is still an undeniable magic in the book; in the sheer promise of it. The premise is enchanting, the characters engaging, and all in all, I have extremely high hopes for the rest of the series.

I received this copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 Words: Family, obligation, magic, entitlement, freedom.

This came in my May FairyLoot box, but it was only because I'd guessed the book that I hadn't already pre-ordered it anyway. Phew.

I was supposed to be reading it with my buddy, but she started and just didn't stop. I barely managed to hold myself off reading it all in one go - having to go to work definitely helped because this book was hard to put down. I found myself addicted to the writing.

I liked how Mariko developed and changed, but god was she whiny. I understand that she was brought up in such a way that she would naturally be entitled and snobbish and think herself better, but I would have preferred her more humble. I did like her feminist streak and her inspiring strength and self-belief, how she pushed herself. I loved her intelligence and how she never hid it.

I won't say that this book is without problems, but I would say that calling it a Mulan retelling isn't fair on the story or the cultures it lends from. I found it easy to suspend disbelief in the fantasy setting, and I liked that the world wasn't explained; as a reader you discovered the world as the characters explored it. But I have read better books from a similar setting.

There is a romance and a "twist" that I found disappointingly predictable (Oh hey there, Broody McHottiepants! Nice to see you here.) but they fit with the story and the trope. As I expected them, they didn't add much to the story for me.

This was enjoyable and I will definitely read on and read more by the author. I loved the writing style enough to forgive anything I didn't like so much in the story itself - I liked it and it was good, but it wasn't exceptional.

One of my most anticipated books for 2017, Flame in the Mist did not let me down!

Mariko is the daughter of a famous samurai and is about to be married to a prince. On the way, her convoy is viciously attacked by bandit group the Black Clan. As the only survivor, she escapes into the night but desires answers and revenge. Disguised as a boy, Mariko infiltrates their ranks.

Flame in the Mist was marketed as a Japanese retelling of Mulan. The similarities are there if you squint, but I found the Mulan comparison a bit of a stretch so I hope no one gets disappointed at the differences.

Renée had previously released the The Wrath & The Dawn series, but I must confess that Flame in the Mist is my first book of her’s that I’ve read. Her duology has definitely moved closer to the top of my to-read list!

The writing style is so lovely with a fantastic attention to detail, but not at all excessively descriptive. AND it’s written in third person, which is my personal preference and also a bit of rarity in the YA genre.

It was an easy, riveting read. I got through it in one sitting during an afternoon!

Engaging and so elegantly written. I enjoyed the characters and the world and the struggles within. Not quite a Mulan retelling as promised but definitely inspired one way or another.

I have finally read a Renee Ahdieh book (I know!!). I was not prepared for how much I would love this story or Ahdieh’s writing. I really wish I had picked up Ahdieh’s other series, The Wrath & The Dawn, much earlier than I did (as I’ve now since read it). Ahdieh has definitely cemented herself as one of my auto-buy authors. There’s something about the way that she writes that sucks me in.

Set in Feudal Japan, Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan. After surviving the attack, Mariko disguises herself as a boy to infiltrate the Black Clan and seek her revenge. I imagine this is the point where everyone started screaming “Mulan retelling” and that is as far as the retelling goes in my opinion. This book is not Mulan. There’s no war (at least not in this book). I’d say that this was a book that was inspired by Mulan rather than a retelling of it.

For the large part, the secondary characters were far more interesting than Mariko herself. There was a lot more mystery and intrigue, more layers that I wanted to see get peeled back. My absolte favourites were Okami and Ranmaru. I honestly don’t care much for anyone else. Half the time I couldn’t even remember most peoples names because they had about 50 nicknames each and I got completely lost in it.

I still have huge questions marks dangling over the romance in this story. Ahdieh seems to have a preoccupation with writing the enemy turned lover plot line as evidenced in this novel and The Wrath and the Dawn. My issue is that for a large part it wasn’t particularly believable. Her love interest discovers that Mariko is actually a girl and 5 seconds later they’re kissing, and he has to distance himself because he can’t stop himself thinking about her? It felt rushed. It felt abrupt. What ever happened to a good old slow burn?

This was not a perfect read but I loved it nonetheless. I look forward to book two.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, so I was incredibly excited when I got approved for an ARC on netgalley. Last summer I was enchanted by 'The Wrath and the Dawn' and 'The Rose and the Dagger', and I was eager to see what Renée Adhieh do next. I wasn't disappointed. It's important to say that this is not a direct Mulan retelling, although there are definitely some similarities.  Flame in the Mist is its own story, but equally as impressive.

Our main character is Mariko, a girl who is engaged to marry one of the Emperor's sons, an arrangement orchestrated by her father in a bid to further his influence. Mariko is curious and clever, and is not happy that she is being traded in a bid for power without a say in the matter. When she escapes an ambush and attempt on her life, she seizes the opportunity and decides to find out who wants her dead and why. Mariko is an interesting character, she has lived a sheltered life, and while she may be book smart, she knows very little about the outside world. Although she does know that her quest for answers will go more smoothly for her disguised as a boy. What I found interesting about her character what how analytical she was, she took time to consider and weigh up her options, which often led to her reactions being delayed. It's an unusual and refreshing touch, which makes sense when you consider that prior to the events of the book, she has never needed to make snap decisions or fend for herself. 

We also get the point of view of her twin brother, and renowned samurai, Kenshin, who is trying to track down Mariko and bring her home. This is an interesting perspective, because while Mariko and Kenshin are close, their goals conflict. I really liked that we got to see that side of the story, and get a better sense of what was going on outside of the Black Clan. 

The romance, I really liked the romance in this book. It's one of those slow, hate and sarcasm, to ooops I think I want to kiss that idiot, romances that make me grin like an idiot. There were so many scenes where I was just grinning at the two of them, I've got to give it to Renee Ahdieh, she knows how to write a good romance. The back and forth and the tension really helped to keep me engaged with the book. 

This book is the first in a duology, and as such is only half of the story. You don't get all the answers in this book, in fact the ending was kind of a cliff-hanger. I'm not complaining, I am very much looking forward to the second book, but I kind of wish that I had a slightly better grasp on what is going on in the background. For example there is some kind of magic in play, but currently I know hardly anything about it. I am intrigued, and am really looking forward to finding out more. 

All in all, this was a highly enjoyable first book, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel. It had action, intrigue, secrets, mystery and a good romance. There is a lot to enjoy in this book. Is it perfect, not quite, but I still had a good time reading it, and I will be rereading it before the sequel comes out.

I've been waiting for this book for a long time, and I'm so glad to say that it didn't disappoint!
Flame in the Mist manages to be slow paced but action packed, with a slow burn romance and deep characters that I was invested in. I'd highly recommend this book!

If you wasn't already aware, this book is a Mulan retelling and a very good one at that. Mulan for me growing up was always that Disney Princess that defied expectations and showed young girls and women that they could pursue and achieve anything if they put their minds to it. In today's society, women are constantly subjugated because of their gender and there are always expectations where we should only be pretty and care for a family. Which of course it utterly wrong. Much like Mulan, 'Flame in the Mist' has many lessons for young women and girls and shows them how they should stand up for themselves and not be treated like you are unworthy purely because you are not a man. It shows us how we shouldn't conform to stereotypes given to us over the years and that they certainly do not determine who you are or what you can achieve in life. I am very thankful for this book and the hype that is surrounding it, as I believe that girls should be reminded of this and be told they can achieve and do anything. Thank you Renée for writing this book and being utterly fantastic!

In addition to the enlightening and inspiring messages this book conveys it is also highly entertaining and a fantastic read! I will admit that it took me a little while to get into it properly, but one I did, I was a machine - I just couldn't stop reading. Every chapter left you longing for more - more information and answers; more of the beloved characters who are slowly revealing themselves to you as you turn each page; more the mysteries surrounding the book, edging you to turn one more page. Never once was there a point where I couldn't be bothered to read anymore - the writing and the storytelling were extremely gripping. 
This is the first book I have read of Renée's but I have heard that her other duology which she is most known for - 'The Wrath and the Dawn' - is supposed to be equally as brilliant, so I will definitely be delving into that some time soon. Very exciting! 
In terms of characters, they are utterly charming - well most of them anyway. The protagonist Mariko wasn't someone that I thought I would like as much as I do as I initially thought she was very stubborn and slightly irritating, but as I carried on reading she ultimately grew on me and now I adore her!
On her way to new life that is arranged by her father (classic dad move), her convoy is ambushed by the notorious Black Clan and she is left for dead. However, she makes it out alive and makes it her mission to find out why the Black Clan tried to kill her, whilst also enjoying a sense of freedom. She cuts her hair and pretends to be a boy in order to infiltrate the enemy's group and learn their secrets in order to get the answers she most desperately desires. Coming from a pretty well-off family, gathering firewood, slugging through dirt and not bathing for days isn't something that Mariko is used to, so it is quite admirable to watch her battle through the mud and the pain in order to achieve her goals, despite all her life being told she is incapable of doing anything other than being a pretty, mannerly girl. Whilst we are on the topic of defying expectations, I would like to point out how unlike the majority of female protagonists who fall head over heels for any man that looks her way, Mariko did not. It was utterly refreshing to see her not instantly fall in love with a boy in their first 20 seconds of meeting each other, even if he is the enemy. This happens so often in YA books and it's so unrealistic and irritating, so thank goodness Mariko has come along and restored our faith in female protagonists who shows us they are so much more than a girl who needs a man to make her story interesting and exciting. 
In terms of the other characters in the book, they are also equally as interesting. You have the members of the Black Clan: Ranmaru -the leader of the clan, who despite many rumors and story's isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be; Yoshi - a cook with a wooden leg who makes the tastiest boiled eggs around (so I've heard) and is also the most precious and lovely character; Ren - a boy who has seen some terrible things in his life, and despite his tough demeanor, cares for his clan with the utmost loyalty; and finally Ókami - or otherwise known as Wolf. A lazy, heard-hearted warrior who favours loyalty over anything else and carries the most mystery above anyone else. 
In addition the perspective of Mariko, we also get snippets of other characters also, one of them being Mariko's twin brother Kenshin who is the most notorious samurai around and loves a girl he can not have. O can't quite put my finger on whether or not I am a fan of him yet as although he loves his sister above anything else, he is also a major tool and needs to stop living in his fathers shadow - I do believe has great potential to become a very intriguing character, and hopefully one that will make better choices in the forthcoming book. 
As you can probably tell, I immensely enjoyed this book and am already desperate the next one as it ended on a very surprising and very interesting cliffhanger. I honestly don't know how I am going to cope with waiting until next year for the next book, but I can be certain it is definitely going to be worth the wait. 
I would very much recommend to anyone that wants to feel empowered and loves a book with great characters, nice writing and a very gripping story line. 
Favourite Quote: 'I believe that stars align so that souls can find one another. Whether they are meant to be souls in love or souls in life remains to be seen'

The moment I found out Renée Ahdieh was going to write MORE, I freaked out. Renée is easily my favourite author EVER! When I found out it was going to be a mashup of MULAN and 47 Ronin, I flipped my shit. They are the best movies ever, making me want to go Japan even more. When I found out the rights had been sold to publish Renée's books in the UK, that too, Hodder - I cried, because a) Hodder are amazing and b) bout time us UK folks got dem books!

Flame In The Mist follows young Hattori Mariko as she sets off to Inako - Heign Castle, to get married to the Emperor's favourite consorts son. But things don't go as planned as her 'people' get attacked supposedly by the Black Clan. Mariko sets off on a journey of self discover and to find the truth - why the Black Clan wanted her dead. The entire story, plot was so well paced and luring. I was intrigued and captivated by the Black Clan because just as Mariko was about to find out - nothing is what it seems.

The characters were so amazing and different. I instantly liked and connected to Mariko, headstrong and never one to bow down in the face of fear. She was on a journey to find herself, not as the daughter of the Hattori clan, not even as the betrothed of royalty, but as a person and a strong female. The Black Clan are lethal, an enigma and the unraveling of the truth behind them was stunning. As Mariko builds their trust, she finds something beneath them all, could she possibly see them as her enemies?

Renée has simply blown me away. I really liked that I could recognize a few rituals and traditions and it was so nice to see such intricate and beautiful names. Japan is stunning and one day I hope to travel there. The plot twist at the end was amazing, though I saw it coming - the build up was hella awesome, it was shocking and I need more.

Flame In The Mist will capture your heart and soul, make you fall in love with all that Japan has to offer, make you wish you were right in the heart of it all. But above all, make you crave the next chapter in this captivating and imaginative novel.

I wanted to love this book as much as I loved 'Wrath and the Dawn" but it fell a little flat.

I didn't feel connected to the characters or to the plot, I found that I just didn't care what happened and slowly went through the book just in the wish to finish. The hero was rather great and I can definitely see him appealing to the YA market, it's a great idea but it was lacking in places and felt a little under developed. Frustratingly I was disappointed, however, I will continue to read more from this author.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.


I read The Wrath and the Dawn for the first time in anticipation of Flame in the Mist‘s release, but I really wish I hadn’t — I couldn’t help but compare the two. I did enjoy this book — it has a well-constructed world filled with interesting men and women and a hint of magic. But where The Wrath and the Dawn drew me in instantly, Flame in the Mist was a little more slow to start.

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.*

This book is loosely based on the Mulan story, which you can clearly see outlined in the copy above. Mariko is destined to be a royal bride, but wants to prove her worth beyond the marriage market. When her convoy is attacked, she quickly dons the guise of a boy and tracks the Black Clan, who were contracted to have her killed, in order to find some answers. For me, her motivations just weren’t as clear-cut as, say, Shahrzad’s in Wrath or even Mulan’s in her own story. She infiltrates the clan in order to get answers, but also to enjoy the freedom that life as a boy. She certainly has a great deal of bravery to do so, but I question her motivation and approach. She just seems to bumble around and quite frankly makes incredibly poor choices for the first 40% or so of the book. We are constantly told how smart she is, but honestly I just didn’t see it until much, much later on in the book. She seems to have survived simply by luck rather than wit.

The themes of feminism and a woman’s worth pervade the book. Mariko wants to be treated as an equal to her brother and does not wish to live the life of a submissive royal wife. I expected her to become a much stronger force within the Black Clan or to even do more with her newfound freedom, but she falls flat in this respect. She’s always insisting that she wants to be treated better by her family and be more than a bargaining chip for power and position. Now, I am a pretty hardcore feminist and love books, particularly young adult fiction, that feature strong women and feminist themes, but I felt like the feminist theme was just being beaten over the head in this book — the phrase ‘prove her worth beyond the marriage market’ was repeated so often that it became a little obnoxious. We get it! Now go do something about it! I just didn’t believe her to be a great feminist hero, which I believe she was being set up to be, and I don’t feel the feminist themes were written as well as The Wrath and the Dawn.

I know that I’m criticizing a great deal here — I don’t want it to sound like I didn’t like this book. The world-building is wonderful — I think this is an area that Ahdeih excels as a writer. The feudal Japan-inspired world is a taste of something a little different for fantasy readers. I really loved the society she sets up and the levels of hierarchy. The minor side stories regarding the Emperor are likely going to be expanded in the next book, and I’m really looking forward to learning more. I also want to learn more about the magic that pervades the book — it’s a bit of a mystery at this point.

Overall, Flame in the Mist is a good read, but lacking when compared to her other books. Mariko is simply not as strong or compelling a character as Shahrzad, which I found disappointing. Regardless, I am looking forward to her expanding on this series and eagerly await the next installment of the story.



Rating: 3/5


*copy courtesy of Goodreads

Originally posted on The Copper Boom -
If it wasn’t for us gangly humanoids our little island would be covered, coast to coast, in a thriving, breathing forest.

The British Isles is the perfect growing conditions for conifers and broadleaves. With the exception of most of Scotland. Sorry, Scots.



We’ve done a lot to protect our woodlands, and the same can be said for many countries throughout the world. Japan, for instance, has an intense afforestation programme in place after almost logging themselves to death after the second world war.

What’s this got to do with books? Just get on with it, Sarah. I know! I can hear you. I’m just setting the scene. Trees are, after all, an integral part of human existence.

There is nothing I love more than cracking open a book and promptly getting lost in the woods.

And that can be read in different ways. I like getting so engrossed in a story that I’ve escaped reality for a few beautiful moments, glued to pages made from trees (ok, and sometimes digitally, but that doesn’t work as well for my analogy, does it?). And I also like those stories to cleverly lead me into the woods with a character and leave us there for a while.

There is something so metaphorically compelling about the presence of a large body of trees.



I’ll mention this now because it’s going to crop up often: I have an extreme fascination and interest in Asian history and culture, and I’m not making a generalisation by saying “Asian”. Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Malay… I love diving into literature and film set in or around any of these places.

This is how I knew ‘Flame in the Mist’ was going to be a great match for me. I will say this for anyone reluctant to pick up anything historical: ‘Flame in the Mist’ reads more like ‘Poison Study’ than something intensively historical. It’s fantastical in every sense of the word.

And there’s trees.

Can you gender an experience in the forest? I think so. I often feel like for boys and men it’s a feat of strength. Having to tap into something incredibly instinctual, primal and natural to overcome… nature! For instance, you see ‘Macbeth’, or better yet, ‘Throne of Blood’ and the forest becomes a serious obstacle and object of fear.



(Look, it was made in 1957. Just roll with it. I PROMISE it’s really good!)

Whereas for girls and women it’s often more of a test of limits and communion.

This is what I found so compelling about Mariko in ‘Flame in the Mist’. She disguised herself as a lad to survive, so her experience becomes a feat of strength, a test of spirit, an experience of gender and how you can be treated differently… But to find it ultimately doesn’t, and shouldn’t, matter to people on your wavelength.

It’s why I fell in love with Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’.



If you are a hardcore fan of Lian Hern (see: me), especially Tales of the Otori, then this series is going to rock your world, my friends. If you like a fun fantasy romp with a clever, almost political plot seamlessly woven into an action packed and swoon worthy story? Then yep, this is for you. If you like pointy objects, pick up this book. If you like ‘Mulan’ you’ll probably like this too. If you felt something (fear, affection, or anything in between) for the Kodama in Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Princess Mononoke’…



…then yep. Boost ‘Flame in the Mist’ by Renée Ahdieh up your TBR. And then come talk to me about it!

Mariko has been raised for one important purpose – to marry. She is the only daughter of a prominent samurai and she is being used by her father to gain political advantage. Her fate was sealed as soon as she was born. It didn’t matter how intelligent or cunning she was. However, on a journey to the Imperial Palace to meet the man she is betrothed to, but on her way, her convoy is attacked by the Black Clan who were hired to kill her. Mariko was the only survivor, so when she’s alone and lost in the woods she decides to get her revenge and sets out to disguise herself as a peasant boy to infiltrate the Black Clan. However, she finds that the Black Clan are more than what meets the eye, and for the first time, Mariko and her intellect are actually admired.

Personally, I did really enjoy Flame in the Mist. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the romance, which came as no surprise because I also really enjoyed The Wrath and the Dawn. However, I am aware that Flame in the Mist had poor Japanese rep concerning Japanese history and naming etc. You can read this review here. I’ve also seen this pitched as a Mulan retelling, which is completely inaccurate. I’d say it is more inspired by Mulan than anything else, but Mulan is Chinese and Flame in the Mist is Japanese and the two aren’t interchangeable, and the motivations for both characters are completely different.

I really enjoyed Mariko. I enjoyed how cunning and manipulative she was, I enjoyed her wit and intellect. I loved how stubborn and fierce she was. She had some really excellent character growth throughout the novel in terms of finding out who she is and where she feels she belongs. Okami was also another favourite and I did really enjoy their hate-to-love romance. However, I felt like there was a lot of opportunities to talk about Okami and exploring bisexuality. I felt like he was obviously attracted to Mariko when she was disguised as a boy, and there was definitely an opportunity missed here which does appear a bit heteronormative. The same can be said in terms of the lack of trans rep or gender discourse. In a book set around disguising herself as a boy, it was, again, another missed opportunity. I also loved Kenshin and his devotion and loyalty to his sister. It was really admirable to read and I would have loved to have seen the two interact more than we saw.

I loved the theme of revenge, which was sort of similar in The Wrath and the Dawn, which is always a theme I enjoy. I enjoyed the worldbuilding, but I am aware it was inaccurate. However, I feel like the magic system was not explained at all and was very poorly developed. Hopefully, something that is going to be explored a bit more in the sequel?

I did enjoy the feminist themes in Flame in the Mist. How Mariko learnt that she isn’t just a possession to be sold for power and influence. However, I still wouldn’t call this a feminist novel because the lack of female characters is astounding. The writing itself though was exquisite. It’s descriptive and lush, which again came as no surprise because I loved the writing in TWATD.

Overall, Flame in the Mist is a fun and lush read which I would recommend for fantasy fans, but there are issues to be aware of.

As far as I am aware this is my first time reading a book set in feudal Japan, but I already know it won't be my last. The setting was so rich and lush and Ahdieh sensationally evoked the historical setting into a bold and vivid reality for the reader to experience. Part of my sadness at finishing this book came from realising my immersion into the world was purely imaginary.

The characters, as well, had an authenticity to them that transgressed the years between them and the reader and invoked in me a sense of them as both individuals both relative to today and credible for their time.

This immersive quality of writing sucked me right into this world and I was pleased to see that the plot lived up to the excellence of its backdrop. Bandits and samurais, rebels and emperors, peasants and alchemists all competed in this complex story-line. The lines between them become blurred and the distinction between the good guys and the bad soon becomes lost.

I was team Mariko from the moment I was introduced to her. Her character evidently transformed as she grew from all she encountered and, as she did, I fell more in love with her. Her strong feminist attitude made her an excellent role model and an easy protagonist to back.

My only source of discontent came from the romance that blossomed, over the course of the novel. It (thankfully!) didn't fall into the insta-love trope but I found it predictable and I would have greatly preferred the novel without its inclusion. For me, it added little to the overall plot and Mariko was a great character without a male-counterpart.

Yay!!! At long last we finally have a YA fantasy with a female main character we can relate to. Mariko may not have special snowflake super powers, be particularly blood thirsty or have incredible fighting skills which allow her to defeat all of her enemies and save the world in the blink of an eye but this story is all the better for it. She’s scared a lot of the time, she’s physically weaker than the boys but she’s smart and inventive and learns to use those abilities to hold her own and find her place.

The story is absolutely packed full of action. It begins with a young boy watching the execution of his father (which was brutal but gripping) and from there on in it doesn’t let up. I’ve seen a lot of reviews describing it as a Mulan retelling but while Mariko disguises herself as a boy and has to learn to fight that’s pretty much where the similarities end. There’s no noble purpose of trying to save her father by going off to war in his place but a slightly more selfish desire to find out who was behind an attack on her and also to find some freedom from the role she’s being pushed into.

There are a few twists and turns in the story and it definitely makes for some addictive reading. I have to confess there weren’t many twists that surprised me, I had an inkling around most of them, but it was still enjoyable following Mariko on her journey of discovery.

There is a bit of romance in this but it’s not too heavy and I really liked it as it has that hate to love thing going on. There’s a definite spark between Mariko and a certain bandit and one of the highlights of this book for me was the banter and teasing between them.

The other characters and the world the author creates were also fantastic. Ahdieh has a real talent for describing both people and places so that you can perfectly imagine them and they feel completely real.

With all these pluses this book could have been a five star read but it’s not quite perfect. It’s a little lacking in originality, Mariko does some downright silly things despite supposedly being clever and great at reading people and it felt like the magical elements were a bit light. I would have really liked to have a bit more explanation of the magic system in particular, although maybe the author’s leaving that till the next book in the series.

Overall it’s a great story and definitely one I’d recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC

I almost DNFed this book a few times, but still didn't think it was 1-star bad. It was more than once I put it down I had little motivation to pick it up again. Maybe I just don't connect to Ahdieh's stories. Her writing is beautiful, but I didn't love The Wrath and the Dawn the way other reviewer seemed to either. And I still haven't picked up The Rose and the Dagger.

Mariko - Mariko is the stereotypical Strong Female Character who is 'not like other girls' (she even says it at one point). Except she's not even all that Strong. I did have moments where I found Mariko interesting and compelling (surviving the massacre and attacker, designing weapons, her conversation with Yumi) but overall I found her too bland to really root for. I did like her relationship/ romance with Okami, and was really glad that for once there was no love triangle in this YA.

Feminism - Flame in the Mist was touted as being really feminist and to be honest, I failed to see it. Aside from Mariko, there's one secondary female character and a couple of minor ones. I actually found Amaya and Kanako far more compelling women, but one dies to provide a man's motivation for vengeance and one has about a paragraph of screentime. The female characters were far fewer, and far less developed, than the men.

Pacing - I really thought this book dragged. For me, the really interesting developments to Mariko's character and plot-line didn't kick in until about the 70-75% point. At that point I really did enjoy it but I think that the first half of the book could be massively cut without hurting the story. Maybe having one longer book instead of a duology? It also felt plotwise that the whole book was just a set-up for the sequel.

I have been sitting on this review for a while now, and I’ll be completely honest with you: now that think of it, this book didn’t impress me that much. To certain extent, it may have been my fault… I started reading FITM when the only thing I could think about was ACOWAR. At some point, I only wanted to be done with it so I could move on to better things. Guys, be done and move on? That should not be happening when you are reading a book, much less when the story is supposedly captivating.

Then, when I was finally done, I didn’t even spend a minute of my time writing a review. Like, I didn’t even give it a second thought. After all, I was so happy to be finally done. Instead, I started ACOWAR. Rookie mistake, I thought. But here I am now, a few weeks after reading Flame in the Mist and trying to put my thoughts together and you know what? Nothing. I know myself by now (sometimes, okay) and I might have gotten a bit carried away by the hype back when I started the book. Not that I disliked it or hated it. Not at all, on the contrary, Ahdieh is a word wizard. Her words are like magic. But that doesn’t change that as Flame in the Mist unraveled, it didn’t excite me. It didn’t pull me in as I wanted it to. Or maybe my timing was just not the best. Either way, I appreciate and applaud the writing style, world building and basically Ahdieh’s magic with words, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.

As a teen I probably would have loved this. A young woman disguising herself as a man in order to track down the people who tried to kill her, not just to get out of the marriage she has no interest in, but also to defend her honour. Set in feudal Japan. With magic. Honestly, I probably would have lapped it up.

Then again, perhaps not, because while I found it enjoyable, I also found it frustrating. There are some beautiful lyrical passages, but on the whole it didn’t transport me as much as I’d hoped, mostly because the most beautiful passages had little or nothing to do with what was actually going on. I didn’t really get a feel for the forest – beyond some scary trees – and I really, really wanted more of the magic. Those spirits could have been everything, but instead they’re fleeting glimpses of unexplained intrigue.

Speaking of intrigue, there’s quite a bit of politics sprinkled here and there, which normally I can’t get enough of. This time around I was left uninterested because that side of the story involved Mariko’s twin, Kenshin, who had so little personality that I really wasn’t sure why I should have cared what went on with him.

Mariko definitely had a personality. She’s opinionated and curious, has a quick mind and some great ideas, but is also stubborn and prone to foolish moments. I’m still not entirely sold on her whole “I shall run into the woods after a band of murderers completely on my own, destroy them all and return home bathed in glory and victory!” idea, because it sounds like the biggest load of nonsense. But it does fit with her character, so okay. Her character development does stall a few times in the book, and everything with the raid just made me question her intelligence. Overall, she comes across as way too much of a special snowflake and the latitude she’s granted over her mistakes irritated me. I need consequences!

There is also a romance, which was okay, if a little predictable. My enjoyment of it was mostly because it gave us more Okami, who is a fascinating character, all broody and secretive, yet quietly amused by Mariko, and also perfectly capable of killing her. Which at times I wish he had, because she can be incredibly annoying. I would have liked more about his confusion over his feelings, and just more about him and Ranmaru and the Black Clan in general. And so much more about what’s going on inside him. I could have done without certain aspects of the end, though, because that felt incredibly unnecessary.

I can’t say much about the setting, because my knowledge of Japan isn’t great, but as an outsider looking in I don’t feel like I learnt anything about this place, time or culture. Lots of window dressing and cultural props without any real substance. A bit like the plot. The Black Clan lacked detail and direction, Mariko and Kenshin are terrible at investigating, the Imperial Palace is a cliché of intrigue and backstabbing, and the magic comes and goes as is convenient without any explanation whatsoever.

So overall this was okay. It’s readable and enjoyable up to a point, with characters prone to drama, a romance that goes exactly where you think it will, and a plot that is just about starting by the end of the book. Fun to while away some reading hours with, but not something that’ll stick with me for long.