I had already written a review for this book but my computer decided not to cooperate and I lost it...

So here we go again!

I really enjoyed this story. I think that Mariko is a great main character. She is so strong and so delicate at the same time; I liked the fact that she still has her feminine side while being a warrior. I agree this is something really typical in most YA books, but I never get tired of it. It is, I think, something important that girls need to be reminded of.

The setting was what appealed to me the most in this book. It takes place in feudal Japan and it is definitely something I’m not used to in YA books! It was amazing to see how Mariko could easily pass as a boy and that nobody noticed. It emphasizes the place of women in this society; they don’t realize she is a girl because a girl would not be capable of what she does. The fact that her brother don’t even recognize her (or thinks he does, but then he knows it can’t be her) is even more reveling.

The plot was interesting but was not what I preferred in the book. It felt a bit too long at certain moments then a bit rushed at the end. But in general, I enjoyed the story.

However, I have one major disappointment: the love interest. I would have preferred it not to happen like that, but then again, it is only my personal opinion.

Also, I thought it was a standalone while reading it and I was frustrated at the end, so I’m really glad there will be other books in the series because I definitely want more of this world.