Flame in the Mist

Starred review from March 13, 2017
Ahdieh delivers an elaborate fantasy set in feudal Japan, where a resilient young woman defies class conventions and gender roles in a quest for vengeance and autonomy. At 17, Mariko, the perceptive and intellectual daughter of a notable samurai, has been promised to the son of the emperor’s favorite consort. While en route to meet her betrothed, she narrowly survives an assassination attempt, which fuels her determination to unmask those responsible. Disguised as a boy, Mariko infiltrates the Black Clan, soon recognizing that its reclusive members are much more than thieves and murderers. Occasional chapters are told from the perspective of Mariko’s twin brother, Kenshin, a samurai known as the Dragon of Kai, adding complexity to Mariko’s actions and revelations. Ahdieh (The Wrath & the Dawn) is immensely skilled at crafting vibrant settings inhabited by sympathetic characters with rich pasts, and she also treats readers to a slow-burning romance that does not impede Mariko’s independence or goals, illustrating the power of a well-matched pairing. While the final pages provide some closure, readers will enthusiastically anticipate the next installment. Ages 12–up. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary.

April 15, 2017
In a historical fantasy inspired by feudal Japan, the daughter of aristocrats finds a place among sort-of-ninjas akin to Robin Hood's band.Hattori Mariko, barely 17, is resentful but resigned to an imperial marriage. When her caravan is waylaid, she seizes the chance to become something else. Disguised as a boy, she infiltrates the notorious Black Clan to investigate why they undertook her murder; but she is not prepared for the secrets she uncovers...especially about herself. Ahdieh's follow-up to her superlative two-part Arabian Nights retelling, The Wrath and the Dawn (2015) and The Rows and the Dagger (2016), is equally rich in legendary glamour and again features convoluted political intrigue and star-crossed romance between a clever heroine and brooding hero. Unfortunately, the author's extensive research results less in a sensuous, subtly constructed background than in obtrusive dumps of vocabulary and exposition. Truncated paragraphs and sentence fragments are overused to simulate dramatic tension. Mariko constantly complains of sexist oppression, but the story shows her held back mostly by her own vacillation. She is, however, amazingly ingenious, inventing an entire arsenal of ninja-style weaponry in a matter of weeks. The hints of magic are frustratingly arbitrary and vague, and the motives of the villain(s?) utterly opaque right up to the cliffhanger ending. This story (and sequels) will undoubtedly enthrall readers seeking a torrid, tortured romance in a trendy setting; still, a disappointment from an author capable of so much more. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 10 Up-Rich in magical realism and cultural nuance of feudal Japan, Ahdieh's series starter begins with a girl-power bang. Mariko is bound to the empire's center as part of an arranged marriage to a royal son: a union she dreads. Her caravan is set upon by raiders who slash and kill their way through the convoy. Only through cunning does Mariko emerge from the ashes relatively unscathed. No longer content to please her family by marrying a prince, Mariko now sets out with a vengeance upon the Black Clan, whom she holds responsible for her attempted assassination and the murder of her convoy. Her plan, not well thought out at first, involves infiltrating the ranks of the Black Clan, so she disguises herself as a boy and successfully meets up with the Black Clan. However, the leader of the clan, Takeda Ranmaru, suspects her-of something. The clan's best fighter, Okami, or "The Wolf," is more complex than Mariko originally thinks. And when she is forced to choose between her famed samurai brother, who is searching for her, and the clan, her decision becomes complicated by unexpected factors. Ahdieh's strength lies in her intricate characterizations and detailed descriptions, all of which are perfectly showcased in feudal Japan. Elements of magic run through this Mulan-inspired tale as young boys turn into beasts and back into boys again. VERDICT A wonderful choice for YA shelves, especially where lush fantasy is popular.-Amanda C. Buschmann, Carroll Elementary School, Houston

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 Hattori Mariko never thought of herself as water. The high-class daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always been more stubborn and groundedhallmarks of earththan she is fluid and changeable. But Mariko is promised to the emperor's son, and when she is attacked and left for dead on her journey to the Imperial City, changeable is exactly what she becomes. Disguised as a boy, Mariko seeks out her almost assassins, a rogue samurai band called the Black Clan. Though no warrior, Mariko has a sharp mind and a quick tongue, and she plots her revenge even as she starts to trust the men who are her family's enemies. Elsewhere, Mariko's twin brother refuses to believe she's dead, and deadly plots brew in the Imperial City. This glimpse into the rigid, violent, and often honorable world of feudal Japan is tempered by light fantasy elements and a heady dose of first love. Momentum slows in places, but a white-knuckled finale will leave readers eager to see where crafty, capable Mariko's choices lead her. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Ahdieh's first duology (begun with The Wrath and the Dawn, 2015) propelled her to the top of the charts, and this new series starter brings that same blend of history, magic, and sensuality that drew readers in the first place.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)