Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale

To me, it was so hard to finish this book. It does have an interesting premise, but I could not find myself interested in anything that was happening, one of my biggest problems was that I hadn't realised that Risuko was a tween, I don't know if I missed that information at the beginning or it was never mentioned, but I was pretty sure the characters were in their mid-teens at least, but when was mention more than once about how the three main girls haven't started their period yet, it just kind of clicked.

And that's my other issue with this book, it's about a very young japanese girl on her road to becoming a kind of samurai and she's around a bunch of other women whose periods are mentioned more than once in the book, and all of this is written by a White Male Author. I'm old enough to voice when something doesn't sit completely well with me, I have no doubt the author did all his research, but it still gave off a feeling that wouldn't leave me.

Funny tho, this is the only book I've read this year, 2024, where periods are mentioned, so it goes to my special list of books, the other one on it also written by a male author. WTH.

Overall, it's an interesting concept, sadly it didn't spark a huge interest in me. Some parts of the story felt overdramatic, maybe because I had no connection with the story, I couldn't understand where all these feelings Risuko was feeling were coming from.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I received this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was very interesting.

I usually stay away from novels about Japan and specifically ones written by non-Japanese. As a Japanese major, I can see the irony in this but, at the same time, as a Japanese major it annoys me when authors use words of the native language here and there when everyone in the book is speaking the language.
And this is probably my biggest complaint. The main character, Risuko, refers to her mother as Oka-san (Okaa-san is the way I've been taught to write it). So, I don't know why he did this. Why not just say mother? For English speakers it is easily to differentiate levels of respect with Mother & Mom than throwing in a Japanese word. Also, this wasn't done often with father and never done with little sister so.... I don't get it.

I think for a final edition it would be helpful to explain the differences with -san, -sama, -senpai, -sensei, which the characters use but, the reasoning is not always explained.

My second complaint is how slow it was going... until I realized this was a series! Then, it made sense and I liked the pace.

Honestly, the flow was done really well and I flew through this book.

The characters were great and really pulled out. I really loved Risuko and Emi.
I really fell into this book and the characters.

I think in the next book, since this is taking place during the era Oda Nobunaga was shogun (OMG!! What an era!! If you don't know Japanese History, go look this guy up!!), I'm hoping for more history background and information.

So, all in all I really liked this book.
Totally going to recommend it to some of my friends.