Oh boy, it's the first review!! I actually waited to post my first review until I read the second book in this series, which I was VERY IMPATIENTLY anticipating til it came out yesterday. I already finished it, so I think you can assume it was fucking great.
Without further adieu, here it is...
Flame in the Mist Series by Renee Ahdieh
Book one - Flame in the Mist
Overall score (9 out of 10)
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General Plot (8 out of 10)
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Characters (9 out of 10)
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World-Building (10 out of 10)*
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Flame in the Mist is a story set in an alternate-world version of Edo period Japan. Filled with Samurai, Geiko, Ronan, and everything you expect from a well-researched and accurate representation of Japanese culture from this time frame. It depicts the consequences of one mans ruthless journey to become Emperor of Wa. He realizes he will never rise to the rank he covets with his two best friends by his side, a judicial man with strong ethics, and a samurai, the shogun. He convinces the ethical friend to execute the shogun, and after realizing the error of his ways, he commits suicide in shame. Both men leave behind young sons, whose lives are forever ruined by these events.
Years later, a family of "Aristocracy" send off their only daughter, Mariko, to marry the illegitimate son of the Emperor, the prince Raiden, in order to curry favor for their family. Mariko is one of the strongest female characters I've had the pleasure to read. She lives in a world where women are more objects for trade and a means to produce more male heirs, so her life is tightly controlled. All she wants is freedom, and the ability to choose the life SHE wants. She's clever, inquisitive, and quick witted. And she has few qualms about taking the opportunities to make her own choices when they are given to her. She starts out frustrated and feeling caged, but also naive and very unaware of how the world around her works. And by the end of the book, she's evolved, realizing how she's been complicit to the atrocities her family have committed. She isn't a typical "Mary Jane" character, where she becomes some ferocious badass who can slaughter skilled warriors with her mighty sword; she understands her strengths, her intellect, and plays to these strengths always.
The world setting of this book is described beautifully. I found myself constantly able to envision where they were, what they were seeing, what they smelled and heard. The beauty and the squalor, all at the same time. The way the author describes any interaction or event, whether it be tense, violent, loving, or amusing, you can feel the emotion. When I was reading a few of the more tense scenes, I found myself very on edge, worried about what would happen next. I was genuinely invested in the story.
Without dropping any spoilers, I will say that this book has one of the best romantic plot lines that I've read in recent history. Romance that comes from an initial strong dislike is something I love to read. It's beautiful, and I will ship them til the day I die.
The thing that kept me eager to read the sequel was that I had SO many unanswered questions at the end of this book. Many things are never explained, and some characters have virtually no back story explained. There's a small sense of magic present in this book, but it really isn't explained or detailed. I desperately wanted to read the sequel, just so I could figure out what the hell was going on with Okami. Yes, that was my most major concern. Because I love him.
All in all, if you like books dripping with Japanese culture, with a strong yet relatable heroine, and lots of mystery, I HIGHLY recommend this book!
BONUS Renee wrote two short stories that sit perfectly between the first and second books. They are available on Amazon, entitled "Okami" and "Yumi". They're both free, and only about 12 pages long. Just a nice little look at what these two were up to between these two books.
Book Two - Smoke in the Sun
Overall Score (8 out of 10)
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General Plot (7 out of 10)
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Characters (10 out of 10)
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World Building (10 out of 10)
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Considering how much I loved the first book, I was SO EXCITED to read this book. And up until the last 4-5 chapters, I was NOT DISAPPOINTED.
The thing I loved most about this book is that even though it's set in an entirely different atmosphere, with the characters in VERY different positions, it still maintains the same tone. It's still gripping, the characters even more complex. I like how almost every character evolved in this book. Characters painted to be villains in the first book seem to have another side now. You get a much better idea of how the family of the emperor functions. The evolution that Mariko went through in the previous book intensifies, as she takes matters into her own hands, to bring down the emperors family. And Yumi, a more or less background character in the first book, becomes quite possibly my favorite character. SHE IS FUCKING AWESOME YOU GUYS.
So now that I got all that out, the bad... The ending. I'm still really frustrated by how this book ended. It's EXTREMELY rushed. The series could have benefited from a third book, where the last 4-5 chapters were stretched out to include a VAST amount of information we desperately needed to piece things together. Things just seem to... magically work out, in a way that feels too convenient. Some characters are literally left in conflict, with no resolution. We get a sort of happy ending for Mariko and Okami, but there's no real explanation to what's happened. I have SO MANY FUCKING QUESTIONS after the end of the book. And I really wish the could get answered.
To be honest, I see this a lot in fantasy/sci-fi novels. Authors have a hard time ending the storyline in a way that wraps things up, but is also satisfactory. I really wished for something more complete from this talented author. At either rate, I still really recommend this book, solely for the first 80% of the story.