I enjoyed Risuko very much. The prose is very vivid, the culture and Japanese language blended in as smoothly as supernatural elements in a well-written fantasy. Risuko is caught between trying to function in a war torn world, and daring to dream about making a difference. — Michele Lee, MonsterLibrarian.com

MonsterLibrarian Review: Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale by David Kudler

Kano Murasaki, better known as Risuko (Squirrel) loves only one thing more than climbing—her family. But her mother has just sold her to Lady Chiyomi, a mysterious woman who runs a compound that trains women to be soldiers in Japan’s hundred year long civil war. It takes Risuko a while to figure this out, but readers will know it right away. Chiyomi’s women are spies, body guards, assassins. They are intelligent, strong, capable, and clever. Risuko fits in well, except it’s not the traditional role little Japanese girls grow up imagining themselves in.

But Risuko isn’t a traditional girl either. Her father was a famous samurai. He fought in the war until he was also forced to choose between honor and family. Chiyomi choose Risuko, not for her climbing skills, but for another, more personal reason. Continue reading Risuko MonsterLibrarian Review: “A fascinating tale” →