Can One Girl Win a War?
Tight, exciting, and thoughtful… The characters are nicely varied and all the pieces fit into place deftly. — Kirkus ReviewsMy name is Kano Murasaki, but everyone calls me Risuko. Squirrel.I am from Serenity Province, though I was not born there.My nation has been at war for a hundred years, Serenity is under attack and the Kano family is in disgrace, but some people … under attack and the Kano family is in disgrace, but some people think that I can bring victory. That I can be a very special kind of woman.
All I want to do is climb.
My name is Kano Murasaki, but everyone calls me Squirrel.
Risuko.
—
Though Japan has been devastated by a century of civil war, Risuko just wants to climb trees. Growing up far from the battlefields and court intrigues, the fatherless girl finds herself pulled into a plot that may reunite Japan — or may destroy it. She is torn from her home and what is left of her family, but finds new friends at a school that may not be what it seems.
Magical but historical, Risuko follows her along the first dangerous steps to discovering who she truly is.
Seasons of the Sword
Kano Murasaki, called Risuko (Squirrel) is a young, fatherless girl, more comfortable climbing trees than down on the ground. Yet she finds herself enmeshed in a game where the board is the whole nation of Japan, where the pieces are armies, moved by scheming lords, and a single girl couldn’t possible have the power to change the outcome.
Or could she?
Historical adventure fiction appropriate for young adult and middle-grade readersmore
Great quick read that leaves you wanting to know more. I’ll definitely pick up book two.
It’s an awesome well written book . I highly recommend it !
Well written
I’d normally just update with a ‘reread review update’ instead of rewriting the review. But as the original ended up erased anyway, and while I reposted it, it was in my past style of short reviews, I’m just going to review this one again…
So, in my original review I posted an ‘overall thoughts’ part, and have to say, it still really fits how I felt about this one! “It starts out slow as it introduces characters, but things start to snow-ball once they get going, and it helps that you already know the characters before the action really kicks in!” I loved how just before they reach Mochizuki (the Full Moon) where the kunoichi live and train, we get to see Risuko start to realize that her life is no longer what she had thought, and seeing her learn what it means to be a kunoichi. We also get glimpses of the friendships and struggles she will soon face in her new life. Before this point, the story slowly meanders as the group travels, so this was that point both times I’ve read this now that makes this story impossible to put down! (Well… I did stop once to sleep this time, but this book can also be read in one sitting, I’m just slow, haha!)
I loved the culture and tone of this story, and really enjoyed reading it the second time and catching the little hints and hidden meanings that I had missed the first time! Such a fun read, this one does have some heavier themes, but takes a light approach and still fits well as a teen read as well as one suitable for adults who enjoy the genre as well! As a book about warriors and kunoichi, there is some violence and mentions of death, but the gore and details are mostly skipped over, other than what Risuko herself thinks as a child coming of age in such a lifestyle.
I rewrote part of this review, but below is some of my my original thoughts and my review on Risuko from my time reading it in 2016:
Favorite Character(s)?: Risuko, Lt. Masugu, and Mieko! My appreciation for Mieko really grew during this read-through! I also enjoy Aimaru’s friendship with the girls, especially with Risuko and Emi!
Original Review: “I seen a few others talking about this book, and fell in love with the cover as soon as I saw it! I knew I had to get my hands on a copy, and I was right! I’m so glad I found it soon enough to catch it on NetGalley, I loved this book, and am excited to see what happen in the next book! It’s beautifully written, and the Japanese culture shows clearly in the characters and setting. This is a fun read, and well worth the slow start. Even with it being slow, I found myself loving the characters, even the less than friendly ones, early on, and as the story unfolds, you are introduced to more sides, making the characters both real, and more human despite some of the masks they wear. Many have stories that intertwine to weave an intriguing and beautiful tapestry that this book only starts to unveil. I’m highly anticipating the next time I can join Risuko and her friends! I would love to see this made into a movie, but only by someone willing to put in the time and effort to make it the best it can be! This one deserves to be done right!”