Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)

by Renée Ahdieh

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan.

Mariko has always known that being a woman means she's not in control of her own fate. But Mariko is the daughter of a prominent samurai and a cunning alchemist in her own right, and she refuses to be ignored. When she is ambushed by a group of bandits known as the Black Clan enroute to a political marriage to Minamoto Raiden - the emperor's son - Mariko realises she has two choices: she can wait to be rescued... or she can take matters into her own hands, hunt down the clan and find the person who wants her dead.

Disguising herself as a peasant boy, Mariko infiltrates the Black Clan's hideout and befriends their leader, the rebel ronin Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, Okami. Ranmaru and Okami warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. But as Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets that will force her to question everything she's ever known.

Reviewed by nightingalereads on

3 of 5 stars

Share
3.75 stars

Flame in the Mist was a great read. Renée Ahdieh writes beautiful prose, and I was thoroughly engaged throughout the entire story. She's also particularly gifted at creating atmosphere in her novels. You just feel like you're there, experiencing everything alongside the main character. I really enjoyed the characters in Flame in the Mist - especially Ranmaru, who ended up getting less of a spotlight than I'd initially hoped for. Though focused on Mariko, there's multiple perspectives throughout the novel. Okami, or "The Wolf", was a great addition, but I did find his characterization to be slightly predictable at times. Mariko's brother, Kenshin, was also a reoccurring perspective. I was surprised to find him very interesting, and perhaps the most complexly drawn of the bunch. Honestly, Mariko herself (the heroine) was one of the characters I was least impressed with. Don't get me wrong; I didn't dislike her at all. But the way she was written came off a little bland, and her thinking often felt contrived.

To sum up, I didn't love this book the way that I did Ahdieh's The Wrath & the Dawn duology, but it was certainly enjoyable. I'll definitely be continuing on with this series/duology(?).

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • Finished reading
  • 9 August, 2016: Reviewed