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Smoke in the Sun

ebook
3 of 3 copies available
3 of 3 copies available
The highly anticipated sequel to New York Times bestselling Flame in the Mist—an addictive, sumptuous finale that will leave readers breathless from the bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn.
After Okami is captured in the Jukai forest, Mariko has no choice—to rescue him, she must return to Inako and face the dangers that have been waiting for her in the Heian Castle. She tricks her brother, Kenshin, and betrothed, Raiden, into thinking she was being held by the Black Clan against her will, playing the part of the dutiful bride-to-be to infiltrate the emperor's ranks and uncover the truth behind the betrayal that almost left her dead.
With the wedding plans already underway, Mariko pretends to be consumed with her upcoming nuptials, all the while using her royal standing to peel back the layers of lies and deception surrounding the imperial court. But each secret she unfurls gives way to the next, ensnaring Mariko and Okami in a political scheme that threatens their honor, their love and the very safety of the empire.
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    • Kirkus

      June 1, 2018
      It's out of the outlaw forest and into the imperial court in this conclusion of a fantasy duology set in an alternate feudal Japan.Newly "rescued" from the Black Clan, Hattori Mariko returns to the path her noble family prescribes, affianced to the brother of the new Emperor of Wa. Mariko resolves to play the meek, dutiful maiden (even if that requires actually marrying brutal Raiden) in order to spy for the rebels and possibly rescue her beloved Okami. But with dark powers threatening everything Mariko cherishes, her cleverness may not be enough. With admirable brio, Ahdieh (Flame in the Mist, 2017, etc.) serves up intrigues and counterintrigues, battles and betrayals, harrowing scenes of graphic torture and interludes of heated romance, conveyed through no fewer than seven viewpoints. Nuanced female characters drive the action, including a gratifyingly matured Mariko: less preternaturally ingenious but more intelligent and aware; less insistent upon honor but unshakable in her integrity. Unfortunately, the choppy, overwrought prose again substitutes a deluge of Japanese vocabulary for thoughtful worldbuilding. The magical system, while clarified, still fails to fully explore its implications. Eventually the snarl of complicated schemes lurches to a rushed climax--entangling a (clichéd) lunatic villain, an (implausible) heel-face turn, and a (no, really!) weaponized zombie apocalypse--followed by a discordant epilogue littered with jaunty romantic banter and abandoned plotlines.Absolutely necessary to those who loved the first; otherwise mostly incoherent. (Fantasy. 12-18)

      COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      May 15, 2018
      Grades 9-12 Mariko is not the girl she was when she first left home to marry a stranger. After weeks of living, disguised as a boy, with a rogue samurai band, Mariko's wit, always sharp, has become finely honed. And she will need every measure of it: she's seemingly been rescued and is back where she started, preparing to marry the son of the emperor's favored consort. Meanwhile, Okami, traitor to the throne and the boy Mariko truly loves, has been captured and is awaiting execution. Mariko plays the part of simple maiden and dutiful wife-to-be while plotting Okami's rescue. But even if she can save him, she may not be able to free herself?court intrigue runs too deep. Worse, a dark magic seeps through the court, and it could change the course of history. If the first book in this duology (Flame in the Mist, 2017) was a slow burn, this conclusion is all action. A few ends remain loose, but the pace is nonstop, and Mariko is a heroine worth following to the thrilling conclusion. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Ahdieh's been hitting best-seller lists since she debuted, and this highly anticipated duology conclusion won't be any different.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

    • The Horn Book

      July 1, 2018
      In this conclusion to a duology that began with Flame in the Mist, readers return to the lush forests and palace intrigues of an alternate feudal Japan. Protagonist Mariko and her many supporting characters are more fully developed here, and the complex plot trajectory is ultimately satisfying. Despite overwrought prose, readers will get swept up in the high drama of this exciting romantic fantasy. Glos.

      (Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

    • Kirkus

      June 1, 2018
      It's out of the outlaw forest and into the imperial court in this conclusion of a fantasy duology set in an alternate feudal Japan.Newly "rescued" from the Black Clan, Hattori Mariko returns to the path her noble family prescribes, affianced to the brother of the new Emperor of Wa. Mariko resolves to play the meek, dutiful maiden (even if that requires actually marrying brutal Raiden) in order to spy for the rebels and possibly rescue her beloved Okami. But with dark powers threatening everything Mariko cherishes, her cleverness may not be enough. With admirable brio, Ahdieh (Flame in the Mist, 2017, etc.) serves up intrigues and counterintrigues, battles and betrayals, harrowing scenes of graphic torture and interludes of heated romance, conveyed through no fewer than seven viewpoints. Nuanced female characters drive the action, including a gratifyingly matured Mariko: less preternaturally ingenious but more intelligent and aware; less insistent upon honor but unshakable in her integrity. Unfortunately, the choppy, overwrought prose again substitutes a deluge of Japanese vocabulary for thoughtful worldbuilding. The magical system, while clarified, still fails to fully explore its implications. Eventually the snarl of complicated schemes lurches to a rushed climax--entangling a (clich�d) lunatic villain, an (implausible) heel-face turn, and a (no, really!) weaponized zombie apocalypse--followed by a discordant epilogue littered with jaunty romantic banter and abandoned plotlines.Absolutely necessary to those who loved the first; otherwise mostly incoherent. (Fantasy. 12-18)

      COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:6.1
  • Lexile® Measure:820
  • Interest Level:9-12(UG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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