Risuko by David Kudler | Book Review #139

I received Risuko by David Kudler from Stillpoint Digital Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“My 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 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?”

There are some spoilers under the Read More…

Risuko is a fast paced & interesting story. I was quickly pulled into the story. See, what I do when I try to get into reading ‘galleys, is I’ll read a few pages of the book. Just to get a feel, and then maybe read more at a later time. However, with Risuko, I was quickly pulled into the story! I started to read Risuko in bed at night when I know no one would bother me. I ended up reading 54% of the book in one sitting, and then read the last half when I woke up the next day!

The story is a Historical YA Fantasy. I didn’t mind that Risuko was set back in time, although I don’t know the accuracy of the history in this book, especially since Risuko is a Fantasy novel as well. Which brings me to say that I didn’t mind that Risuko being a Fantasy novel, because I tend to enjoy fantasy novels more so than just any regular ‘ol’ Historial novel. Also, because I haven’t already mentioned so: Risuko takes place in Asia! That in itself is really awesome. — A fact that I didn’t think I knew prior to reading the book.

I couldn’t really tell what was going to happen with the plot. All I ended up doing  was sitting back and letting the story happen without me making any predictions, and honestly, doing so probably made the book better for me. There’s only one point of view, which kept the story running smoothly. A.k.a., there wasn’t any jumping around from character to character, which was really nice. I appreciate that.

I really like Kano Murasaki’s character. I had no idea what was going to happen to her. And what has already happened is something to not be taken lightly. I could never see myself as Risuko, and that’s awesome in a way because I don’t want the pressure of being her lingering over my head, ahah. I’m also really glad that Risuko made friends with Toumi and Emi.

I really didn’t like Toumi. I always felt like she needed a personality check; with how the way she acted and such. Ugh, she was so mean!!! She turned out to be alright in the end of this first book though. So I don’t have much of a problem with her anymore.

I adore Emi!!! She’s a great friend to Risuko. Which is nice, because in this first book  Risuko really needed a friend.

I found it interesting that there was an almost unlikely villain in this story. If I were paying attention more, I would’ve found out who the villain was. ..If not for the fact that Risuko pulled me into the story of the book so quickly.

All of this been said, Risuko is a great set up novel for where the rest of the series might go. There’s some history of how things came to be, a bit of preliminary touches here and there throughout the book. I actually really want to get my hands on the second book! I’d love to experience more of this world.

And yes, if you didn’t catch me saying this already: Risuko is the first book in the Seasons of the Sword series. I don’t yet know when the second book, Bright Eyes (title may be due to change??) will come out (sometime in 2017!) but I do hope that the point of view stays in Risuko’s POV.

Thank you so much for reading my review!

Adele