Risuko

De: David Kudler

Narrado por: Julia Kudler

Can one girl win a war?

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.

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?

©2016 David Kudler (P)2016 David Kudler

Reseñas de la Crítica

WINNER, BAIPA Great Reads Awards

"Risuko is an artfully crafted novel that evokes a heavy sense of place and enchantment.... Risuko's development and evolution are fascinating to watch in this powerful and relentless coming-of-age adventure."--Foreword Magazine (spotlight review)

"Tight, exciting, and thoughtful... The characters are nicely varied and all the pieces fit into place deftly" -- Kirkus Reviews

"It is easy to invest in the characters, and once the reader starts this book, it's almost impossible to put it down. Risuko goes through a lot of character growth throughout the book. An entertaining story with excellent writing and haunting descriptions, a relatable heroine, and fast-paced writing." -- InD'tale Magazine

"Vividly portrayed, flush with cultural detail, and smoothly written." -- BookLife

Thoughts...

I didn't feel like this book was properly edited. I knew going into it that the narration was a little bit rough, when I found out it was the author's relative, it made more sense. She isn't bad, please don't misunderstand, but it didn't feel professional. I had to rewind several times to understand what happened because her inflection was on the wrong word in a sentence, thus, implying s different meaning.

The story itself was good but needed a little editing.

Decent book, not great narration

At the beginning, the book didn’t feel like a Japanese story to me. This aspect does improve later and we learn more about what was happening around that time. The main characters are written well, and I may buy future books based on the strengths of the story and characters.

The narration needed some help. Mostly the delivery was fine, the characters differentiated. But the Korean who had a Scottish accent kept throwing me out of the story. There was also some editing issues toward the end; a couple repeated words, and linger pauses in the same scene than seemed appropriate.

On the strength of the story, I give it a four overall.

A good listen with a side of Japanese culture

Thank goodness this isn't just another young adult book. The characters are well developed. There are even characters who don't get along the whole book(crazy!). The book takes place in Japan and I enjoyed hearing about the country area where Risuko was raised. Every good Japanese history story has an army and this one doesn't disappoint. I think the story could have been a little more fast-paced but every author has the right to write the plot at their pace. I enjoyed the story and would love to see what happens to some of my favorite characters in the future.

Fun story

Interesting and kept my attention from beginning to end. Enjoyed the characters and plot. Felt well rounded and rich. Only complaint was the narration, didn't care for the accents or narration. But still recommend

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Not for me

I love tales of ancient Japan, and this one left me empty. I could not relate to any characters and there was little tension in the plot. Not for me.