Smoke in the Sun

By: Renée Ahdieh

Narrated by: Nancy Wu

In the sumptuous finale of the #1 New York Times bestselling Flame in the Mist series, Mariko returns to stifling court life in order to save the boy she wasn’t supposed to fall for.

“Mariko is a heroine worth following to the thrilling conclusion.”—Booklist

For weeks, seventeen-year-old Mariko pretended to be a boy to infiltrate the notorious Black Clan and bring her would-be murderer to justice. She didn’t expect to find a place for herself among the group of fighters—a life of usefulness—and she certainly didn’t expect to fall in love. Now she heads to the imperial castle to resume a life she never wanted to save the boy she loves.

Ōkami has been captured, and his execution is a certainty. Mariko will do what she must to ensure his survival—even marry the sovereign’s brother, saying goodbye to a life with Ōkami forever.

As Mariko settles into her days at court—making both friends and enemies—and attempting Ōkami’s rescue at night, the secrets of the royal court begin to unravel as competing agendas collide. One arrow sets into motion a series of deadly events even the most powerful magic cannot contain. Mariko and Ōkami risk everything to right past wrongs and restore the honor of a kingdom thrown into chaos by a sudden war, hoping against hope that when the dust settles, they will find a way to be together.

Critic reviews

“If the first book in this duology (Flame in the Mist, 2017) was a slow burn, this conclusion is all action . . . Mariko is a heroine worth following to the thrilling conclusion.”—Booklist

“With admirable brio, Ahdieh serves up intrigues and counterintrigues, battles and betrayals . . . interludes of heated romance…Nuanced female characters drive the action.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A well-written, lavish conclusion to the dreamlike world created in Flame in the Mist.”—School Library Journal

Well Written!

Was a very well written story. It did seem to drag on quite a bit for my when compared to the first in the duology. A very sweet ending to the ride to make it all better!

Loved it.

I picked up the first in the series because I loved the narrator (Nancy Wu), and ended up loving the writing and stories just as much.

Beautiful Story Impeccably Read

Excellent narrator, smoothly produced. The story is really beautiful. I enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to more from this author.

Loved It!

This book was just as great as the first. I loved it. I'm adding it to my favorites of 2018.

Disappointing

I pre-ordered this book a long time ago, and was thrilled when it was finally released. Unfortunately, it was a big let down.

Where do I start with the problems?
-Kanako is the main villain, but her role in the ordeal is never uncovered
-Roku, the secondary antagonist, is probably being mind controlled by Kanako, but this is never revealed and nobody cares
-The emperor, who was being controlled by Kanako when he killed Ranmaru's father, is never discussed
-Raiden gives Ranmaru his sword, title, and lands back with no negotiation, for no real reason. Yes, he gets humanized in this story. Just because he isn't a bad person, it doesn't mean he would just give the main characters everything they want. He never says that his father's persecution of Ranmaru's father was wrong. Why does he have to "make it right" then? It's also hugely anti-climactic.
-Yumi is now Tsuneoiki's sister, which confused the heck out of me at the beginning of the book. Wasn't she Ranmaru's sister? I know Ranmaru told Mariko that she was his sister, but held back some information to "test her loyalty." How the heck would that test her loyalty?
-Yumi, who was a foil to Mariko because she was ultra-feminine and helped the rebellion through means other than fighting, is now a badass ninja warrior, who resents her brother for not letting her fight. Basically she is Mariko.
-Yumi and Mariko decide to have a "girls night out," even though Mariko will be killed if anyone notices she is missing from a public venue, with multiple guards assigned to watch only her. This is so stupid, and actually I hate every scene with Yumi. Oh yeah, Yumi is in love with Ranmaru now. Even though the audience is still trying to figure out if they are brother and sister.
-The book says that because Ranmaru and Tsuneoiki have demon powers, they can never have children. Then the book hints that Mariko is pregnant, and Ranmaru loses the ability to control his demon powers. Then the whole sub-plot is dropped, and never mentioned again.

The ending with Raiden is the most egregious part. Anti-climactic and unsatisfying.