Samurai Girl: The Book of the Sword, by Carrie Asai

Bibliographic Information:
Asai, C. (2003). Samurai Girl: The Book of the Sword. Simon Pulse. ISBN-10: 0689859481

Book Awards:
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (2004)

Plot Summary:
Heaven Kogo is an obedient, traditional Japanese daughter to her powerful father, and reluctantly agrees to marry the repellent man her father chose. An assasination attempt at her wedding is foiled by her brother, at the cost of his life, and her father watches impassively. In the space of a heartbeat, her whole life changes. Now she is running for her life (in her wedding kimono, nonetheless), with no idea who to trust. She seeks out Hiro, a friend of her brother's, but now they are both in danger. The only solution is for Heaven to become truly Samurai, but it is a long, hard road.

Critical Evaluation:
Heaven tells the story in the first person, and she is an interesting character. She was raised as a princess, only leaving her family's compound under guard, the jewel of her father's crown. When she runs, she is on her own in Los Angeles, California. As readers, we are drawn into her despair and struggle, and come to admire her determination, even as we sympathize with her lapses. This book is the first in a series, so there is not a conclusion to the plot involving her brother's murder. The full page pen-and-ink illustrations scattered throughout the book add interest for teenage readers. The author makes use of an unusual literary device to keep the reader abreast of what's going on with different characters: at the end of each chapter, there is one page of first-person thoughts by a character other than Heaven. We hear what Hiro thinks, Heaven's father and mother, and others.

Reader's Annotation:
Heaven may be adopted, but she is one of Japan society's most pampered princesses. Now she's running for her life on her wedding day in downtown L.A., afraid her own family wants her dead.

About the Author:
Carrie Asai is a pseudonym, and no author information is available.

Genre:
Action/adventure

Curriculum Ties:
None

Booktalking Ideas:
family betrayal
ninjas in modern times

Interest Age:
10+

Challenge Issues:
None

Reason Included:
The illustrations caught my eye as I thumbed through this book, and I wanted to see if the story lived up to its intriguing blurb on the back.