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Description
As Himiko traverses ancient Japan in order to free enslaved members of her clan, she encounters members of many other tribes and emerges as the leader who will unify them. The plot contains violence and slavery.
Quick Summary
If you're looking for a historical fiction adventure that will keep middle graders turning pages, this one's set in ancient Japan and follows Himiko, a girl who sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her enslaved clan members. Along the way she meets people from different tribes, and what starts as a rescue mission turns into something much bigger as she discovers she has what it takes to unite people who have been fighting each other for generations. The story has some intense moments there are battles and the issue of slavery is part of the plot so it's better suited for older kids in the MG+ range who can handle heavier themes, but it's ultimately a story about courage, leadership, and finding strength you didn't know you had. Fans of adventure stories with strong female leads, or anyone who enjoyed books like "A Single Shard" or "The Last of the Mohicans," will probably love this. It's a longer book at over 130,000 words, which might seem daunting at first, but the pace moves well and the setting is so vividly drawn that kids often get absorbed pretty quickly. Parents should know there's violence and the topic of slavery is central to the story, though it's handled in a way that's age-appropriate for the target audience and serves the historical context.