March 2010

Author/s: Maya Snow
Publisher: Oxford University Press UK
Reviewed by: Esta Burger, Age: 15 years
ISBN 13: 9780192728296

Kimi and Hana are unwillingly thrown into a life-threatening journey when their peaceful and serene environment is burned to ashes. Their uncle, who works under their father, shows himself not as the kind, laughing uncle they had grown up with, but as a menacing and backstabbing murderer. He kills the jinto, his younger brother. Hana and Kimi are left defenseless and heartbroken. They swore to avenge their father’s death, but first they have to become strong; so strong that they’d be able to face their uncle in single combat and succeed.

Would they be able to do it? Where would they train and hide until they are strong enough? All these questions are answered when the powerful Master Goku let them work as servants in the dojo. They disguise themselves as boys, because if someone was to recognize them, the new jinto (their uncle) would execute them immediately. But then Master Goku shows signs of suspicion about they’re innocence. After stressful nights of hiding, he declares that he would protect their secret. Kimi and Hana discovers the other side of their once loving cousin, Ken-ichi, who ends up killing Mater Goku by poisoning the sensei’s tea. The girls are in an endless battle, while their fear and sadness may not take over their will. They must learn and teach themselves to be patient, sensible and dignified at all times. After all, they are girl samurai’s - the rarest thing ever.

I enjoyed the story because it’s filled with respect, discipline and determination. But if you don’t like fighting, I would not recommend it. I liked it because it has lots of suspense and you get caught up in the characters. I think it’ is very cool that the main characters are two girls. The girls are standing up to protect their family and showing everybody they can do anything that boys can do. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes action, suspense and fighting. It is a very exciting story. I also like the ending, because Kimi and Hana do not avenge their father’s death yet. So the story has depth and it is realistic. In real life it would be true that they couldn’t possibly kill their uncle yet, as he was the new jinto. I would also not recommend the book to readers who don’t enjoy books with Chinese/Japanese backdrops, because there’s a lot of terms and words that are difficult to understand. On the other hand, you feel like you are in China yourself.

Link to online catalogue
The Warrior’s Path: Sisters of the Sword