The Ninja's Blade

A dark, gritty sequel about a vigilante killer


The Ninja’s Blade is the second book in this series about a modern-day vigilante who helps women escape abusive situations while also looking for her sister’s murderer. It had been a while since I’d read the first book, and I couldn’t remember why I hadn’t continued with the series sooner. I love martial arts and mysteries, so this has a lot going for it. Once I started, I had the suspicion that I’d delayed because the story is a bit dark and dreary.

This sequel felt darker than the first book. I am not sure if that is due to the time between reading the first and second books dulling my memory of the violence or if it really was darker. Much of the story focused on Lily’s PTSD from past traumas and her denial about having PTSD. It was frustrating and a bit depressing. Adding to that, was that both Lily and readers are left with the inevitable feeling that any attempt to stop violence is just a drop in the ocean.

There was also a lot of tough content. Although the fight scenes were action-packed and accurately written in terms of martial arts, they were fairly graphic. There is no sugarcoating the fact that Lily kills people. This installment in the series focuses on sex trafficking with gangs – particularly trafficking of minors. Things are not glossed over, so check the content warnings.

To keep things from getting too dark, there is Lily’s relationship with her family, her budding love interest, and some scrumptious descriptions of food. Although, considering that The Ninja’s Blade was fairly dark, some of those scenes felt almost too light by comparison. Nevertheless, Lily’s cultural background and family dynamics enhance the story.

I still plan on continuing with the series, but I will need another break before I read the next book.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars