The lack of depth is my biggest complaint. It’s a quick, easy read that’s a wonderful ride. None of these points are necessarily bad, as I still found the book quite enjoyable. The other main antagonists are the Lotus Guild, whose development isn’t much deeper. I’m disappointed by the fact the Shogun is given a seemingly prophetic dream at the beginning of the book, yet I never had a satisfying answer as to whether or not he had some sort of magic or was just lucky. That’s the extent of the explanation to the reader. The Shogun is evil because he’s rich and powerful. In this regard, Stormdancer leans very young adult. I love my villains, but I’m utterly neutral towards the Shogun. It’s this relationship that truly carries the book. Yukiko’s relationship with the arashitora is adorable, one that any cat lover will immediately take to. She behaves as a believable teenager, yet without the copious amount of excessive angst. He forces her to be the responsible one, and she resents him for it (even as she’s thankful for the skills he’s taught her). For the fact he’ll smoke lotus, gamble, and fight. That she’s angry with her father for the lack of direction in their lives. She particularly won me over when she admits to just being a kid. Yukiko is one of the few teenage protagonists I’ve ever felt any sort of kinship toward.
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