Little Sister

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

"A solid, suspenseful mix of history and mythology," said PW of this supernatural adventure set in 12th-century Japan, in which 13-year-old Mitsuko unwittingly accepts the help of a shape-shifting demon to search for her older sister. Ages 10-14. (Apr.)

The ALAN Review - Nancy E. Zuwiyya

The beautiful cover of this book introduces a story about a young girl's courageous quest for the soul of her brother-in-law and the sanity of her sister. Living in 12th century Japan, Fujiwara no Mitsuko tells of the events surrounding a great tragedy that happend to her noble family. They had to flee the city because of attacks by warrior monks. The large estates of the rich were being burned. Later they suffered further degradation. It is at this point that little Mitsuko, who always thought of herself as merely the little sister, takes things into her own hands. She leaves her family and steps into the world of fantasy when she meets Goranu, a shape shifter who will fly her throughout the kingdom until they find the answers to her questions. Although the fantasy element might catch the reader off guard at first, it is handled well and fits into the historical events. Strong use of a female protagonist in the closed society of an earlier period in Japanese history is a plus.

Children's Literature - Alexandria LaFaye

In this 12th century mythical adventure, a Japanese girl of the noble Fujiwara clan travels through supernatural worlds in search of her sister's soul. Young Mitsuko's sister is so disturbed by her husband's death that she allows her soul to go in search of his. To save her sister, Mitsuko enlists the help of a tengu trickster to search the worlds of the dead to restore the wandering souls of her sister and her brother-in-law to their rightful places. Written from Mitsuko's perspective, this novel allows the reader to enter a magical world. This absorbing historical fantasy centers around Mitsuko's gripping adventure and introduces readers to the mystical figures of Japan including the fierce lord of the dead, Emma-0, the elegant princess of Mount Fuji, and the revered Buddha Who Is Yet to Be. Her guide on this journey is Goranu, the tengu trickster, who can transform himself from a human figure to a crow and cast powerful illusions. Illustrating the influences of Shintoism, Buddhism, and ancient astrological beliefs in the historical culture of Japan, Dalkey tells a wonderful tale that provides a glimpse into the religious beliefs, social customs, class divisions, and gender roles of 12th century Japan.

VOYA - Heidi Schahczenski

Dalkey begins her novel by giving us a tantalizing glimpse into a wealthy twelfth century Japanese household from the viewpoint of a thirteen-year-old girl. Mitsuko, the little sister of three other daughters, is less than perfect in contrast with her eldest sister, Amaiko, whom she adores. Amaiko is beautiful and talented and ready to be married. She is wooed by and married to a handsome man named Yugiri. When disaster strikes their village, the father gives responsibility for the family to Yugiri and orders him to flee with the family to his safe mountain lodge. En route the family is attacked by warrior monks and Yugiri is killed. His wife Amaiko succumbs to shock and depression and remains in a catatonic state after the attack. Mitsuko's mother decides to accept the protection of a local warlord, but Mitsuko and Amaiko run away to escape the dangerous warlord men. They spend a freezing night in an abandoned Shinto shrine where Mitsuko fervently plays for help. Upon waking, she is startled by a Shinto shape-changing spirit called a tengu. The plot quickly moves from a delectable historical tale to a fantasy located in the Shinto and Buddhist spirit worlds. This genre transition creates a loss of credibility, and some readers may lose interest at the abrupt change. Goranu, the tengu, "flies" the sisters to his spirit world village where the other tengu care for Amaiko while Goranu and Mitsuko embark on a spirit world pilgrimage to locate Amaiko's lost soul. Finally, Amaiko regains her normal soul, and with the help of their long absent father and the tengu, she and Mitsuko rescue their sisters and mother from the warlord's castle. In the conclusion, Mitsuko decides to become a Buddhist pilgrim, and Goranu, the tengu, discloses his impossible love for her. The cover illustration is exceptionally striking, showing what a tengu possibly looks like. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Dalkey blends elements of Shinto and Buddhist folklore with historical facts about Japan around A.D. 1100. Mitsuko, 13, is a member of the powerful Fujiwara noble family. As her family flees the city to escape the marauding warrior-monks, her sister's beloved husband is killed and the young woman plunges into a catatonic state. Mitsuko believes that the only way to save her is to search for her soul, which must be seeking the soul of her dead husband. She runs away, taking her sister with her, and meets up with a tengu, or shape-shifting demon, who agrees to help with Mitsuko's quest. So begins a fantastical journey in which the brave girl meets many mystical figures of Japanese mythology, resulting in the eventual recovery of her sister, a reunion of her family, and the changing of Mitsuko's life forever. The author never really generates the excitement one might expect. Despite an endnote delineating cultural fact from folkloric fiction, the onslaught of unfamiliar mythical figures may frustrate less-than-patient readers. Also distracting is the rhythm of the language, which is choppy and unnatural. The ending is strangely ambiguous and seems tacked on. Even with these flaws the book will be of interest because of its unusual setting. It should appeal to readers of romantic fantasy thanks to a strong female protagonist, the engaging and humorous tengu, and the chance to discover an unfamiliar mythology.-Carrie Schadle, New York Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Searching for the wandering soul of her beloved sister, Mitsuko enlists the aid of a host of supernatural friends in this colorful fantasy, set in 12th-century Japan.

As a member of an eminent clan, Mitsuko has spent her first 13 years in a courtly, constricted world. When part of her family is set upon, first by warrior monks who leave her new brother-in-law Yugiri dead and his wife (her sister Amaiko) dazed and numb, then by an ambitious local lord with marriageable sons, Mitsuko finds the courage to flee into the forest—and to accept the company of Goranu, a mischievous, immortal shape-changer. Sure that Amaiko's soul has followed Yugiri's into the land of the dead, she sets out to reclaim it, sped on her way by several Buddhist and Shinto spirits, some kind, some dangerous. Although elaborate courtesies, a round of poetry parties, and stylized conversation slow the beginning, Mitsuko will win readers over with her determination and the forthright way she faces the powers of heaven and hell. Less intense than Katharine Paterson's Of Nightingales That Weep (1974), and even whimsical at times, the story and its tricks, chases, sudden changes of scene, and its large cast of humans and nonhumans, will appeal to fans of Lensey Namioka's samurai tales. The account ends with a poignant, romantic twist: Goranu offers to end his life so he can come back as a mortal and marry her. A readable, engagingly semiserious adventure.