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A review by polywogg
The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge
4.0
BOTTOM-LINE:
Good debut, look forward to the next story
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A Chinese-American woman trained as a ninja and now helps abused women in L.A.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story works on three levels for me. First, there is a mystery to solve involving multiple bad guys, politics, and a new subway being constructed (the motive is obvious, the details are not). Second, she helps women get away from their abusers, and feels a bit in places like the Jane Whitefield novels by Thomas Perry. Third, she is choosing romantically between a nice guy and a danger guy, similar to the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. I had a small sense of deja vu that I knew this storyline as it progressed.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
As the first story in a series, there is a lot of exposition going on. Explaining Lily's background, her mixed Norwegian / Chinese heritage, and even some of her relationship with her parents. Her angst with her mother is brought up about six or seven places in the novel, while 1-2 would have been fine. Equally, her father's colloquiallisms show up way too often, "doncha know". Plus, she explains kuniochi about three times, as if we didn't see it the first two times. The repetition was a bit heavy-handed.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
Good debut, look forward to the next story
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A Chinese-American woman trained as a ninja and now helps abused women in L.A.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The story works on three levels for me. First, there is a mystery to solve involving multiple bad guys, politics, and a new subway being constructed (the motive is obvious, the details are not). Second, she helps women get away from their abusers, and feels a bit in places like the Jane Whitefield novels by Thomas Perry. Third, she is choosing romantically between a nice guy and a danger guy, similar to the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. I had a small sense of deja vu that I knew this storyline as it progressed.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
As the first story in a series, there is a lot of exposition going on. Explaining Lily's background, her mixed Norwegian / Chinese heritage, and even some of her relationship with her parents. Her angst with her mother is brought up about six or seven places in the novel, while 1-2 would have been fine. Equally, her father's colloquiallisms show up way too often, "doncha know". Plus, she explains kuniochi about three times, as if we didn't see it the first two times. The repetition was a bit heavy-handed.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.