Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

In this novel, set soon after the events of “Stormdancer,” our heroine, Yukiko, is traveling the county sowing the seeds of rebellion while the ruling elite scramble to find a leader who can keep the power structure from crumbling. There is a lot of stuff going on in this book. The many swirling stories can feel disjointed at times but I’m still enthralled by the world that Mr. Kristoff has created. It is rich and feels lived in. Set in an alternative, steampunk version of shogunate Japan, the worlds of mystical beasts and advanced mechanized warfare collide. I’m looking forward to the conclusion of the trilogy to see which side prevails.