Review: Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis by Jane Prowse

As I turned, Mad Dog shouted, "Hattie - RUN!" Shadowy figures were filling the room. The graffiti on the walls wasn't graffiti at all - it was real people, throwing strange animal shadows and now it looked like they were peeling off the walls. One of them was already on the stairs behind Mad Dog, while around me lizard and panther shadows were turning into humans.
Hattie Jackson is just an ordinary fifteen-year-old - until her mother disappears and Hattie's life is turned upside down. With the help of her friend Mad Dog, Hattie discovers the truth about her mother's 'other life' and the role she must now take on to defeat a terrifying army of evil Ninjutsu warriors, led by Praying Mantis - the most deadly assassin of all ... A thrilling page-turner by an exciting new author.

I thought this book was interesting and differant when I saw it, I don't think I have seen a ninja book before!  It definately looked like a great book.

I was right!  It was excellent.  Although the idea of the book was unrealistic, it was made more beliveable by setting it in a normal place, with the main character being a normal 15 year old girl.  The story was original and not predictable, and apart from eventually meeting the villian, Praying Mantis, I couldn't tell what was going to happen.

The book wasn't full of action and excitement to start with, but this didn't make it boring - it was interesting to read about Hattie's ninja training and all the events that happened.  However, at the end it got very fast paced and exciting!  It did get *slightly* confusing as it was so fast paced.  I loved how there were explanations for everything odd going on, clearing up everything that might have seemed strange during the book.

Parts of this (for some reason) reminded me of the Power of Five books by Anthony Horowitz - I think it was the 'enemies in disguise slowly taking over the world' bits that came into it sometimes.

I liked how each character was individual - none of them seemed similar and had differant good and bad things about them, which made them seem like real people.

Overall I loved this book.  It had a great story, plot and an unusual idea!  I've just seen there is a second book, I will be definately reading this.

Rating: 4.3/5