I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.In reading, and discussing this book I have had a life lesson. I will now wait a few minutes before hitting the request button on new and shiny books on Netgalley. I have been burned a few too many times of late due to my overzealous trigger finger. When I requested this book my brain was doing the happy dance, not only was this book somewhat about Japanese culture it was written by a Swedish author. Color me excited.Now after finishing the book after much skimming, not so much.This book filled me with ennui, which is great cause then I can use the word, but not so great cause it means terribly boring.Samurai Summer is about a twelve year old boy who has grasped onto the samurai code to help him with his anger issues, coming to terms with his father’s death, and the abandonment of his mother. This is Kenny’s last year at summer camp, and him and some of the other boys are building a castle in the woods while playing samurais.Now I probably could have really read the whole book, if not for one integral part that happened about twenty percent in. There is one instance where Kenny is cruel to another camper, one of his friends, and that just ruined it for me. I seriously hate when people are cruel, its one of my anger buttons. So in an instant I didn’t like Kenny anymore, and there went any possibly for me enjoying this book.So I skimmed to the ending, one that was just as boring as the rest of the book. Just there.So yes, the writing was well done. I just has issues with the plot.Two stars.
