The Hidden Blade: A Prequel to My Beautiful Enemy (Heart of Blade) Paperback – August 6, 2014

We meet the two young protagonists, Ying-Ying and Leighton Atwood in parallel stories that describe their difficult early lives: Ying-Ying is the illegitimate `mixed' (her father was an English 'devil') daughter of a now-favored concubine of Lord Da-ren in his 19th century court. Ying-Ying was raised mostly by her Amah, who, as a member of a secret Goddess Society has stolen and hidden a Jade tablet. Amah later trains Ying-Ying in the martial arts - and a good thing, too.Leighton at 11 is the beloved son of his mother and father and of his father's beloved friend, Herb Gordon. Herb, too, is in possession of a pair of Jade tablets. Destroying Leighton's idyllic life is an older half brother of Leighton's father, Curtis Atwood, who comes upon the two men and causes his father to commit suicide rather than to be sent to an asylum - again - for the gruesome `cure' for his homosexuality. Herb leaves; his mother leaves (but not before Leighton manages to conceal the Jade tablet in her trunk), and Leighton becomes a prisoner in the house. Every avenue of escape was anticipated by his terrible uncle and blocked. All mail was censored, windows barred, etc. The library was locked and the only reading material allowed to him were bibles, in German, in Italian, in Farsi, in a whole range of languages that Leighton happily learned. Eventually uncle Curtis wed a beautiful, cold woman whose dream it was to do missionary work in Africa. Leighton grew tall for his age (now 14); his goal was always to escape and join Herb. He became clever at using what was allowed him to finalize his plans. Eventually the opportunity came.In the meantime, Ying-Ying's mother has died, and she and Amah live in lesser circumstances still in Da-ren's household. There she meets Herb who had made his way to Peking and is now the tutor of Da-ren's two sons. Eventually Herb receives permission to tutor Ying-Ying in English, and when she is not training with Amah, she spends the sessions with Herb talking and drinking a variety of teas.Leighton, meanwhile, manages to elude constant near-captures - thrilling and full of tension - and makes his way out of England as the `dogsbody' of two Victorian spinsters who are on a world tour. Not his chosen route, but new adventures add to his worldly knowledge. He travels almost 10,000 miles to connect with Herb, looking over his shoulder all the way for men who continue to seek him and return him to his uncle. Major news: Curtis has died and the hunt for Leighton has been called off by his widow. Now he is able to write to his remarried mother and brother; to Herb; to all the people who had helped him. At long last, he arrives in Hong Kong with full-blown malaria, but does reunite with Herb briefly.Beautiful Ying-Ying has caught the lustful eye of Da-ren's wastrel older son and uses her martial arts skills to stop his advances. But she has to fight his brother Lin, who also has been training secretly in deadly martial arts. (Lin's master has killed Amah and Ying-Ying has killed him in retribution for Amah's death). Herb is killed trying to stop the fight. Da-ren stops the fight and commands Ying-Ying to go with his court in exile. But first she buries Amah and gives Da-ren the stolen Jade tablet; then she collects Herb's belongings and his ashes to bring to the British Delegation. For a long moment, she stands in the rain crying and Leighton, at his hospital window in the Delegation, glimpses her. Upon learning of Herb's death, Leighton makes plans to return to England to bury his ashes with his father's. But first the 17-year-old has a reunion with his mother and brother in Hawaii.Sherry Thomas has written a memorable story of love, hate, determination, heroism, near-misses with death, in beautiful prose. She has created two characters who possess strengths and skills far beyond their tender years. The only reason to put this book down is to be able to pick up My Beautiful Enemy.

As the title states, this book is the prequel to  My Beautiful Enemy  and I highly recommend that anyone interested in reading  My Beautiful Enemy  read this prequel first.Ying-ying was raised in near seclusion in China in the home of her mother who was the concubine of a Chinese official who is known as "Dar-en." Ying-ying's future is very uncertain due to her mother's health. Unknown to Ying-ying, her salvation will eventually be found within one of the family servants - Amah - wise woman with herbs and companion of sorts to Ying-ying who is also a master in martial arts. When Ying-ying discovers Amah's secret life, Ying-ying must swear obeisance to Amah or be killed. Thus, Ying-ying's future is changed forever as she enters into the training of martial arts and all that the teaching entails. Eventually, she meets a man who will have a great effect upon her life - a man named Herb who serves as a kind of tutor for Dar-en's sons and who also takes Ying-ying under his wing. Herb is an Englishman who has had his share of grief and is now separated from the life he once held dear. Circumstances conspire to draw Ying-ying toward a climax which is revealed within the pages of this book - circumstances which will eventually lead her toward a young man named Leighton Atwood.Leighton Atwood is a young man who lives in England with his father, mother and his brother. Leighton's family has a very complex relationship - his father having given his wife the liberty to have intimate relations with a gentleman other than himself due to his own sexual proclivities which precluded the two of them having a satisfying sex life. Leighton's father has a very close friend whose name is Herb, who is one of the bright stars in Leighton's young life. In fact, the best memories of his life are the times Leighton, his father and Herb spent together in the countryside of the family home - Starling. Leighton's life takes a dramatic change early on when his circumstances cause him to be placed under the guardianship of his cruel Uncle Curtis. Separated from all that was precious in his life, he becomes a literal prisoner in his new home. Leighton's plan to escape, the fulfillment of that escape, the circumstances and the people involved in that escape are related within the pages of this book. He has one goal in life - to get to his friend Herb who is now in far off China.The story of these two individuals - Ying-ying and Leighton initially have one thread in common - that of a man named Herb. Since everything in life is related to everything else, eventually this thread will bring the two of them together - but that story and the amazing fulfillment of their love may be found within the pages of another book -  My Beautiful Enemy . This book lays the foundation for their love story.

*SLIGHT SPOILERS*For those of you who have been a fan of Sherry Thomas's historical romances and for those of you who love her for her YA fantasy this is the best of both worlds.The Hidden Blade is a YA historical adventure spread across England and China, and it's gorgeous! On one side there is a quiet British boy, Leighton Atwood, whose dad commits suicide shamed and blackmailed for his love of another man, Herb. Leighton is suddenly taken away from a loving, carefree family and put into care of his unbending, fanatical, sadistic, horrid uncle and he has to struggle for every ounce of freedom until finally he runs away in search of Herb.On another side of the world there is Ying-Ying, a young girl who grows up in the shadow of her beautiful mother, - a long-standing, beloved concubine of Da-ren, a powerful government official of China. Ying-Ying is a half-breed, and doesn't feel like she belongs, so when her mom dies, she is taken into care of her Amah (nanny) and discovers that the woman is not who she seems. Amah is a part of ancient military order, and Ying-Ying becomes her new recruit.Ironically the only thing that connects Leighton and Ying-Ying - two such different characters, is Herb. Among all the heartbreak and adventure, he is the one Leighton seeks, and the one who ends up teaching Ying-Ying English. Read for yourself about their dramatic journeys in between...This was a fantastic, absorbing, heartbreaking read, and I wholly recommend it. My Beautiful Enemy finishes Leighton and Ying-Ying's story years later, and I recommend you to grab it and read it straight away after The Hidden Blade.

I was recommended this book having read the author's Luckiest Lady in London (review to come at some point!) but also because the one recommending it to me knew I had a background in martial arts, to put it mildly.Sherry Thomas has a writing style that I can only believe creates a sense of sheer wonder for readers, but partial envy for other authors who read her works. Truly, this is an author who can craft a story with such style and panache, that sometimes you have to take a step back from what one has read,Although not a long book, I read and consumed The Hidden Blade over several days, and I'll admit the martial arts aspect of the tale was a huge draw for me. As part one of a duology, The Hidden Blade works wonderfully as a historical piece that is lighter on romance than one might expect from Miss Thomas. I do expect part two - My Beautiful Enemy to fulfill the wishes of any reader who wanted more romance in this book.That is not to say the book lacks romance, far from it. Telling the story of young Chinese girl Ying-Ying who is taken under the considerable wing of her teacher Amah, there is a dual story running with a pace-perfect and a seamless narrative, as the story of upper class English gent Leighton goes through many jumps and hoops (not all of them pleasant).For me, whilst the story of Ying-Ying and Leighton is engaging (but in the best tradition of tales like Brief Encounter, where there is an attraction but barely exploited....and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon..with Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai definitely attracted to each other but restrained by age old customs and beliefs) - the romance is hinted at here, but I expect it will be more craftily developed in the follow-up.What makes The Hidden Blade an exceptional book....well, where to start. Ying-Ying is cool, and whilst I can understand the nod to wuxia films like CTHD, it is but one of many that were made in China, it just so happens that particular film was made with a Western audience in mind. The martial arts scenes are brilliantly depicted - I especially loved a scene between Ying-Ying and her master where her Chi (Qi) was being developed.Contrary to popular Western belief, it's really hard - nigh on impossible in fact, to find a martial arts master of repute in China. It took me seven years to find my current one. But for reasons that the story must move forward, Ying-Ying is introduced to her teacher early on in the story.As Leighton makes his improbable but necessary journey to the East - no doubt to reckon with his destiny, I am wanting to know how the worlds of a Chinese girl and Western man will collide.He seems bit down on his luck, unable to catch a break for large parts of the tale. You'll root for him, as I did. But you will also want Ying-Ying to outgrow her master one day, and in this regard, Amah teaches her student (brutally) well. It seems a mis-match to me, which makes it all teh more intriguing.I rarely have such high praise for a book, but it is so well done, if I could give it six stars, I would. Let''s see how the series wraps up with the intriguing title of My Beautiful Enemy.Rating: Five Jade-coloured stars.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story - a hidden gem...I'm now reading the next book "My Beautiful Enemy"- which I am thoroughly enjoying as well. Well written, great characters, great story line - this is one of her best, I feel. I highly recommend these two books.

I found this tale (and its sequel) completely absorbing. The characters are endearing and their emotional journey through both novels is heart-wrenching at times and sympathetically resolved in the end. A lovely story exceptionally well told.

A wonderful, richly described prequel to My Beautiful Enemy. Both books are gripping and soulfully written but the romance of the story really comes into its own in My Beautiful Enemy. I have enjoyed Sherry Thomas' other romances, but found these two books to contain another dimension with intrigue and ancient mystery which I feel enriches the reader's experience.