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Better suited for quick-reference scrolls and similar media. Could be rewritten to fit better in the medium of modern English literature, as is evident from the lack of prose. At least the authors have sufficient expertise so that we don't need to doubt their knowledge of what they're saying.

I generally agreed with the author's views, but her arguments were pretty bad. Would've given 3 stars if the bad arguments were simply not written, 4 if those were actually good ones. The information was decent for a starting point of further research and for some thumb rules.

Well-written? Certainly not. I presume it was intended to be a bunch of scrolls by someone who prided himself for being in a society where military valour mattered over your glib, mainly for people of his extended family to learn the important principles of being a Samurai in feudal Japan. Also to be passed down as oral stories for inspiration of sorts. So yes, for a real modern book, it is pretty badly written.

Would I still recommend someone to read it? Depends. I can imagine people getting offended by its contents because modern westernised values are just different. However, at the very least, it is an interesting read.

Edit: From other reviews I've gathered that the author wasn't actually a warrior. That affects the purpose and my other presumptions, but doesn't affect the review much. Still, the purpose of the book was to save an idolised version of samurais in case the peace ever came to an end. Just keep in mind that it's written by someone who hadn't seen much of actual war directly and had been basically dismissed from service, living like a hermit. Though that's a good reason for romanticising an older era when he would've felt a greater purpose, he isn't a credible authority over how wars are pure and beautiful.

Great book. Made me remember and think further about stuff that education system had made me forget, so that's good

Why not 5 stars? As the author admits, it's hardly the best-written book. That sure was a section I completely agreed with, if you know what I mean

I was going to finish the audiobook and rate it higher than this, but had to drop at about 1/3rd coz having a man's voice narrate the woman-specific experiences in first person really breaks immersion. Can get past a few times, but too many of those and I just don't want to continue.

The only reason I'm rating it more than 1 is because that's not very related to the relevance of the text itself.

Not a terrible book, but it wasn't really related to the title at all

Feels like it'd be more interesting in some other medium.