Jonathan is unfortunate enough to witness the death of both of his parents. Then, he is shipped off to Japan to live with his grandfather and his new Japanese wife. But instead of being taken into their home he is dropped at the gates of a local school of karate where he must gain admittance and do his best against hostile classmates.
Jonathan is strong. There's no denying that. Almost too strong actually. Considering the life events he has been through I would expect a character not quite as balanced. He seems too good to be true. The rest of the characters were a little more believable. They had flaws, and managed to combine good and bad aspects of their personalities. And everyone in this book is very intense.
I liked the concept of the book. An American boy struggling to gain a place in an esteemed school in Japan and endure physical difficulties. I wasn't as fond of the pacing. It was actually hard to keep up with how old Jonathan was because of the abrupt changes in the book. The pace moved pretty fast as well and I'd be reading about a conversation when I was suddenly thrust into a battle within the space of a page. It was disorienting. But I imagine those that enjoy reading action novels will truly enjoy this book. Because it does have a lot of action and adventure.
This is definitely for people who like karate. As said before, I'm sure this would be a book that's very popular with teenaged boys or those who like the martial arts.
**This book was received in a Goodreads Giveaway**
The Arrow Catcher
Copyright 2013
266 pages
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