alhafitd's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mbondlamberty's review against another edition
4.0
Such a good read - telling the tale of the start of one of the most memorable Shoguns in Japanese history.
If you know your Japanese history you know the outcome but whether you do or don't it is a tale worth reading.
Why 4 stars instead of 5, the depictions of the women leave a little to be desired, but they are not the focus of the tale.
If you know your Japanese history you know the outcome but whether you do or don't it is a tale worth reading.
Why 4 stars instead of 5, the depictions of the women leave a little to be desired, but they are not the focus of the tale.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘A great man is not made simply by innate ability.’
Towards the middle of the 16th century the Ashikaga shogunate crumbled. As a consequence Japan came to resemble a huge battlefield as rival warlords vied for dominance. Three very different men emerged seeking to control and unify Japan. Those men were Oda Nobunaga; Toyotomi Hideyoshi; and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Their divergent leadership styles are expressed in the answers to this question:
‘What if the bird will not sing?’
Oda Nobunaga answers ‘Kill it if it does not want to sing’
Toyotomi Hideyoshi answers ‘Make it want to sing’
Tokugawa Ieyasu answers ‘Wait until it sings’
Essentially, this is Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s story: how one man rose from obscurity to be the supreme regent of Japan. The novel follows Hideyoshi’s life, his development from a servant of Oda Nobunaga and his assumption of leadership after Oda Nobunaga is killed by Akechi Mitsuhide.
This is an epic novel set in a tumultuous period of Japanese history. I enjoyed the novel and became immersed in the events depicted once I became accustomed to the setting. The politics between factions and the battles between rivals, aspects of the feudal history and culture are all part of this story. I know little about this period of Japanese history and while this novel tempts me to learn more, it is the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi I found particularly engrossing.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Towards the middle of the 16th century the Ashikaga shogunate crumbled. As a consequence Japan came to resemble a huge battlefield as rival warlords vied for dominance. Three very different men emerged seeking to control and unify Japan. Those men were Oda Nobunaga; Toyotomi Hideyoshi; and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Their divergent leadership styles are expressed in the answers to this question:
‘What if the bird will not sing?’
Oda Nobunaga answers ‘Kill it if it does not want to sing’
Toyotomi Hideyoshi answers ‘Make it want to sing’
Tokugawa Ieyasu answers ‘Wait until it sings’
Essentially, this is Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s story: how one man rose from obscurity to be the supreme regent of Japan. The novel follows Hideyoshi’s life, his development from a servant of Oda Nobunaga and his assumption of leadership after Oda Nobunaga is killed by Akechi Mitsuhide.
This is an epic novel set in a tumultuous period of Japanese history. I enjoyed the novel and became immersed in the events depicted once I became accustomed to the setting. The politics between factions and the battles between rivals, aspects of the feudal history and culture are all part of this story. I know little about this period of Japanese history and while this novel tempts me to learn more, it is the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi I found particularly engrossing.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
sarony11's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
alexa_ayana's review against another edition
5.0
Review detail akan diupdate saat aku baca ulang buku EPIC ini.
Walau aku baca buku ini sudah lama banget tapi ada beberapa poin yang sangat memorable. Salah satunya adalah buku ini menceritakan perjuangan seorang anak miskin Jepang biasa yang punya otak dan kemauan untuk melakukan Kaizen. Kaizen adalah perbaikan. Orang Jepang dibesarkan dengan filosofi bahwa mereka bangun setiap hari untuk memperbaiki dan menyempurnakan apa yang sudah mereka lakukan di hari kemarin. Jadi Kaizen adalah perbaikan seumur hidup. Perjalanan karir anak tersebut di mulai dari masa muda, dari posisi yang paling rendah dan menanjak perlahan. Modal utama keberhasilannya adalah inisiatif dan kreatifitas serta Kaizen yang dia terapkan. Anak ini adalah Hideyoshi.
Buku ini super tebal tapi kisahnya penuh inspirasi jadi kamu akan terbius dan tak bisa meletakannya sebelum selesai.
Walau aku baca buku ini sudah lama banget tapi ada beberapa poin yang sangat memorable. Salah satunya adalah buku ini menceritakan perjuangan seorang anak miskin Jepang biasa yang punya otak dan kemauan untuk melakukan Kaizen. Kaizen adalah perbaikan. Orang Jepang dibesarkan dengan filosofi bahwa mereka bangun setiap hari untuk memperbaiki dan menyempurnakan apa yang sudah mereka lakukan di hari kemarin. Jadi Kaizen adalah perbaikan seumur hidup. Perjalanan karir anak tersebut di mulai dari masa muda, dari posisi yang paling rendah dan menanjak perlahan. Modal utama keberhasilannya adalah inisiatif dan kreatifitas serta Kaizen yang dia terapkan. Anak ini adalah Hideyoshi.
Buku ini super tebal tapi kisahnya penuh inspirasi jadi kamu akan terbius dan tak bisa meletakannya sebelum selesai.
spb3's review against another edition
5.0
I took this book slowly, reading short pieces at a time. Nearly 1000 pages later, I am left with a satisfaction that few works of historical fiction give. True, Taiko is no Musashi, but it is a masterful novel with an inspiring story nonetheless. Yoshikawa is one of the great historical-fiction novelists of the twentieth century and should be more widely read.
luzbella's review against another edition
5.0
96/365
Written in a simple, straight foward, and distinctly Japanese style, Taiko tells the story of Hideyoshi in the manner of a wise, old storyteller. The author inserts bits of wisdom throughout the book, as might a kindly grandfather relating the tale to his grandchildren. The occasional, unashamedly chauvinistic comments which are definitely not politically correct today, do however, reflect the thinking of the times and lend an air of credibility to the story. I do not know how accurately the novel reflects history, but it is certainly detailed, but never boring. It also provides insight into how complex the Japanese feudal system could be and how various clan leaders were faced with splits in their loyalty to their clans and family and fealty to their lords. Taiko is an educational and entertaining read, which I highly recommend.
Written in a simple, straight foward, and distinctly Japanese style, Taiko tells the story of Hideyoshi in the manner of a wise, old storyteller. The author inserts bits of wisdom throughout the book, as might a kindly grandfather relating the tale to his grandchildren. The occasional, unashamedly chauvinistic comments which are definitely not politically correct today, do however, reflect the thinking of the times and lend an air of credibility to the story. I do not know how accurately the novel reflects history, but it is certainly detailed, but never boring. It also provides insight into how complex the Japanese feudal system could be and how various clan leaders were faced with splits in their loyalty to their clans and family and fealty to their lords. Taiko is an educational and entertaining read, which I highly recommend.
nikola_wanke's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0