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mrartime's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
nannahnannah's review
3.0
I haven't really acquainted myself with many mysteries, so this probably isn't a very fair review. (3.5 rating)
Set in 17th century feudal Japan, Sano Ichiro is a yoriki (higher-ranking samurai police). His first case is a shinjū, a double suicide, and though he's not supposed to think anything of it, he doesn't think they committed shinjū. Investigating in secret, he finds himself in a much bigger plot than a simple shinjū.
I loved the setting and the characters! They were easily the strongest part of the novel, fully fleshed and well realized. But the entire mystery would have been much more engaging if Laura Joh Rowland never showed PoVs of the characters when they were spoiling the book's plot. I would have much rather found out the mysteries as Sano Ichiro discovered them, not when the author felt like showing them to us. I didn't like knowing them before the main character.
And while I appreciated the inclusion of characters with disabilities (Lord Niu with his withered leg & the sumo wrestler with a rageful "demon" - personality disorder ?), I didn't like that they were both portrayed problematically
Set in 17th century feudal Japan, Sano Ichiro is a yoriki (higher-ranking samurai police). His first case is a shinjū, a double suicide, and though he's not supposed to think anything of it, he doesn't think they committed shinjū. Investigating in secret, he finds himself in a much bigger plot than a simple shinjū.
I loved the setting and the characters! They were easily the strongest part of the novel, fully fleshed and well realized. But the entire mystery would have been much more engaging if Laura Joh Rowland never showed PoVs of the characters when they were spoiling the book's plot. I would have much rather found out the mysteries as Sano Ichiro discovered them, not when the author felt like showing them to us. I didn't like knowing them before the main character.
And while I appreciated the inclusion of characters with disabilities (Lord Niu with his withered leg & the sumo wrestler with a rageful "demon" - personality disorder ?), I didn't like that they were both portrayed problematically
Spoiler
- both were killed and one was the villain. Not so good for representation . . .astrangerhere's review
3.0
I was more interested in the setting that I was the story. I felt there were gaps and leaps here and there in the "way of the warrior" thread, but overall, a nice historical mystery. I might continue the series, though not immediately.
ipehalena's review
2.0
Kisah seorang polisi di zaman jepang kala pemerintahan Tokugawa clan berjaya. dimana awalnya sano iciro mengawali karirnya sebagai seorang guru sejarah. sano dihadapkan pada kasus pembunuhan yang awalnya diduga sebagai shinju atau bunuh diri karena cinta. tapi ternyata keingintahuannya membuat sano iciro memperdalam investigasi yang mengakibatkan dirinya kehilangan pekerjaan serta tiga rekannya dan kerabatnya dibunuh.
dua bintang saya berikan untuk buku ini karena memuat sejarah tentang jepang. dua kasus yg diangkat terkait psikologi tokohnya yaitu paraphilic disorder yg lebih mengacu pada penyimpangan minat seks yg ditonjolkan. seperti kisah dibalik para samurai dalam tokoh yang terlibat kegiatan seks dengan sesama jenis.
untuk terjemahan dan alur bagus. namun memang novel ini khusus untuk dewasa terlebih dengan konflik yg blak blakan di ungkap disini.
dua bintang saya berikan untuk buku ini karena memuat sejarah tentang jepang. dua kasus yg diangkat terkait psikologi tokohnya yaitu paraphilic disorder yg lebih mengacu pada penyimpangan minat seks yg ditonjolkan. seperti kisah dibalik para samurai dalam tokoh yang terlibat kegiatan seks dengan sesama jenis.
untuk terjemahan dan alur bagus. namun memang novel ini khusus untuk dewasa terlebih dengan konflik yg blak blakan di ungkap disini.
stevepc's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, makes for easy read but eloquently written, fast-pacing plot. An unconventional samurai investigator with an unhindered and unquenchable thirst for justice and truth.
jess10adam's review
4.0
Set in 1600's Japan I really like this detective series. The descriptions of the time period keep you pulled in to the era and the stories and plots keep you always guessing.
mrlzbth's review
4.0
Worth reading for the peek into the culture and daily life of 17th century Japan, though the mystery plot is not very compelling (it's pretty obvious who the culprit is from early on). Rowland's samurai detective spends quite a bit of this book agonizing over the conflict between his desire to solve the crime and his desire to bring honor to his family by being obedient to his superiors (who have ordered him to stop pestering the elite members of society with his questions). That's an interesting dilemma for a detective to have but does make things drag from time to time...I am curious to see how the character develops, though, and will certainly pick up the next in the series fairly soon!
ayoitsmayo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
brokebybooks's review
4.0
Just realized I never posted this after my Throwback Thursday post. So here it is!
Of course, after so long and without any notes I can't review the individual books or give content warnings. :(
But without a doubt, each book rated 4 stars for me and I can't wait to get back to reading this series. Long series often have trouble with getting into a rut, doing the same thing with zero growth (*cough* Stephanie Plum *cough*) but not Sano Ichiro.
There's character and series progression galore. Sano gets married and has a family, who join with great success and make it that much better. His wife that I won't name for those who haven't read any, is brilliant, subverts her cultural norms in subtle and livable ways, and genuinely contributes to solving cases. Her eventual motherhood isn't the typical, trope-spurred irritating display either.
It has court politics, intrigue, and sabotage done better than any other historical or fantasy novel (The Song of Fire and Ice, for instance) I've read before. As Sano moves up the chain, it only becomes more perilous.
There is of course a main antagonist, but not everything wraps back around to him at all times. Boy, does he make a good villain when he does though. He gets depth and growth as the series moves along as well.
Of course, after so long and without any notes I can't review the individual books or give content warnings. :(
But without a doubt, each book rated 4 stars for me and I can't wait to get back to reading this series. Long series often have trouble with getting into a rut, doing the same thing with zero growth (*cough* Stephanie Plum *cough*) but not Sano Ichiro.
There's character and series progression galore. Sano gets married and has a family, who join with great success and make it that much better. His wife that I won't name for those who haven't read any, is brilliant, subverts her cultural norms in subtle and livable ways, and genuinely contributes to solving cases. Her eventual motherhood isn't the typical, trope-spurred irritating display either.
It has court politics, intrigue, and sabotage done better than any other historical or fantasy novel (The Song of Fire and Ice, for instance) I've read before. As Sano moves up the chain, it only becomes more perilous.
There is of course a main antagonist, but not everything wraps back around to him at all times. Boy, does he make a good villain when he does though. He gets depth and growth as the series moves along as well.
janani134's review
4.0
Shinju is an act of two lovers committing suicide because they cannot be together . There was a stir in the public when bodies of an wealthy aristocratic women and a mere painter of unknown origin is spotted across the river . For others, it is shinju and can be closed, however Sano does not feel so and continues to investigate. His investigation does bring in a lot of surprises. What should have been a simple murder investigation culminates to something more terrible.
I have always loved to read about the history of a country and this book introduced me to the japanese history lessons or rather japanese terms that I dont remember now.
A good insight into how the society was during the japanese imperial period. The lives of different sections of society and the interactions amongst the different classes is vividly described. Honor is always and forth most for a samurai. Politics was as dirty it was as it is.
Besides being a good mystery, it is also a good history book to familiarize with the Japanese Tokugawa system
I have always loved to read about the history of a country and this book introduced me to the japanese history lessons or rather japanese terms that I dont remember now.
A good insight into how the society was during the japanese imperial period. The lives of different sections of society and the interactions amongst the different classes is vividly described. Honor is always and forth most for a samurai. Politics was as dirty it was as it is.
Besides being a good mystery, it is also a good history book to familiarize with the Japanese Tokugawa system