A review by kbeddes
The Heavenward Path by Kara Dalkey
4.0
Genre: historical fiction, fantasy
Summary: This is the sequel to Little Sister . It takes place two years after the first book ends. Mitsuko has spent most of the two years as a pilgrim traveling to different shrines. The beginning of the book finds her in an outermost provincial temple trying to become a Buddhist nun. Her father calls her back to the capital to marry the ten year old heir to the throne. Mitsuko is sixteen. There are other reasons why she doesn't want to go through with the match. In the first book, Mitsuko make a promise to a kami (a powerful demon) when she was running away from some greedy nobles with her older sister (who had just lost her husband). Mitsuko had forgotten her promise, until the kami (who turns out to be a priest-king ghost thing) haunts her dreams and ups the terms of the promise. Mitsuko appeals to the Judge of the Underworld. However, he doesn't like living people in his realm, and Mitsuko had already trespassed in the previous book. So Mitsuko must restore the shrine with all the stolen treasures and find the last of the kami's descendants to offer worship. After she does so, she is supposed to report back to the Judge (in other words, die) to pay for the previous trespass. With the help of her good friend Goranu the tengu, Mitsuko solves her debt to the kami. In the process, Mitsuko offers to end her privileged life as a noblewoman and seek enlightenment or the "Heavenward Path" by becoming a acolyte to a wandering monk/wizard, Dento. The author leaves the ending up to the reader. Mitsuko can find enlightenment, or stay in the cycle of reincarnation and stay with Goranu, or become a nun/wizard thing that helps people.
Response: Typically, I don't appreciate stories that drag on for books and books. This is an exception. I didn't mind that there was a sequel. It built on the foundation that Little Sister made, but was its own story. There was a more fantastical element to this story. Mitsuko has some fantastic adventures, and she does many of them by herself, unlike the first book where she is helped almost constantly by Goranu. In this book, Goranu, has significant feelings for Mitsuko but tengu and mortals are forbidden to have relationships with each other and he wants her to figure out her own problems, so his presence is not quite as prevalent. I love the character of Goranu. I am totally rooting for their relationship. It is frustrating that the author didn't give a distinct ending, but then again, I can't be made at the book for not ending the way I want when I can choose my ending. In my mind, Goranu and Mitsuko live happily ever after, away from the illusion of court, happy together forever.
Summary: This is the sequel to Little Sister . It takes place two years after the first book ends. Mitsuko has spent most of the two years as a pilgrim traveling to different shrines. The beginning of the book finds her in an outermost provincial temple trying to become a Buddhist nun. Her father calls her back to the capital to marry the ten year old heir to the throne. Mitsuko is sixteen. There are other reasons why she doesn't want to go through with the match. In the first book, Mitsuko make a promise to a kami (a powerful demon) when she was running away from some greedy nobles with her older sister (who had just lost her husband). Mitsuko had forgotten her promise, until the kami (who turns out to be a priest-king ghost thing) haunts her dreams and ups the terms of the promise. Mitsuko appeals to the Judge of the Underworld. However, he doesn't like living people in his realm, and Mitsuko had already trespassed in the previous book. So Mitsuko must restore the shrine with all the stolen treasures and find the last of the kami's descendants to offer worship. After she does so, she is supposed to report back to the Judge (in other words, die) to pay for the previous trespass. With the help of her good friend Goranu the tengu, Mitsuko solves her debt to the kami. In the process, Mitsuko offers to end her privileged life as a noblewoman and seek enlightenment or the "Heavenward Path" by becoming a acolyte to a wandering monk/wizard, Dento. The author leaves the ending up to the reader. Mitsuko can find enlightenment, or stay in the cycle of reincarnation and stay with Goranu, or become a nun/wizard thing that helps people.
Response: Typically, I don't appreciate stories that drag on for books and books. This is an exception. I didn't mind that there was a sequel. It built on the foundation that Little Sister made, but was its own story. There was a more fantastical element to this story. Mitsuko has some fantastic adventures, and she does many of them by herself, unlike the first book where she is helped almost constantly by Goranu. In this book, Goranu, has significant feelings for Mitsuko but tengu and mortals are forbidden to have relationships with each other and he wants her to figure out her own problems, so his presence is not quite as prevalent. I love the character of Goranu. I am totally rooting for their relationship. It is frustrating that the author didn't give a distinct ending, but then again, I can't be made at the book for not ending the way I want when I can choose my ending. In my mind, Goranu and Mitsuko live happily ever after, away from the illusion of court, happy together forever.