A review by sofipitch
The Tale of Genji: The Authentic First Translation of the World's Earliest Novel by Murasaki Shikibu, Michael Emmerich, Kencho Suematsu

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This was entertaining but I wish I had a different translation. Looking at other summaries of the chapters online this translation felt like a neutered version of the story, it tried really hard to avoid telling you if the characters were having sex, which could just be a reflection of the time period or was written and translated in. But for a story about a pretty boy who can't keep it in his pants, it took me way to long to realize what kind of relationships Genji was having with various individuals.
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