A review by yorugua1891
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
4.0
Nice blend of fantasy, suspense and romance
Being a fan of the fantasy genre, this work comes as a breath of fresh air. The setting is stunning; a made up feudal Japan but that maintains most of the traits of this fascinating culture. The basis for the plot is not the most unusual I have seen, a man whose village was decimated and after escaping he seeks revenge. But there are many interesting points added to the plot that make it unique and engaging, such as the loyalty the main character, Takeo, develops towards his savior, Shigeru, from the massacre and how it shapes his destiny, but also the fact that he belongs to "the tribe", a hidden group of people that can claim his allegiance.
As this book progresses we get to read about Takeo's journey. His development with the Otori (Shigeru's family), his discovery of some fantastic skills, his introduction to love, all of this in the midst of a complicated game of chess (or since it is a Japanese setting would be better to say Go), in which a false step may lead to disaster.
If I had to describe this book in two words I would say literary fantasy. I know that there are probably too many genres already out there, but the description fits perfectly. This is a truly we'll written piece of historical fantasy that keeps us reading avidly using suspense and romance to aid in this goal. This combination makes it a great work for people new to the fantasy genre, since they won't feel they are reading something completely foreign.
Being a fan of the fantasy genre, this work comes as a breath of fresh air. The setting is stunning; a made up feudal Japan but that maintains most of the traits of this fascinating culture. The basis for the plot is not the most unusual I have seen, a man whose village was decimated and after escaping he seeks revenge. But there are many interesting points added to the plot that make it unique and engaging, such as the loyalty the main character, Takeo, develops towards his savior, Shigeru, from the massacre and how it shapes his destiny, but also the fact that he belongs to "the tribe", a hidden group of people that can claim his allegiance.
As this book progresses we get to read about Takeo's journey. His development with the Otori (Shigeru's family), his discovery of some fantastic skills, his introduction to love, all of this in the midst of a complicated game of chess (or since it is a Japanese setting would be better to say Go), in which a false step may lead to disaster.
If I had to describe this book in two words I would say literary fantasy. I know that there are probably too many genres already out there, but the description fits perfectly. This is a truly we'll written piece of historical fantasy that keeps us reading avidly using suspense and romance to aid in this goal. This combination makes it a great work for people new to the fantasy genre, since they won't feel they are reading something completely foreign.