Scan barcode
annesophie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
jonathanbutlerauthor's review
3.0
I am a huge fan of the Otori series ([b:Across the Nightingale Floor|77160|Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, #1)|Lian Hearn|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347954422s/77160.jpg|161332]), as i think Hearn can portray characters and create an engaging plot extremely well. The era and locations were not pin pointed, but were obviously set in Japan. This enriched and supported the novels perfectly.
Blossoms and Shadows also had good character development and dramatic climaxes, but was weighed down by the historical elements. In one of the early chapters, Hearn describes ALL of the main characters in a confusing array of names. These characters continue to reappear throughout the novel, even occasionally referred to by nick name, with Hearn assuming the reader will recall them. It took me the entire novel to recognise half of the key players.
The problem is that the history isn't THAT interesting. The basic gist of the political storyline is that a group of progressive men are challenging the conservative government of Japan. This doesn't change much throughout the entire novel, but Hearn insists on reiterating this fact. The novel builds up to the final battles, which are told in third person and after the event, which is unfortunate as the drama was lost.
As previously mentioned however, I throughly enjoyed the principal characters and story elements. Characters from friends, teachers, lovers, family, children or fleeting encounters all are distinct and interesting. Hearn has clipped her indulgent descriptions of the scenery with Blossoms and Shadows (as compared to the Otori Series), only including descriptions if they were integral to the plot. Hearn cleverly communicates what Western culture may of looked like through the eyes of ancient Japan, convincing the reader of the fascination with photography or a gun. Hearn's comments on gender equality, western influences, medicine and dip into a taboo territory keeps the novel moving.
Overall it was a good summer read, with interesting gender/sex/society comments, character development and dramatic climaxes but unfortunately weighed down by historical content.
Blossoms and Shadows also had good character development and dramatic climaxes, but was weighed down by the historical elements. In one of the early chapters, Hearn describes ALL of the main characters in a confusing array of names. These characters continue to reappear throughout the novel, even occasionally referred to by nick name, with Hearn assuming the reader will recall them. It took me the entire novel to recognise half of the key players.
The problem is that the history isn't THAT interesting. The basic gist of the political storyline is that a group of progressive men are challenging the conservative government of Japan. This doesn't change much throughout the entire novel, but Hearn insists on reiterating this fact. The novel builds up to the final battles, which are told in third person and after the event, which is unfortunate as the drama was lost.
As previously mentioned however, I throughly enjoyed the principal characters and story elements. Characters from friends, teachers, lovers, family, children or fleeting encounters all are distinct and interesting. Hearn has clipped her indulgent descriptions of the scenery with Blossoms and Shadows (as compared to the Otori Series), only including descriptions if they were integral to the plot. Hearn cleverly communicates what Western culture may of looked like through the eyes of ancient Japan, convincing the reader of the fascination with photography or a gun. Hearn's comments on gender equality, western influences, medicine and dip into a taboo territory keeps the novel moving.
Overall it was a good summer read, with interesting gender/sex/society comments, character development and dramatic climaxes but unfortunately weighed down by historical content.
20megs's review
1.0
Never actually finished it. It was just too dull. There wasn't much happening and I really did try to like it. After 2 years I have finally given up.
librarylassamj's review
3.0
I enjoyed some of this fictional account of the background to the Meiji Restoration and the fall of the Shogunate, but I tended to get a bit lost in some of the detail Their were so many characters, it was difficult to keep a track on who was who and I think sometimes Lian Hearn didn't quite know what to do with the characters or where the plot was headed. At times it reads like a very dry textbook. Interesting though and her knowledge of Japanese history seems very thorough. I preferred he Tales of the Otori series, set in Feudal Japan, much more.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
3.0
‘Everyone knew that change was coming, but no-one knew what form it would take or what the world would be like afterwards.’
This novel is set in Japan, in the final years (1857-67) of the Tokugawa regime. This was a turbulent period (immediately before the Meiji Restoration of 1868) when Japan’s feudal society was under pressure both internally (as a consequence of famine, epidemic and feudal wars) and externally (from nations of the west).
The novel opens in 1857, and involves both fictional and historical characters. Our narrator is the fictional Tsuru, a young woman who is a member of a doctor’s family. Because doctors were generally an exception to the rigid class structures then in place, Tsuru had more opportunities to observe and participate in events than would usually have been the case for a woman. This makes her an interesting narrator of the events that unfold.
‘These are the men my story is about. It is they who broke down the old world and reformed the nation I now live in, with their dreams and delusions, their courage and stupidity, their unexpected successes and their painful failures.’
We first meet Tsuru on the day of her sister’s wedding, and it quickly becomes clear that Tsuru sees a different role for herself: one that is not in any sense traditional. Tsuru dreams of practising medicine, as an equal, alongside her father and then her husband. Tsuru’s story is interesting, but it is the story of Japan at this time that most held my interest.
There is a lot of historical detail in this novel and, for me at least, the characters became secondary to the events. This made reading the novel a bit of a challenge at times: there are a lot of different characters involved and it wasn’t always easy to remember where each one fitted into the narrative.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel is set in Japan, in the final years (1857-67) of the Tokugawa regime. This was a turbulent period (immediately before the Meiji Restoration of 1868) when Japan’s feudal society was under pressure both internally (as a consequence of famine, epidemic and feudal wars) and externally (from nations of the west).
The novel opens in 1857, and involves both fictional and historical characters. Our narrator is the fictional Tsuru, a young woman who is a member of a doctor’s family. Because doctors were generally an exception to the rigid class structures then in place, Tsuru had more opportunities to observe and participate in events than would usually have been the case for a woman. This makes her an interesting narrator of the events that unfold.
‘These are the men my story is about. It is they who broke down the old world and reformed the nation I now live in, with their dreams and delusions, their courage and stupidity, their unexpected successes and their painful failures.’
We first meet Tsuru on the day of her sister’s wedding, and it quickly becomes clear that Tsuru sees a different role for herself: one that is not in any sense traditional. Tsuru dreams of practising medicine, as an equal, alongside her father and then her husband. Tsuru’s story is interesting, but it is the story of Japan at this time that most held my interest.
There is a lot of historical detail in this novel and, for me at least, the characters became secondary to the events. This made reading the novel a bit of a challenge at times: there are a lot of different characters involved and it wasn’t always easy to remember where each one fitted into the narrative.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
alih's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
nica_eris's review
2.0
If I would rate the book cover I would give it a 10, But.
But.
The story is presented as a tale of a girl who ended up in the middle of the Japanese civil war in the 1860's when is, in fact, very much different.
Also, reading some synopsis online there was this focus on her relationship with her uncle. Yeah, I can agree it was scandalous but it seemed to me that it wasn't so important, not to her nor to the story.
Tsuru is a really strange main character, I didn't sympathize with her once.
More than a novel, it seemed kind of a summarized historical chronicle with some fiction here and there.
But.
The story is presented as a tale of a girl who ended up in the middle of the Japanese civil war in the 1860's when is, in fact, very much different.
Spoiler
I was kind of disappointed when she get married, for real. Because the synopsis in the book made me believe that that was something that was going to happen but it was canceled because of what was happening in the country.Also, reading some synopsis online there was this focus on her relationship with her uncle. Yeah, I can agree it was scandalous but it seemed to me that it wasn't so important, not to her nor to the story.
Tsuru is a really strange main character, I didn't sympathize with her once.
More than a novel, it seemed kind of a summarized historical chronicle with some fiction here and there.
leah_gravel's review against another edition
3.0
Etant une grande fan de la saga Le Clan des Otoris, je n'ai pas hésité une seule seconde à emprunter ce roman à la bibliothèque.
Lian Hearn retrace ici la révolte du domaine Chôshû contre le bakufu, un gouvernement militaire, entre 1857 et 1867. Nous suivons plus particulièrement Tsuru, une jeune japonaise qui rêve de devenir médecin comme son père.
L'histoire est prometteuse pour toute personne qui aime les romans historiques et qui s'intéresse à l'histoire du Japon (personnellement j'ai foncé, l'histoire du Japon me fascine). Mais (oui il y a un mais), le rythme du roman est très lent jusqu'aux dernières pages malgré les récits des différentes révoltes, assassinats ou complots (le début est même parfois ennuyeux). La multitude de personnages évoqués et côtoyant Tsuru ne fait qu'embrouiller le lecteur. Je devais souvent jeter un coup d'oeil à la liste présentée au début du roman afin de me rappeler qui était qui. Et forcément, quand on n'arrive pas à situer un personnage, l'intrigue nous laisse souvent de marbre pour ce qui le touche.
Un peu de positif maintenant, l'histoire d'amour tragique de Tsuru a réussi à m'emporter ainsi que ses aspirations pour devenir médecin. J'ai aimé suivre son destin aux côtés de tous les jeunes shishi qui allaient participer au renversement du bakufu. J'ai également apprécié le fait d'en apprendre énormément sur cette période du Japon. Certains chapitres relèvent plus du livre d'histoire que du roman historique mais on ne peut pas dire que Lian Hearn n'a pas bien bossé son sujet ! Il faut d'ailleurs avoir Wikipédia à porter de main afin de "traduire" les différents termes japonais utilisés dans le livre...
Pour conclure, La maison de l'Arbre joueur est pour tous les lecteurs qui veulent en apprendre plus sur l'histoire du Japon et qui n'ont pas peur de s'attaquer à une lecture parfois un peu complexe.
Lian Hearn retrace ici la révolte du domaine Chôshû contre le bakufu, un gouvernement militaire, entre 1857 et 1867. Nous suivons plus particulièrement Tsuru, une jeune japonaise qui rêve de devenir médecin comme son père.
L'histoire est prometteuse pour toute personne qui aime les romans historiques et qui s'intéresse à l'histoire du Japon (personnellement j'ai foncé, l'histoire du Japon me fascine). Mais (oui il y a un mais), le rythme du roman est très lent jusqu'aux dernières pages malgré les récits des différentes révoltes, assassinats ou complots (le début est même parfois ennuyeux). La multitude de personnages évoqués et côtoyant Tsuru ne fait qu'embrouiller le lecteur. Je devais souvent jeter un coup d'oeil à la liste présentée au début du roman afin de me rappeler qui était qui. Et forcément, quand on n'arrive pas à situer un personnage, l'intrigue nous laisse souvent de marbre pour ce qui le touche.
Un peu de positif maintenant, l'histoire d'amour tragique de Tsuru a réussi à m'emporter ainsi que ses aspirations pour devenir médecin. J'ai aimé suivre son destin aux côtés de tous les jeunes shishi qui allaient participer au renversement du bakufu. J'ai également apprécié le fait d'en apprendre énormément sur cette période du Japon. Certains chapitres relèvent plus du livre d'histoire que du roman historique mais on ne peut pas dire que Lian Hearn n'a pas bien bossé son sujet ! Il faut d'ailleurs avoir Wikipédia à porter de main afin de "traduire" les différents termes japonais utilisés dans le livre...
Pour conclure, La maison de l'Arbre joueur est pour tous les lecteurs qui veulent en apprendre plus sur l'histoire du Japon et qui n'ont pas peur de s'attaquer à une lecture parfois un peu complexe.