Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Le pavillon des hommes, Tome 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga, Samson Sylvain

1 review

colorful_lulu's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Ooku: The Inner Chamber is the ultimate gender reverse of Japan during the Edo period where women are shoguns because men are dying. A deadly epidemic called Redface pox that kills 75% of the men in Japan making them sacred and valuable for reproduction. 80 years after the epidemic our main character, Mizuno, sets out to become a member of the Ooku, an inner chamber inside the Edo castle filled with 3000 handsome men reserved only for the Shogun. Midway through the book, the previous shogun (of age 7, which means she became a shogun as 3) passed away bringing a new era where shogun Yoshihumi, a strong woman with strong views and beliefs, changes the oppressive social structure and breaks negative gender stereotypes. 

Ooku: The Inner Chamber is a very memorable and valuable book as it delivers the theme of the story that is relevant for all ages even if you’re not part of the Japanese culture. I really enjoyed the new shogun, Yoshihumi, as it’s not often when you see a woman in power not apologetic about using her power and being clear about her opinion. The setting of the Ooku was really interesting as it was very different from what you imagine when you think of a castle filled with men during a period of time when men were sacred. The last chapter when the Shogun is discussing names is the most confusing part of the book which took away from me understanding the theme better, which is why I gave it 4.5 stars. 

Overall it’s a really creative book that teaches you about Japanese culture from a perspective of a gender reverse and it has really good themes that everyone can understand. 
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