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siria's review
5.0
I cannot remember who it was who recommended this novel to me, so I will just have to thank the happy serendipity which caused my eye to fall upon it while I was pottering around in the Forbidden Planet in London, and made me pick it up. The prose is a delight--vivid and subtle and precise--full of insights which are sharp without ever being overstated. Johnson also manages to interweave the two main strands of the story incredibly well--of Princess Harueme, old and slowly dying, and of the cat-turned-woman, Kagaya-hime. They are never made truly distinct from one another, flowing from Harueme's story to Kagaya-hime's and back again. In the hands of a lesser writer, such a story-telling device would be confusing, but Johnson makes it work incredibly well for her. This is apparently the successor to a previous novel, which is definitely going on my to-look-for list.
joytok's review
4.0
Slow but interesting and beautifully written. Characters aren't incredibly relatable but I still felt compelled to read their story.
oceannakolb's review
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
1_and_owenly's review
5.0
While I enjoyed the poetry of The Fox Woman, I felt Fudoki in my breath and my toes.
Maybe it is because I have spent more time with cats than foxes.
Maybe Kij Johnson grew as a writer and I as a reader.
Maybe it was that the format was more conventional.
Maybe it was all of those things and none of them.
I savored every last bite of this book with its freedoms and stubborness and refusals and curiosities.
Maybe it is because I have spent more time with cats than foxes.
Maybe Kij Johnson grew as a writer and I as a reader.
Maybe it was that the format was more conventional.
Maybe it was all of those things and none of them.
I savored every last bite of this book with its freedoms and stubborness and refusals and curiosities.
pip94's review
5.0
This was fantasy like I have never read before - it is really a mix of fantasy and historical fiction. It is such a unique book based on Japanese myth that is beautifully written - it is an adventure that will have you engaged until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed the two storylines of Harueme and the cat woman Kagaya-hime, and it is the type of book that you just don't want to end. Johnson did a phenomenal job at making both narratives engaging and I can't pick a favourite. I also loved the setting of 11th century Japan and it was interesting to learn more about court life, especially for the women. If you are interested in Japanese culture, history and/or mythology then you will most likely enjoy this. I highly recommend it.
sarahjjs's review
4.0
This was a beautiful cold fable with feminist undertones. The ending wad amazing! I think I would have maybe gave it a slightly lower rating if it weren't for the ending. This was a story about strong women, death, loss and I suppose the lack of meaning in life without beinh depressing. I really liked this.
salixj's review
5.0
Loved the book. Lyrical and refreshing. The sentences were beautifully constructed and drew vivid images of fancy and reality, weaving a tapestry that was beautiful, mystical and ultimately believable.
see_sadie_read's review
4.0
It took me a full 120 pages to finally get truly interested in this book. It's just so very slow. Now, it's meant to be. It's about a dying old woman who, while writing a fictional story, is contemplated her life. From the very beginning there was a lot to think about, but I was honestly bored. However, once Hime becomes human things pick up a little...or maybe I had finally just adjusted to the slow pace.
But once I got past the slow pace, I was really impressed with this as a contemplation on place—the idea of one's social place, place as a physical location and the intersection of these ideas that construct our sense of ourselves (Fudoki). Harueme is a princess—daughter, grandaughter, sister and aunt to emperors. But this same high rank (place in society) is a prison of sort, keeping her in her place dreaming of being free, of seeing the world and new places. She is never allowed to escape her place, physical or cultural. While simultaneously, Hime is a cat who has lost her Fudoki, her place and therefore the sense and understand of self that it provided. She spends the whole book looking for a place to be her and her own.
If you're looking for a contemplative read and have any interest in 11th century Japanese culture I recommend picking this one up.
But once I got past the slow pace, I was really impressed with this as a contemplation on place—the idea of one's social place, place as a physical location and the intersection of these ideas that construct our sense of ourselves (Fudoki). Harueme is a princess—daughter, grandaughter, sister and aunt to emperors. But this same high rank (place in society) is a prison of sort, keeping her in her place dreaming of being free, of seeing the world and new places. She is never allowed to escape her place, physical or cultural. While simultaneously, Hime is a cat who has lost her Fudoki, her place and therefore the sense and understand of self that it provided. She spends the whole book looking for a place to be her and her own.
If you're looking for a contemplative read and have any interest in 11th century Japanese culture I recommend picking this one up.
cindywho's review
3.0
A story within a story, somewhat related to her other book, The Fox Woman. A dying princess fills her last notebooks before she is to be moved to a convent. She tells the story of a cat that has lost everything and hits the road. Its spirit changes her into a warrior and she has the adventures that the princess never had. Sometimes it seemed a little soulless in its beauty, but I liked the story (December 08, 2003)