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graddystation's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It was a good read bringing a nun samurai and cowboy together
unklekrinkle's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
reedatl's review against another edition
3.0
Cloud of Sparrows reads like a cross between an action film, a western, and a cheesy melodrama. That may sound bad, but this pretty much describes most good samurai stories. The senseless violence and insufferable arrogance of the samurai is often juxtaposed with his intense passion, loyalty, depth of feeling, and often ridiculous sentimentality.
Set at end of the Edo period, the last years of the samurai, the book opens 6 years after Japan opened its borders to foreigners for the first time in 200 years and 8 years after Commodore Perry threatened to bombard Edo if the shogunate refused to trade and negotiate with the West. Like most books of this period, it's a nice way of seeing the mindset and historical setting that led to Japan's transformation into the empire of WWII, growing from a feudalistic society into modern military powerhouse in just 70 years or so (arguably 1868-1945).
The author depicts what the samurai were in interesting ways. He'll romanticize the samurai lifestyle, then suddenly mock it, and then he exposes it for the terrible thing it was- a class system that allowed for the worst kinds of atrocities to befall the peasant and working class. The biggest strength of the books is having characters that you grow to like commit the worst acts of cruelty because of this class system and their sense of duty. The author doesn't pull any punches when it comes to violence.
I grew up with Kurosawa films and the Zatoichi series; I've grown pretty use to the things that might bother others. This book is not without it's flaws, but it is a good samurai story. It's also got a nice western revenge tale thrown in the mix with cowboys, six shooters, prostitutes- everything except Indians really. It's not for everyone and it won't change any lives. I wouldn't strongly recommend it unless you're specifically looking for a historical fiction that's heavy on the action. If you liked Clavell's Shogun, this is kind of like Diet Shogun- less pages, more ninja battles, and less characterization. But I liked it and will probably give the sequel a hundred pages or so to woo me into finishing. 3 stars.
Set at end of the Edo period, the last years of the samurai, the book opens 6 years after Japan opened its borders to foreigners for the first time in 200 years and 8 years after Commodore Perry threatened to bombard Edo if the shogunate refused to trade and negotiate with the West. Like most books of this period, it's a nice way of seeing the mindset and historical setting that led to Japan's transformation into the empire of WWII, growing from a feudalistic society into modern military powerhouse in just 70 years or so (arguably 1868-1945).
The author depicts what the samurai were in interesting ways. He'll romanticize the samurai lifestyle, then suddenly mock it, and then he exposes it for the terrible thing it was- a class system that allowed for the worst kinds of atrocities to befall the peasant and working class. The biggest strength of the books is having characters that you grow to like commit the worst acts of cruelty because of this class system and their sense of duty. The author doesn't pull any punches when it comes to violence.
I grew up with Kurosawa films and the Zatoichi series; I've grown pretty use to the things that might bother others. This book is not without it's flaws, but it is a good samurai story. It's also got a nice western revenge tale thrown in the mix with cowboys, six shooters, prostitutes- everything except Indians really. It's not for everyone and it won't change any lives. I wouldn't strongly recommend it unless you're specifically looking for a historical fiction that's heavy on the action. If you liked Clavell's Shogun, this is kind of like Diet Shogun- less pages, more ninja battles, and less characterization. But I liked it and will probably give the sequel a hundred pages or so to woo me into finishing. 3 stars.
soppycat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and got very absorbed. The writing really draws you in, along with an interesting set of characters and story. Would recommend.
wyrmdog's review against another edition
5.0
Historically-based with a very light sprinkling of the fantastic (primarily via prophetic visions), Cloud of Sparrows is one of my favorite books. Set during the years immediately preceding the Meiji Restoration, it takes a historical setting and makes it work for a tale at once sweepingly epic and intensely personal.
Matsuoka writes characters that are at once compellingly sympathetic yet still at times, utter monsters by modern sensibilities. They are consistent and honest and engaging. The book bridges two societies both in narrative and aesthetic and in doing so, shows us the horrors we wreak in the name of honor and vengeance, the cycle of violence, how our very identities compel actions we know are horrific yet feel are necessary. He shows us people that change, and people that cannot; people that escape their past and people that are subjugated by it; people that look to the future while clinging to the past, and people who simply shatter.
Though handled tastefully, this book is not for the overly sensitive. Children are murdered and the mores of the characters may strike some as utterly alien. I have the advantage of a fascination with feudal Japanese culture and so was not surprised by much of it. I was, however, glad of the fact that Matsuoka refused to sanitize the tale unnecessarily. There are some hard scenes but they are not gratuitous ones. I can safely say that it is as close to the perfect balance as it is possible to be, showing just as much as is needed in a scene and no more, but never shying from the detail necessary to craft an engaging story about a land most readers have never visited, and likely never will, in a time long faded into myth and legend.
Matsuoka writes characters that are at once compellingly sympathetic yet still at times, utter monsters by modern sensibilities. They are consistent and honest and engaging. The book bridges two societies both in narrative and aesthetic and in doing so, shows us the horrors we wreak in the name of honor and vengeance, the cycle of violence, how our very identities compel actions we know are horrific yet feel are necessary. He shows us people that change, and people that cannot; people that escape their past and people that are subjugated by it; people that look to the future while clinging to the past, and people who simply shatter.
Though handled tastefully, this book is not for the overly sensitive. Children are murdered and the mores of the characters may strike some as utterly alien. I have the advantage of a fascination with feudal Japanese culture and so was not surprised by much of it. I was, however, glad of the fact that Matsuoka refused to sanitize the tale unnecessarily. There are some hard scenes but they are not gratuitous ones. I can safely say that it is as close to the perfect balance as it is possible to be, showing just as much as is needed in a scene and no more, but never shying from the detail necessary to craft an engaging story about a land most readers have never visited, and likely never will, in a time long faded into myth and legend.
colinjclements19's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
binstonbirchill's review against another edition
4.0
The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the cultural and historical content. The author switches between characters quite often so you the story unfold from more than one perspective. It seemed like this book was going to be even larger in scope than it ended up being, if one has a knowledge of Japanese history this wouldn't be much of a problem, those who lack that knowledge may find the end a bit frustrating as they will be wanting more of what was hinted at during the novel.
bookrunner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
maddypertiwi's review against another edition
4.0
"Klan Okumichi telah menguasai wilayah Akaoka dengan gelar Bangsawan Agung Akaoka. Sudah menjadi buah bibir di masyarakat kalau pewaris klan Okumichi memiliki kemampuan meramal. Belum lagi tindakan mereka yang dianggap aneh karena menerima kehadiran orang asing. Itulah yang dilakukan Genji Okumichi dengan menerima 3 misionaris Kristen ke wilayahnya. Selain masalah itu, Genji juga harus menghadapi pengkhianatan dari orang-orang kepercayaannya, pamannya yang dianggap gila dan... 3 pertanda yang datang kepadanya."
Takashi merupakan orang Jepang yang lahir di Hawaii. Semasa hidupnya dia pernah bekerja di kuil Buddha Zen sehingga dia hafal betul seluk beluk aliran ini dan dituangkan ke dalam buku ini.
Kalau sudah membaca novel Dan Brown, pasti udah gak asing lagi dengan plot yang beralih-alih. Terkadang kembali ke masa lalu dan sekarang. Tapi tidak membuat kita bingung karena peralihan itu. Keadaan Jepang di masa akhir Shogun Tokugawa digambarkan dengan detil, mulai dari pakaian, cara bicara hingga pemandangannya. Takashi mengajak kita bertamasya dengan itu semua. Selain itu, setiap babnya diawali dengan kata2 dari Kitab Suzume-no-Ume yang menceritakan asal mula klan Okumichi. Kata2nya sungguh bijaksana en menyentuh.
Kalo membaca buku ini, mungkin ending terakhirnya akan menggantung. Jangan heran karena buku ini mempunyai sekuelnya. Bagi kalian yang menyukai bacaan yang mengandung sejarah, terutama Jepang buku ini cocok untuk dibaca. Menurut The Daily, bisa dikatakan "Samurai" karya Takashi ini setara dengan "Shogun" karya James Clavell. Gak nyesel deh...
Takashi merupakan orang Jepang yang lahir di Hawaii. Semasa hidupnya dia pernah bekerja di kuil Buddha Zen sehingga dia hafal betul seluk beluk aliran ini dan dituangkan ke dalam buku ini.
Kalau sudah membaca novel Dan Brown, pasti udah gak asing lagi dengan plot yang beralih-alih. Terkadang kembali ke masa lalu dan sekarang. Tapi tidak membuat kita bingung karena peralihan itu. Keadaan Jepang di masa akhir Shogun Tokugawa digambarkan dengan detil, mulai dari pakaian, cara bicara hingga pemandangannya. Takashi mengajak kita bertamasya dengan itu semua. Selain itu, setiap babnya diawali dengan kata2 dari Kitab Suzume-no-Ume yang menceritakan asal mula klan Okumichi. Kata2nya sungguh bijaksana en menyentuh.
Kalo membaca buku ini, mungkin ending terakhirnya akan menggantung. Jangan heran karena buku ini mempunyai sekuelnya. Bagi kalian yang menyukai bacaan yang mengandung sejarah, terutama Jepang buku ini cocok untuk dibaca. Menurut The Daily, bisa dikatakan "Samurai" karya Takashi ini setara dengan "Shogun" karya James Clavell. Gak nyesel deh...