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simonas681's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
artyemis's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5
Deludente.
Ammetto di avere un debole per i "romanzi storici" ambientati in Giappone, ma questo di storico ha davvero pochissimo. La narrazione di Yozo è lenta e noiosa, ed in alcuni punti troppo prevedibile (il marito di Hana che ritorna anche se tutti lo davano per morto è un'uscita da Harmony). Per quanto riguarda Hana non mi è piaciuta e non mi ha convinto.
Non critico il fatto che si sia dovuta vendere, infondo aveva poche alternative soprattutto dopo essere stata venduta, ma è fastidioso il fatto che continui ad essere descritta ed a considerarsi lei stessa come diversa dalle altre e "pura" quando di sicuro è tutto tranne che innocente.
Finale scontato poi, speravo in qualcosa di meglio.
Deludente.
Ammetto di avere un debole per i "romanzi storici" ambientati in Giappone, ma questo di storico ha davvero pochissimo. La narrazione di Yozo è lenta e noiosa, ed in alcuni punti troppo prevedibile (il marito di Hana che ritorna anche se tutti lo davano per morto è un'uscita da Harmony). Per quanto riguarda Hana non mi è piaciuta e non mi ha convinto.
Non critico il fatto che si sia dovuta vendere, infondo aveva poche alternative soprattutto dopo essere stata venduta, ma è fastidioso il fatto che continui ad essere descritta ed a considerarsi lei stessa come diversa dalle altre e "pura" quando di sicuro è tutto tranne che innocente.
Finale scontato poi, speravo in qualcosa di meglio.
violetamethyst's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the world building and characters in this book. It was wonderfully done. But the pace of the story was a little off. The couple only meet about halfway through the book and from there on, things seem much more rushed. I liked that we were shown their own individual stories but if not for the blurb at the back of the book, I would have thought I was reading 2 different books.
The worst part was the end... where Yozo just abandons his friends to save Hana and then he's just like... well it was a stupid plan anyway, they're probably all in prison now. There's nothing to hint that he may try to save them.
The author's notes give us a little more insight into what could have happened to those characters but I felt it was pretty inadequate after everything Yozo had been through with them.
The worst part was the end... where Yozo just abandons his friends to save Hana and then he's just like... well it was a stupid plan anyway, they're probably all in prison now. There's nothing to hint that he may try to save them.
The author's notes give us a little more insight into what could have happened to those characters but I felt it was pretty inadequate after everything Yozo had been through with them.
winterzeshoek's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as The Last Concubine, but still an interesting read. I didn't care much for the romance between the main characters - it was all a bit too fast - but loved the detailed descriptions.
jennifer_c_s's review against another edition
3.0
‘We need to look to the future, not back at the past.’
This novel is set in 1868/69, during the period of civil war (known as the Meiji Restoration) between the shogunate forces (the northerners) and the imperial Japanese forces (the southerners).
The novel’s protagonist, Hana, is seventeen when her husband, a commander in the Northern Alliance, leaves her to go to war. Hana is the daughter of a samurai, and her duty as a samurai wife is clear. The northerners are losing, and when the southerners attack her home and she is unable to defend it she flees for her life across the shattered city of Edo (later renamed Tokyo). Hana is first helped, and then sold, by a procuress to become a courtesan in the five streets of the Yoshiwara.
Yozo Tajima returns to Japan after four years in the West, just in time to find the world he left behind in the last throes of destruction. He is captured while travelling north to rejoin his comrades, but escapes and makes his way to the Yoshiwara. Here he meets Hana, and they fall in love. They are, it appears, fated to be together but there are certain obstacles to overcome first.
I enjoyed this novel, more for the rich historical detail than the actual love story between Yozo and Hana. I know little about this period of Japanese history and found this aspect of the novel quite absorbing. The details of the lives of courtesans in Yoshiwara were intriguing, as was Yozo’s story as one of a number of Japanese who spent time in the west.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel is set in 1868/69, during the period of civil war (known as the Meiji Restoration) between the shogunate forces (the northerners) and the imperial Japanese forces (the southerners).
The novel’s protagonist, Hana, is seventeen when her husband, a commander in the Northern Alliance, leaves her to go to war. Hana is the daughter of a samurai, and her duty as a samurai wife is clear. The northerners are losing, and when the southerners attack her home and she is unable to defend it she flees for her life across the shattered city of Edo (later renamed Tokyo). Hana is first helped, and then sold, by a procuress to become a courtesan in the five streets of the Yoshiwara.
Yozo Tajima returns to Japan after four years in the West, just in time to find the world he left behind in the last throes of destruction. He is captured while travelling north to rejoin his comrades, but escapes and makes his way to the Yoshiwara. Here he meets Hana, and they fall in love. They are, it appears, fated to be together but there are certain obstacles to overcome first.
I enjoyed this novel, more for the rich historical detail than the actual love story between Yozo and Hana. I know little about this period of Japanese history and found this aspect of the novel quite absorbing. The details of the lives of courtesans in Yoshiwara were intriguing, as was Yozo’s story as one of a number of Japanese who spent time in the west.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
janeeyree's review against another edition
3.0
It isn't a bad book, but I was a little bit disappointed. Some parts of the book are dull and not developed as much as they could be. Love-story between Hana and Yozo is quite rushed. Liked the ending though.
pennin's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! Pretty much flew through it. I loved the historical setting and the characters. The only issue I had was the pacing where the book felt rushed towards the end. It took too long before the two main characters meet that by that point, there wasn't enough time to develop their relationship or the plot that followed. Surprisingly enough I actually enjoyed the insta-love in this book because I was invested in both of the characters prior to them meeting and by extension, ended up rooting for their romance despite the fact that it was underdeveloped.
xsassypants's review against another edition
5.0
《Like the pine and the chrysanthemum that bloomed in winter when other flowers had died, a courtesan's charms endured for ever.》
Once again Lesley Downer proves to be one of my favorite authors EVER.
I don't even know why this book's ratings are so low, honestly.
The accuracy of the facts that are told, the details and the story itself totally mesmerized me.
Two thumbs up!!
ananko's review against another edition
2.0
Ich habe lange vor diesem Buch gestanden und wollte es unbedingt haben.
Allein schon der Titel hat in mir Assoziationen wachgerufen, die mir gesagt haben, das wird ein geniales Buch und auch die Kurzbeschreibung klang in meinen Ohren sehr vielversprechend. Außerdem war mir auch die Autorin ein durchaus positivbehafteter Begriff.
Vielleicht aus genau diesen Gründen und auf der Tatsache basierend, dass ich sehr hohe Erwartungen an dieses Buch hatte, bin ich schwer entäuscht worden.
Die Charaktere waren -meiner Meinung nach- wandelnde Stereotype. Die Handlung leider auch. Sie war vorhersehbar und erfüllte so ziemlich jedes Cliché. Mir fallen nur wenige Dinge aus dieser Kiste jetzt noch fehlen ein. Außer vielleicht noh Hochzeit und Kind. Aber egal.
Gut gefallen hat mir die Sprache. Sie war angemessen. Leider wurden teilweise Begriffe in den Raum geworfen, mit denen "normale" Leser nicht unbedingt etwas anfangen können und die dann auch nicht, oder nur unzureichend erklärt werden. Das hat mich besonders gestört, da ich um meine Wissenslücken aufzufüllen immer abbrechen musste, um dann die Informationen nachzuschlagen. Mir hat das die Lesefreude deutlich getrübt.
Ich hätte eine etwas bildreichere Sprache noch passender für die angestrebten Wirkung und Wahrnehmung des Buches gefunden.
Wirklich gut war meiner Meinung nach die Recherche für dieses Buch. Allerdings ist das in meinr Auffassung auch selbstverständlich für einen guten Historienroman.
Ganz nebenbei flossen hier interessante geschichtliche Fakten mit ein. Das hat mir wirklich gut gefallen.
Nichts desto trotz fand ich das Buch eher mau. Das Geld hätte ich auch anderweitig investieren können und nochmal lesen wrde ih diesen Roman in näherer Zukunft wohl auch nicht.
Allein schon der Titel hat in mir Assoziationen wachgerufen, die mir gesagt haben, das wird ein geniales Buch und auch die Kurzbeschreibung klang in meinen Ohren sehr vielversprechend. Außerdem war mir auch die Autorin ein durchaus positivbehafteter Begriff.
Vielleicht aus genau diesen Gründen und auf der Tatsache basierend, dass ich sehr hohe Erwartungen an dieses Buch hatte, bin ich schwer entäuscht worden.
Die Charaktere waren -meiner Meinung nach- wandelnde Stereotype. Die Handlung leider auch. Sie war vorhersehbar und erfüllte so ziemlich jedes Cliché. Mir fallen nur wenige Dinge aus dieser Kiste jetzt noch fehlen ein. Außer vielleicht noh Hochzeit und Kind. Aber egal.
Gut gefallen hat mir die Sprache. Sie war angemessen. Leider wurden teilweise Begriffe in den Raum geworfen, mit denen "normale" Leser nicht unbedingt etwas anfangen können und die dann auch nicht, oder nur unzureichend erklärt werden. Das hat mich besonders gestört, da ich um meine Wissenslücken aufzufüllen immer abbrechen musste, um dann die Informationen nachzuschlagen. Mir hat das die Lesefreude deutlich getrübt.
Ich hätte eine etwas bildreichere Sprache noch passender für die angestrebten Wirkung und Wahrnehmung des Buches gefunden.
Wirklich gut war meiner Meinung nach die Recherche für dieses Buch. Allerdings ist das in meinr Auffassung auch selbstverständlich für einen guten Historienroman.
Ganz nebenbei flossen hier interessante geschichtliche Fakten mit ein. Das hat mir wirklich gut gefallen.
Nichts desto trotz fand ich das Buch eher mau. Das Geld hätte ich auch anderweitig investieren können und nochmal lesen wrde ih diesen Roman in näherer Zukunft wohl auch nicht.