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A review by brisingr
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
5.0
I wanted to read this book from the first second after I ordered it. I knew how great it must be, since it was recommended to me by a friend with great and similar to mine tastes. So the only problem here is: why did I wait so much until I read it?
Across the Nightingale Floor is the first volume of the Tales of the Otori series. Situated in a medieval Japan, but totally different, filled with something like magic, but still keeping its strong sense of honor, the plot follows two protagonists that couldn’t be more different: Takeo, saved from death by a disgraced senior and for whom he is ready to do anything; and Kaede, a young, beautiful girl, separated from her family because of clans’ misunderstandings, who has the reputation of bringing death to the men that desire her. But the past, and especially the destiny, don’t bypass anyone.
I don’t even know where to… really start. I am stuck in that world, still, that it’s quite hard for me to write some coherent thoughts. I will try though. And I will start by saying that this is probably the first book I’ve read where I really wanted to be there, to take part in the action. I felt my blood boiling at the thought that I could be doing some things, that I would like to have a saying in how my life will play off in a world where I don’t belong to myself, that I could prove my own honor. I was hooked by a history that doesn’t belong to our world, but one that has been based on the same cruelty and selfishness of humans. I found myself crying, sighing and hoping, as all the aspects of the story were revealed to me. All these things only helped me realize how much the book resonated with the hopes of my heart, and so I just loved it even more.
I really liked how the action went and how all those happenings brought us the ending we have. I was expecting some things, of others you are told, and at others you’re looking like an idiot, without realizing they are there to begin with. The fact is that you’ll get hooked by the book, and the writing style, sometimes simple, sometimes filled with subtle meanings, only made me think of Japan and the way its population is. Lian Harn manages to skillfully describe the new world and its rules, combining the political, racial, religious and clan issues.
The characters were lovely! I didn’t think I will get attached so fast or so strong to so many, but somehow it happened. I seriously wish for all the best to happen to them, but unfortunately the world is not made of pink, puffy clouds, so I just had to look at them evolving, challenged and passing all the obstacles in their way, becoming characters worth admiring. The characters are well-written and through them, the book destroys a lot of misconceptions that you might have upon starting to read this book. You can emphasize with them because they have unexpected reactions, typical for real life.
Usually, the first volume in a series rarely gets my tears, but for this story… I felt desperately every single emotion, this is how involved in the book I was. Plus, I was fascinated by some images described during the story… Those kind of visual images that leave an impact on you, that will stay imprinted on your mind for years and years. If I will ever get over the love that starts growing towards this series, I know those images will remain with me, putting the sign of a good book.
Long story short, I was charmed by this book and the next books in the series are just as good and captivating as this one.
Across the Nightingale Floor is the first volume of the Tales of the Otori series. Situated in a medieval Japan, but totally different, filled with something like magic, but still keeping its strong sense of honor, the plot follows two protagonists that couldn’t be more different: Takeo, saved from death by a disgraced senior and for whom he is ready to do anything; and Kaede, a young, beautiful girl, separated from her family because of clans’ misunderstandings, who has the reputation of bringing death to the men that desire her. But the past, and especially the destiny, don’t bypass anyone.
I don’t even know where to… really start. I am stuck in that world, still, that it’s quite hard for me to write some coherent thoughts. I will try though. And I will start by saying that this is probably the first book I’ve read where I really wanted to be there, to take part in the action. I felt my blood boiling at the thought that I could be doing some things, that I would like to have a saying in how my life will play off in a world where I don’t belong to myself, that I could prove my own honor. I was hooked by a history that doesn’t belong to our world, but one that has been based on the same cruelty and selfishness of humans. I found myself crying, sighing and hoping, as all the aspects of the story were revealed to me. All these things only helped me realize how much the book resonated with the hopes of my heart, and so I just loved it even more.
I really liked how the action went and how all those happenings brought us the ending we have. I was expecting some things, of others you are told, and at others you’re looking like an idiot, without realizing they are there to begin with. The fact is that you’ll get hooked by the book, and the writing style, sometimes simple, sometimes filled with subtle meanings, only made me think of Japan and the way its population is. Lian Harn manages to skillfully describe the new world and its rules, combining the political, racial, religious and clan issues.
The characters were lovely! I didn’t think I will get attached so fast or so strong to so many, but somehow it happened. I seriously wish for all the best to happen to them, but unfortunately the world is not made of pink, puffy clouds, so I just had to look at them evolving, challenged and passing all the obstacles in their way, becoming characters worth admiring. The characters are well-written and through them, the book destroys a lot of misconceptions that you might have upon starting to read this book. You can emphasize with them because they have unexpected reactions, typical for real life.
Usually, the first volume in a series rarely gets my tears, but for this story… I felt desperately every single emotion, this is how involved in the book I was. Plus, I was fascinated by some images described during the story… Those kind of visual images that leave an impact on you, that will stay imprinted on your mind for years and years. If I will ever get over the love that starts growing towards this series, I know those images will remain with me, putting the sign of a good book.
Long story short, I was charmed by this book and the next books in the series are just as good and captivating as this one.