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pmtracy 's review for:
The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori
by Lian Hearn
This is the last volume in the epic tale of the Otori clan. I've enjoyed the Otori novels but the pacing of this one seemed off. This had a really slow start and the ending seemed rushed. It appeared as if the author realized the book was running long and, since this is the conclusion, needed to quickly tie up a bunch of lose threads.
One of the most disconcerting qualities was the sudden and dramatic personality shifts that occur across many of the characters in the last few chapters. Those that have been consistently heroic and honorable turn villainous. Enemies become allies. Love turns to hate. All this adds up to a massive collapse and implosion of the Otori empire that we have come to respect and admire.
Characters are important in this book. The author spends a lot of time giving us minute details about appearance, behavior and motivation. This extends even to the horses, which happen to be included in the list of characters at the start of the book. To have everything change so suddenly at the end leaves you feeling depressed and wishing for a different ending. Although, I suppose those are the same emotions experienced by the characters left standing at the end of the book.
One of the most disconcerting qualities was the sudden and dramatic personality shifts that occur across many of the characters in the last few chapters. Those that have been consistently heroic and honorable turn villainous. Enemies become allies. Love turns to hate. All this adds up to a massive collapse and implosion of the Otori empire that we have come to respect and admire.
Characters are important in this book. The author spends a lot of time giving us minute details about appearance, behavior and motivation. This extends even to the horses, which happen to be included in the list of characters at the start of the book. To have everything change so suddenly at the end leaves you feeling depressed and wishing for a different ending. Although, I suppose those are the same emotions experienced by the characters left standing at the end of the book.