Takeo's world is upended when his entire family is killed and his village is obliterated. He is adopted by his mysterious savior and learns he is a member of the Tribe, a family of assassins that possesses modest supernatural powers. He hones his skills and nurses dreams of revenge.
My take
I can't remember how I first heard about this book—I may have read about it when it the New York Times named it one of the notable books of the year in 2002—but I'm glad I put it on my reading list.
The story takes place in a world that's very similar—but obviously not identical—to feudal Japan. While some of the characters and events are based on real historical figures and occurrences, I didn't mind that they weren't exact copies. Lian Hearn introduced the concept of a separate race of people who can move at super speeds and make themselves invisible, so why not alter other details to suit the story?
Across the Nightingale Floor was written for a non-Japanese audience, so I was impressed at how seamlessly Hearn incorporated information about a history and culture that most readers probably wouldn't know much about. Her writing style also helps move the story along smoothly.
Takeo has a strong voice and is a well-drawn character. I felt for him and was fully invested in his part of the story. It was fun to read along as he discovered his new talents, and it was wrenching to read about the choices he faced—avenge his family, stay loyal to his adoptive father, or fully join the Tribe. His metamorphosis from country boy to mature warrior is well done. Unfortunately, the female lead, Kaede, does not fare so well. Her story is never as captivating or convincing as Takeo's. She's supposed to be a young woman who finds strength within herself much as Takeo does, but it seems forced and even a little cliched. Takeo's and Kaede's stories eventually mesh and they predictably fall in love immediately. It was sweet to read about but distracted from the larger picture. The narrative was strong—until the end, which was mostly Kaede's fault. Without giving too much away, I understand she needed revenge just like Takeo did, but the resolution to her story seemed contrived and it came at the expense of a satisfying conclusion for Takeo. Since he was the main protagonist, I felt cheated.
Bottom line
Highly enjoyable and mostly terrific. I'd recommend it, especially if you have any interest in feudal Japan. It's the first book in a series—I put the second one on my to-read list, but I didn't run out and get it, mostly because I was a little disappointed in the ending.
Fine print
Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
Genre: Fantasyish/historyish fiction
Photo from Goodreads
I borrowed this book from the library
