Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven

This book is about Kazunomiya, a young girl in Imperial Japan living at the end of the samurai era. She feels that she is basically a prisoner, her life controlled by others for their own purposes. She has been engaged to someone and had no input into that. She is a political pawn to be used by others and also has no say over that, either.

It's a novel that tells her personal story but at the same time gives the reader an excellent view into Japan at the end of the samurai period and the beginning of "modern" Japan. It also shows just how Japan was forced to open its borders by Western countries, including the United States, who were willing to use their advanced technological weaponry to make Japan open itself to trade.

There's also an historical section with information and pictures to help the reader understand more about what is going on in the story.

It's a very interesting book and definitely worth getting and reading.

Main Index

Dear America index page

Yadult Index