Of Nightingales That Weep

The vast majority of this book was interesting. Takiko is a young girl that grows up in the novel. She has a great ability playing the koto, a stringed musical instrument. The book follows her life through the various political dangers and problems she encounters. The events are during the feudal period of Japan where various clans could go to war at any time, and the wars were very, very brutal.

She's with one clan that is the target of another and she has to flee, relocate, flee again, relocate again, etc. She witnesses the death of a boy emperor and various others. She's captured by the enemy, escapes, and returns home.

If the book would have ended there then it would have been an interesting look at a dark time in Japan's history. Unfortunately, that's not the end.

Her father is dead, and her mother had remarried years before. Goro is a good husband, but he's quite ugly, apparently. There's a lot of things that go on that involve him, but it's the last thing that's bothersome to me. Takiko ends up marrying him, and having his baby.

He's her step-father. That part bothers me. (Plus, earlier, she had been hit accidentally with a hot poker nad her face had been scarred, I guess to match the physical “ugliness” of Goro, another unnecessary event.)

As I said, the story would have been fine if it would have ended with her returning home. There could even been a section where she ends up remarrying some peasant and they live near Goro, but that's not what happens. As it is, I think the ending causes me to rate this book much lower than I would have otherwise.


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