![]() ![]() It is the first half of the first month of 2014 and despite my hopes that this would be a big year for me and my reads, it has kicked off with a real let down. ![]() This wasn't a perfect novel, and I think this is a rare case where a film might actually express the story better than a book, but overall I enjoyed it and any student or fan of Japanese history and the Samurai should read it. ![]() I think that the rigid, Hemingway-esque tone of the novel captures the philosophy of the Samurai very well, in that regards. However, anyone who's read at least a little about the Samurai, Japanese culture, or seen at least a few old Samurai films from the 50’s and 60’s knows that Samurai culture was all about extreme stoicism with a distinct distaste for over-dramatic expressions. This book is relatively short, and is written in a sparse and minimalist manner that western readers might initially find off-putting. This is a moving but simple story about the popular Japanese tale of the 47 Ronin who avenged their dead master, a historical event that has since become legendary. I think to fully enjoy this novel, one has to have an open mind and realize that this is not written in the traditional western style that historical fiction and fantasy novels often take. ![]()
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