Lori M. (lormac) reviewed on + 120 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
WOW!!! What an elegant, surprising book! I never expected to like this book as much as I did. I cannot recommend it strongly enough - for its story, for its characters, for its twists and turns, for its ending. I listened to it on CD but I believe that reading it would have the same impact (and you know how I love a good book on CD lately - even better than on paper).
The book is broken into four parts: The first part is straight-forward historical fiction with a frisson of romance (talk about the ultimate meet-cute; it involves a monkey and a severed limb). And I must admit that this part drags a little. As I listened, I despaired that I had 18 disks left, but by 2/3rds of the way through the Part, I was hooked. The second part comes at you out of left field - you will simply not believe what yuo are reading (hearing). To say it is a mystery/supernatural story is not too far from the truth. The third part switches again to a war story. The fourth part ties up the story very neatly (and you know how I love a book with no loose ends!).
I loved the way the author gave many of the characters intricate and absorbing pasts which he found a reason for them to recount to Jacob. I loved Jacob - prig though he could be. I loved the way the author wove Japanese philosophy into the plot so that you could see how a westerner might expect the plot to turn one way but suddenly you would see how it needed to turn the other due to the setting. I loved the suspense. More than once I sat in my car listening because I could not wait to hear how a situation turned out.
Excellent, excellent book! You will not regret spending time with this one.
The book is broken into four parts: The first part is straight-forward historical fiction with a frisson of romance (talk about the ultimate meet-cute; it involves a monkey and a severed limb). And I must admit that this part drags a little. As I listened, I despaired that I had 18 disks left, but by 2/3rds of the way through the Part, I was hooked. The second part comes at you out of left field - you will simply not believe what yuo are reading (hearing). To say it is a mystery/supernatural story is not too far from the truth. The third part switches again to a war story. The fourth part ties up the story very neatly (and you know how I love a book with no loose ends!).
I loved the way the author gave many of the characters intricate and absorbing pasts which he found a reason for them to recount to Jacob. I loved Jacob - prig though he could be. I loved the way the author wove Japanese philosophy into the plot so that you could see how a westerner might expect the plot to turn one way but suddenly you would see how it needed to turn the other due to the setting. I loved the suspense. More than once I sat in my car listening because I could not wait to hear how a situation turned out.
Excellent, excellent book! You will not regret spending time with this one.
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