Hittokiri's Hara-Kiri Forum

Title: Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori: Book One)
Author: Lian Hearn
ISBN: 1573223328


   Across the Nightingale floor is the story of a boy named Takeo who grows up among the religious Hidden. His village is attacked and he is the only survivor. After insulting Lord Iida, Takeo is a wanted man, but he is rescued by Shigeru Otori. His amazing story begins here.

   Across the Nightingale Floor is an amazing book in what will certainly be a great series. This book was recommended to me by a friend who said it was the book she most associated with me. The story has much to do with Japanese mythology, assassins, and chaos. The main character Takeo shares the spotlight with a second main character Kaede, who is used as a pawn in a feudal dispute. The author makes the book interesting by telling two different stories that later merge, but she switches not only stories between chapters but point of view. For this reason I expect the series to be from Takeo's point of view. The story takes place in a fictional country meant to resemble feudal Japan. In the U.K. and Australia the series has reached a level of popularity comparable to Harry Potter, so expect to hear this name again soon. In my personal opinion it was a good book and I look forward to the second book "Grass for His Pillow" arriving in the mail, hopefully this week.