First of all, the characters were almost entirely one-dimensional. Secondly, although I appreciated the details of daily life of Japan in the 1600s, I often felt that the author's research was showing, and the interesting little historical tidbits weren't always integrated seamlessly into the narrative. In spite of that, this book is worth reading for its fascinating view of a time and place that are unknown to the average reader. For questions or comments about a review, please contact the person listed at the top of the review. Ed's Internet Book Review is copyright 1995-2001, Dr. Edwin V. Bell, II, all rights reserved.
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