Reviews

Ariake: Poems of Love and Longing by the Women Courtiers of Ancient Japan by Liza Dalby, Rae Grant

dellathehistorian's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

This is a short book of lovely poetry. I highly recommended it for someone with some spare time who wants to reflect on life and love. It is simple with pretty art but lacks in-depth  information about the era and poets. It works best as a short read to take a breath of fresh air and pause during a busy day.

dandelionfluff's review

3.0

If you liked this, I highly recommend [b:Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan|901382|Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan|Murasaki Shikibu|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328865721s/901382.jpg|886563] as well as [b:The Ink Dark Moon: Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu, Women of the Ancient Court of Japan|189048|The Ink Dark Moon Love Poems by Ono no Komachi and Izumi Shikibu, Women of the Ancient Court of Japan|Ono No Komachi|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403188806s/189048.jpg|182758]. It's more of a scholarly take on things, and will provide a great deal more insight than this edition. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful book with lovely aesthetic, but you'll gain more insight into the period and the imagery being used if you also read the aforementioned titles.