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pekoegal's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book more than The Fox Woman. It had better characters and a better story.
Both Kagaya-hime and Harume are interesting and likable, but you never get overly familiar with them since they are both people who tend to stand apart from others either due to social status or the fact that cats are just very aloof. Although the story had an overall melancholy tone, it had a hopeful ending.
My only complaint is the way that the author uses Japanese words. She will write the phrase "kaze-cold" instead of using either "kaze" or "cold". It's like how fan translators would say "All according to keikaku (translator's note: keikaku means plan)". In the place where she uses them, it doesn't make sense, since there's a perfectly acceptable translation that means the same thing. It was like she was using them to further emphasize the foreignness of the story, but it came across as someone who knows a little bit of Japanese trying to show off to people who don't. It was annoying, but it didn't detract from the story too much for me.
Both Kagaya-hime and Harume are interesting and likable, but you never get overly familiar with them since they are both people who tend to stand apart from others either due to social status or the fact that cats are just very aloof. Although the story had an overall melancholy tone, it had a hopeful ending.
My only complaint is the way that the author uses Japanese words. She will write the phrase "kaze-cold" instead of using either "kaze" or "cold". It's like how fan translators would say "All according to keikaku (translator's note: keikaku means plan)". In the place where she uses them, it doesn't make sense, since there's a perfectly acceptable translation that means the same thing. It was like she was using them to further emphasize the foreignness of the story, but it came across as someone who knows a little bit of Japanese trying to show off to people who don't. It was annoying, but it didn't detract from the story too much for me.
theesotericcamel's review
5.0
This book was what I needed to read at the the time! It is hard to explain... I feel that in a recent past life, I myself was a feral creature. Be that as it may, Johnson really did her research when it comes to period drama. There are a lot of fine details in the story that make it seem believable, especially as an expat living in Japan for many years who also love Japanese History. I also really loved how the main character still kept her cat-like nature even despite being a human. And how her cat abilities translated themselves into her battle prowess. I was traveling the area the story took place in as I was reading it, which was an added treat! I was also impressed by how the story kept rocking between Kagaya-Hime, the Cat Warrior, and Harueme, a princess of the Heian period court of the time who is writing the story we read. A really good cross section of Japan during the Heian Period indeed! It is a meta-fictional work still manages to be a fairly accurate historical fiction. Did I mention that it is a sequel of sorts? Those that wish to experience the entire story from the ingress should check out "The Fox Woman" by the same author. some of the character and themes cary through into this one.... And makes me hope that there are more to follow! (Where is the Tanuki story?!)
tani's review
3.0
I wanted to like this one so much more than I did. This is a very quiet and introspective book, so I had some trouble concentrating on it, which I think was part of my problem. The other part was just that this is kind of a sad story. The ending is the happiest part of it, but most of the book just made me feel sad. Still, it's a lovely story, and very Japanese. I'm not an expert, but it felt quite authentically Japanese to me, and not at all fangirl-y.
riotsquirrrl's review
3.0
2.5 stars, mostly because the book dragged on, rounded up because of a solid ending.
hkg27's review
5.0
It took me a bit of time to get through this— not because it was bad but because it was written beautifully and I had to carve out time specifically to read this. This is not a "bring this book with you on errands" kind of book. I loved it.
iread2much's review
4.0
I enjoyed that the author really focused on keeping the cat-turned-woman cat-like. The author explores the ravages of war and the painful affects of war fare on humans by deftly weaving the tale of the cat-woman who doesn't understand war fare and the memories of the author of the tale of the cat-woman. It's a fascinating read and while the author seems to have no expertise in Japanese history or culture, I did not find her treatment of the Japanese culture or history to be offensive or inappropriate. The story is very interesting and I enjoy the author's subtle under current of the power of a story teller and the place of stories in our lives.
jenmcmaynes's review
4.0
A story within a story, which I have always loved, this novel tells both the tale of Kagaya-hime, a cat in the Japanese empire who transforms into a woman who becomes a warrior, and the aging princess Harume, who is writing the story as she approaches death. Eventually, the two tales intersect, as it becomes clear how the story of the cat reflects many of Harume's long denied wishes-- for travel, for meaningful relationships, for anything outside the narrow life of a princess of the empire. For all the adventure and mysticism in Kagaya-hime's story in particular, this is a novel that deals with memory and death and sacrifices; both tales are surprisingly melancholy. Two thumbs up.
palindromephd's review
3.0
This story walks between the historical and the fantastic in the best of ways. It's about cats and death and making the most of the life you're living. The beginning and end are both lovely but there's some slow parts in the middle that had me put it down for quite a while before coming back.
colinmeldrum's review
4.0
There's so much to love in the interplay between the two layers of story - the aging princess narrator looking back on her life and the cat protagonist of the magical story she's writing. As with Kij Johnson's other stories, I was blown away by the gorgeous prose. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that the events of the story itself did not consistently hold my interest.