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A review by bookish_wanderer
Les Dames de Kimoto by Sawako Ariyoshi
4.0
I read this novel for #januaryinjapan (Instagram), and really enjoyed it.
It follows the lives of three generations of women, although we mostly see through the eyes of Hana who, at the start of the novel, is being sent on a voyage down the River Ki by her grandmother, to wed and join the Matani family.
Through her life and that of her growing family, we learn about Japanese history, family traditions, and the evolving role of women in society. We witness Western influence on traditional Japan, and its modernisation throughout the 20th century, with conflict as an almost constant backdrop.
We see the clash of two generations of women, Hana's and her daughter Fumio's, one trying to preserve the traditions she grew up with, and the other yearning for freedom and modern life. An internal conflict only apeased by a third generation, and a more understanding grand-daughter who brings the story into a full circle.
A great read if you're interested in Japan and its traditions. Reading about them, definitely showed me how much its changed in so little time and was a good starting point to try and understand some of the challenges it faces today.
The only reason I didn't gave it 5 stars is because I felt like the translation was sometimes lacking. Some of the sentences felt odd and there were quite a few mispellings.
It follows the lives of three generations of women, although we mostly see through the eyes of Hana who, at the start of the novel, is being sent on a voyage down the River Ki by her grandmother, to wed and join the Matani family.
Through her life and that of her growing family, we learn about Japanese history, family traditions, and the evolving role of women in society. We witness Western influence on traditional Japan, and its modernisation throughout the 20th century, with conflict as an almost constant backdrop.
We see the clash of two generations of women, Hana's and her daughter Fumio's, one trying to preserve the traditions she grew up with, and the other yearning for freedom and modern life. An internal conflict only apeased by a third generation, and a more understanding grand-daughter who brings the story into a full circle.
A great read if you're interested in Japan and its traditions. Reading about them, definitely showed me how much its changed in so little time and was a good starting point to try and understand some of the challenges it faces today.
The only reason I didn't gave it 5 stars is because I felt like the translation was sometimes lacking. Some of the sentences felt odd and there were quite a few mispellings.