Rated of 5
by Valerie The Commoner
I found this book engaging and well written. I also found it aroused emotions of frustration and anger at the helplessness of the female characters and their inability to affect their situations. If you read for entertainment, this may not be the best choice. If you would like insights into the Japanese royals' way of life, which probably carries over to the royal lives of other nations, this book is a worthwhile read.
Rated of 5
by Angela Raw and Emotionally Charged
I am a big fan of Asian historical fiction, so I was very excited to read this book. I was not disappointed. I found this book to be raw and emotionally charged, with strong female characters who may or may not have sacrificed too much for the good of their country. I actually cried when Haruko loses her voice and I could feel her pain and depression screaming from the pages. As with most books I like, I wished it would never end. I could go on, but suffice to say, this book was an interesting read from start to finish.
Rated of 5
by Mary Goulding Unfulfilled promise
If you're in the mood to read another "Princess Diaries," but without the happy ending, you might even like it. I have a weakness for peeks behind royal curtains, so kept reading, certain there would be interesting things to come. For some unknown reason, even to me, I forged through the first 150 pages of labored writing about an uninteresting young Japanese girl who was to become the Japanese Empress. Spirits definitely lifted when the wedding day rolled around. The writing became better, but the girl less interesting, and I never got to really know any other character, as everything is told in her own voice. Even the backstage revelations dissolved into soap opera with the requisite evil mother-in-law. Some suspense in the last chapters kept me turning the pages, and hope didn't die until I'd read the last one...when my remained hopes unfulfilled.
Rated of 5
by Shirley The Commoner The Commoner is a “must read” for those who have any interest in other cultures. It presents a riveting picture of life, not only unknown to most westerners, but unimaginable. The customs and settings were meticulously researched and beautifully vivid. The characters were drawn with such sympathy, one could not help caring about them. The plot is well-planned although I regretted the years “lost” to passing time. I wanted to stay with Haruko, not to miss a moment of her life and loves. It has been a long time since I learned so much and was so totally captivated by any novel. This one will be long-remembered and remain as a favorite on my shelf.
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Stranger than fiction, blending tragedy and farce, How to Create the Perfect Wife is an engrossing tale of the radicalism, and deep contradictions, at the heart of the Enlightenment.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
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Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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British Parliament asks Amazon to clarify why it pays $9 million in income tax on $23 billion of UK sales.(May 20 2013) Amazon will be called back to give further evidence to members of the British Parliament "to clarify how its activities in the U.K. justify its low corporate...
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by Valerie 
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by Angela 
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by Mary Goulding 
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