Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean
2018; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 72; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2018.0765
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Japanese History and Culture
ResumoReviewed by: Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean Fiona Hartley-Kroeger Jean, Emiko Empress of All Seasons. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018 [384p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-544-53094-2 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-328-53061-5 $9.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 7-12 Mari enters the emperor's brutal competition of survival in four enchanted Seasonal Rooms with a secret: she is half yōkai, a supernatural being with shapeshifting powers. Yōkai are oppressed and enslaved under the emperor's reign, and Mari's goals—win the competition and Prince Taro's hand in marriage, steal his wealth, finally earn her trickster mother's respect—clash with those of a shadowy band of guerilla yōkai conspirators. Taro's sudden love for Mari, hers for him, and Mari's friend Akira's transformation from sweet, lovesick boy to ruthless revolutionary further complicate matters. The three protagonists' efforts to define themselves against family expectations build a compelling narrative framework, and there are many strong, interesting female side characters. Plot machinations obscure timely critiques of caste and gender oppression, though, and girl-power sound bites too often substitute for fully developed relationships. The otherwise steady pacing steamrolls at the end, culminating in a confusing climax that cements the novel's undercooked feel, while a tidy epilogue hints at intriguing further adventures but leaves readers in no suspense about the characters' fates. Nonetheless, the story has a strongly mythic feel buoyed by interludes featuring the fantasy world's gods, and folkloric elements inspired by the author's Japanese heritage add some interest. A glossary provides information about the Japanese terms and is especially useful for differentiating among the many different kinds of yōkai. FHK Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Referência(s)