Part of Across the Nightingale Floor is written in the third person, following Lady Shizuka from her time as Lord Sadamu’s hostage to her planned marriage to Shigeru. The world of the Otori is a patriarchy but there is one province ruled by a woman where inheritance is through the female line. Sight, sound and even smell create a visceral experience. Many scenes are shown beautifully, engaging the senses. However, Hearn has broken this cardinal rule with flair her story is engaging, Takeo’s voice snares the reader and pulls the reader onwards. Lian Hearn breaks one of the cardinal rules of contemporary storytelling in that there is considerable telling instead of showing. Then Takeo falls in love with Shigeru’s betrothed.Īcross the Nightingale Floor is largely written in Takeo’s voice as a tale told to another, complete with ruminations and backstory ramblings that you might expect if listening to Takeo talk. Takeo develops magical abilities that save Shigeru’s life while complicating his own. Shigeru is the deposed leader of the Otori his uncles have assumed rule of the region while plotting Shigeru’s downfall. Takeo escapes, running into Lord Shigeru Otori, who adopts Takeo as his heir.

One day Takeo returns home from wandering the hillside to find the evil Lord Iida Sadamu and his men slaughtering the village. He is Hidden, part of a tribe who worship the Hidden god, because of which they are targets of genocide.

Takeo is a village boy rapidly growing into manhood. Tales of the Otori Book 1 A review by Nalini Haynes

Across the nightingale floor series