The debut novel of Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori series, Across the Nightingale Floor, is set in a feudal Japan on the edge of the imagination. The tale begins with young Takeo, a member of a subversive and persecuted religious group, who returns home to find his village in flames. He is saved, not by coincidence, by the swords of Lord Otori Shigeru and thrust into a world of warlords, feuding clans, and political scheming. As Lord Otori's ward, he discovers he is a member by birth of the shadowy "Tribe," a mysterious group of assassins with supernatural abilities. The Otori series was literally thrust into my hands by a friend. I was intrigued by the premise, but not necessarily eager to start Across the Nightingale Floor. However, I was soon captivated by Hearn's Japan, Takeo's potential and Shigeru's mystery.
I enjoyed this book immensely and, although Takeo was an almost flawless protagonist, fell in love with him immediately and really wanted him to succeed. I was also rooting for Kaede and Takeo's romance to work out. The plot was fantastic and I think Hearn wove the story together beautifully. There were many sides to this book, as there were many dimensions to the characters.
There are things about this book, both good and bad, that I'd like to expound on, but my overall impression is simple: Across the Nightingale Floor was a stand alone book that definitely made me eager to dig into the sequel.
