Just Jennifer

Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn

This first part of The Tale of Shikanoko set in medieval Japan, sets the stage for the next three parts of the tale, all of which will be published during 2016, introducing the characters and their relationships, foreshadowing conflicts that are to come.  The tale, for it is truly a tale, begins with Kazumaru, a seven year old, who, when his father dies, is sent to live with his uncle who has no intention of letting Kazumaru live to adulthood.  Escaping, Kazumaru lives among the animals and an almost enchanted forest until he reaches a sorcerer who bestows on him a magical mask and transforms him into Shikanoko.  As “the deer’s child”, Shikanoko works with a mountain thief and the woman with whom he believes he had conjugal relations while under the sorcerer’s spell.  A parallel story, a widower with one daughter tries to unite two dynasties using his sister-in-law with whom he has fallen in love; all the while a priest tries to alter the succession to the Lotus Throne.  These stories all seem to stand on their own, though all have similar themes, childless children, the love of a woman, power being usurped and seized from the righteous, yet feel as if somewhere further into the cycle they will all come together and form a rich tapestry, painting a mystical picture of creatures, spirits and lore in a faraway land in a long forgotten time.   This modern fairy tale is sure to enchant and delight.