Book Review: Grass for His Pillow

Reviewed By: Cheryl - RAM

Grass for His Pillow     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Lian Hearn
Class/Genre:   Fiction   Historical
Series: Tales of the Otori # 2

"Grass for His Pillow" by Lian Hearn is the second book of a trilogy, The Tales of the Otori. It is set in a medieval Japan with some fantasy elements ­ certain characters have special abilities, but the setting as a whole is more historical than mythical.

I had not read the first book of the trilogy, and found that this one got off to a fairly slow start. However, this was a benefit for me, since the details given at the beginning helped me become familiar with the characters and their background in spite of having not read the earlier book.

The two main characters, Takeo and Kaede, are lovers and both have claims to territory and high position, although the political chaos resulting from earlier events makes their futures uncertain. The novel alternates between their stories, each told from a first person point of view. I found this a bit disconcerting at first, but rapidly got used to it. The plot was intriguing and the main characters interesting and sympathetic. I had some minor reservations about the plausibility of some of Takeo's actions but decided that on the whole, he was well -developed and believable. I found the contrast between Kaede's actions and her inner reflections on them helped make her a well -rounded character.

Overall, this was an enjoyable light read, with an unusual and interesting setting.

Cheryl - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Cheryl - RAM