In a less rushed story, the tension between Yoshimori's duties and desires would be a compelling narrative in itself. But for a story that is ostensibly about restoring Yoshimori to his rightful throne, we barely see him on the page, much less get into his head. This recurring failure of characterization was, to me, the central problem in Hearn's books: a rushed narrative diffused among so many POV characters that no one voice could truly stand out. On the whole, I found myself wishing that I'd invested my time in rereading the Tale of the Heike instead.

Iori Kusano