Imagine an empire that has shut out the world for a century and a half. No one can leave, foreigners are excluded, their religions banned and their ideas mistrusted. Yet a narrow window ontp this nation-fortress still exists: an artificial walled island connected to a mainland port, and manned by a handful of European traders. And locked as the land-gate may be, it connot prevent the meeting of minds - or hearts.

The nation was Japan, the port was Nagasaki and the island was Dejima, to where David Mitchell's panoramic novel transports us in the year 1799. For one Dutch clerk, Jacob de Zoet, a dark adventure of duplicity, love, guilt, faith and murder is about to begin - and all the while, unbeknownst to him and his feuding compatriots, the axis of global pwer is turning....

I was looking forward to this book because I usually love David Mitchell's books, but I couldn't get into this one. Maybe reading it last thing at night whilst already half asleep wasn't giving it the best chance and I think it's a book that needs concentration to get the most out of it. I would love to read it again, but I'm going to send it off on a ring first and read it again when it comes home. I'm interested to see what other people think of it. It's on lots of wishlists, so I hope there will be enough interest in a bookring.

This book is off on a journey around Europe. Please PM me if you would like to join in the ring.

Order:

RonOren - UK, post anywhere
ralku68 - Romania, post anywhere
ana-b - Netherlands, post anywhere
Appelsiini - Finland, post anywhere
Cassiopeia - UK
MKtiny - UK, home -------- book here :)

Arrived, just as I finished another book. Can't quite start on this one yet, though - need to read one for next week's bookclub first. So I'll start on this one in a week or so.

This book seemed to split into two different stories though: first there is the clash of cultures between hte Dutch and the Japanese, and Jacob de Zoet somewhat irrational wooing of Orita Aibagawa.
Then, all of a sudden we switch gears into a bog-standards boy's adventure novel, just set in 19th century Japan. It didn't feel like two strands of one story to me; rather, they were two stories that were - somewhat artificially - knotted together at the ends.

One thing annoyed me about the book, though: de Zoet is almost too perfect. He's the only man not out to make a crooked profit for himself; one of the very few to make a connection with the Japanese and the only one to learn the language (and within a year? Against a headwind of Shogunate orders banning fraternisation with the gai-jin. Seems a bit incredible). And how on earth does de Zoet make the move from universally despised toady to - less than a year later - Head Clerk and leader-in-waiting of the pack?

All in all, I liked the book. Mostly the culture-clash part, of which I would've liked to have more. But the second bit was enjoyable swashbuckling - maybe not the most intellectual of reads, but enjoyable nonetheless.
This is not as impressive a literary work as Cloud Atlas, not is it as engaging as (the nearest comparison in story-line) James Clavell's Shogun, but it is a good read in its own right.

Thanks for sharing this, MKtiny! I'll get in touch with raluk68 and get it moving again soon.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get this moving; life got in the way of bookcrossing. Raluk68 asked to be skipped, so I have just sent the book on to ana-b. I hope you'll enjoy it!

The book arrived today. Thanks MKtiny and RonOren.

24.01.2012: At last I started reading this book. I hope to finish it as soon as possible

This one arrived today! Too bad I'm just leaving to holiday so this has to wait for a while! But I'll try to be quick!

I enjoyed this book but the last 100+ pages were quite boring. Especially when story moved on to "Phoebus" I kept wondering if this really was relative and should I just skip it. After all, I kept reading but I think it would have not made great difference if that part would have been left out from the book. That 100 pages could have been used in the end, I got a feeling story was rushed into the end.

With this book I'm attending into "Different Cultures 2012" reading challenge and "Number challenge 2012", both in Finnish forum.

Thanks for sharing this one! :)

On it's way to the UK! Travel safe!

With this release I take part into Finnish Pink Ribbon -challenge (2012). I hope you'll enjoy the chocolate! :)

Jacob is home safe and sound after his journey. Thanks for the chocolate Appelsiini is was yummy :). I will now read it again and send it off travelling again at some point in the future. Thanks everyone for taking care of it.

Lent to Fiona66.