"The Tokaido Road" is, at first glance, a road trip wrapped around a tale of revenge . . . and a beautiful one, at that.Lady Asano, nicknamed "Cat," is a gorgeous, refined daughter of a samurai lord who was betrayed and forced to commit suicide. We first meet Cat, who has been forced to work as a courtesan thanks to her family's disgrace, as she stares at a dead "client," who died eating a poisoned dish meant for her. Within moments, Cat uses her ingenuity to escape her brothel and begin her journey down the Tokaido Road, which shall end with her death -- either by her failure, or by her own hand after her success.Along the way, Ms. St. Clair Robson throws the reader back into feudal Japan, untarnished by Western influence (although there is an entertaining scene where the Japanese vie to catch a glimpse of the "orangutans," which were the red-headed Dutch traders who had very limited access to the Japanese mainland). Robson does a masterful job of putting the reader inside the Asian mind, where poetry transcends all, and the mournful beauty of a landscape can be the transcendant moment of a lifetime.Other writers would have been tempted to make "The Tokaido Road" into a chop-socky action piece. To be sure, Cat is an expert with the Japanese sword/spear, the naginata, and we see her use it to lethal effect. We also see the ronin, Hanshiro, swordsman extraordinaire, mete out lethal justice with "Barber." But it is a mark of Robson's appropriate restraint that Hanshiro's most powerful demonstration of swordsmanship is used to prevent a swordfight, rather than win one.Hanshiro is one heck of a character, by the way. A masterless samurai, Hanshiro is charged by the holder of Cat's courtesan contract to track Cat down. Initially convinced that this is just another hum-drum assignment, the noble Hanshiro eventually sees through the fog of Cat's various disguises and counterfeits to see the steel-strong will and razor-sharp mind behind the gorgeous facade, and he falls in love with Cat even before they have their first conversation. As unbelievable as this poorly written review makes that plot line, Robson pulls it off masterfully, again by placing us so well inside the thoughts, values, and motivations of these characters.We also get to meet Kasane, the peasant girl who latches on to Cat with a zeal that is at first annoying, but soon is cherished. Kasane's home-spun simplicity is charming, and her love-letter romance with the star-struck Traveler brings any number of smiles.Structured around the journey along the Tokaido Road, the major highway in Japan, the book undeniably has an episodic feel, as minor characters make brief appearances and depart, but most leave quite an impression.Robson also shows the harsh world of feudal Japan, where peasants and farmers live on a razor's edge between sustenance and starvation, and samurai are always struggling to maintain honor when disgrace is always lurking. Robson is unflinching in her depiction of this long-lost Japan, and this unyielding focus creates moments of great sadness as well as great triumph.This story is a parallel story to the famed "47 Ronin" story, in which forty-seven ronin plotted to avenge their betrayed lord, and, in one night, killed their lord's betrayer and then committed ritual suicide. In "Tokaido Road," Cat's father is the betrayed lord, and Cat's plot of vengeance runs parallel to that of the 47 ronin. In perhaps the only weak point of the book, Cat is ultimately more of an observer to the act of vengeace rather than a participant. After all this woman has been through, she deserved to take it herself.But, as one of the wiser characters in the book says, courage means living when it's time to live and dying when it's time to die. For Cat, the answer to that question denies her certain opportunities, but opens up others.Cat is not a character to be forgotten, and "Tokaido Road" is a book that should be read.
The Tokaido Road is a vividly written slice of life in feudal Japan, with a heaping dose of suspense and action mixed in, topped with a sprinkling of romance. Although the book is long and the writing can be dense, the story was never predictable and was packed with enough action to keep me wanting to know what would happen next. Plus I left the book feeling like I'd been treated to a master class on 18th century Japanese culture and society. After the treachery of Lord Kira causes the execution/suicide of her father, Lady Asano and her family are ruined and she is forced to become a courtesan to support her mother. She gives herself the new identity of Cat, but before long an attempt on her life forces her to flee, making her way along the Tokaido Road to Kyoto to find an ally to help her take revenge on Lord Kira. But this journey won't be easy, because trailing her is a ronin hired to bring her back, as well as Lord Kira's lackeys, who are bent on stopping her at all costs. Cat will need all of her cunning and samurai training to stay alive. If you enjoy a good quest story, you will love this book.
What do You think about The Tokaido Road (2005)?
This is a great book to read if you are interested in learning about Japan during the Edo period. The author actually lived in Japan, carefully researched the time, and traveled the Tokaido Road itself. The story is filled with fascinating details about how the ordinary people of the time lived - their day-to-day activities, food, traveling, method of worship and many others. The blurb on this copy read like a Harlequin romance, but the story is very far from it. It is actually based on a true story. And the author created an exciting story in the travels of Cat, Hanshiro and Kasuze.
—Shari
Not sure what my fascination is with feudal or just slightly post-feudal Japan, but the Floating World is fascinating. In this story, the heroine Cat does more than float. She's well-trained in swordsmanship and in the duties of the daughter of a disgraced father. She undertakes her own vendetta and hurries along the Tokaido road in pursuit of Lord Kira who is responsible for her father's death. As in any road story, from Chaucer onward, the fellow travelers become the story. Some aim to prevent her from reaching her goal, and others abet her plans. The story moves along fast as Cat does. We soak in the details of the customs of the time, the living conditions of the poor, the rain-soaked dark roads and the travails of the pilgrim. Ms. Robson's prose enlightens and entertains. Not much more can be asked of such a book.
—3GirlsMom
This was a very pleasant surprise for me, I loved this book and I have reread it several times. I might have to add it to my list of need to read again books now that I've brought it out of the dust. I have always loved Japan and this was a very colorful and detailed book about feudal Japan. I love history lessons any time they are interesting to read, this one was. The love story between the two main characters was beautiful. Danger, adventure, revenge, swords, true love, what more could you ask for? :-)
—Charmayne
