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The River Sai
195 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 7, 2018
This novel is a Japanese folklore tale about a young girl who goes on a journey when she discovers a bronze lion in the back of her antique shop. She meets many strange creatures along the way that help her through the treacherous conditions of the fantasy world of the Sai. I adore this book, everything about it is so intriguing, and the scenes are described in such a way that it feels like you are right there with the characters.
July 6, 2007
This is a Japanese fantasy story written by an Australian woman - a quest story, with a reluctant heroine who learns to do what has to be done. It was also quite creepy. I wasn't expecting that, and I wonder if part of that is to do with the mythology it references - I don't know a lot, but enough that I recognise elements without knowing why - such as the dead children who build towers of pebbles on the banks of the river. It's all the more haunting because I don't know how I recognise it.
Harumi isn't the most plucky of heroines - she tries to turn back, given half a chance, and you're a fair way through before she decides this is what needs to be done. She isn't always nice to those she meets by the wayside. She's not a fairy tale heroine, she's a human one. I do wonder how this story would be different if it were written by someone who was Japanese - I'm quite interested in the difference in different culture's stories. Rebecca Edwards clearly knows a lot about the mythology, and I can understand how she would want to write this. What I liked best in her prose was probably her descriptions, how she evoked the scenery, and how intriguing the landscape is. But what of that is because it's not the Western fairytale landscape, I wonder?
I think I remember where I read about the stone towers now - it was the Agent Angel series! Girl dies and gets to travel through time, setting paths right. One of the last books was set mostly in the dreamscape of a young Japanese idol. They were actually good books, though I had difficulty convincing people. ...at any rate, most of my Japanese mythology isn't from reading books on the subject. I guess I've just been reading around it more than I thought...
The River Sai gets better as it goes on - it starts quite stiffly - Harumi is in her family's antique store, Harumi is confronted by giant lion-dog and climbs in its mouth, Harumi is suddenly in the snow far away in who knows where... and her response, her interior monologue at these times isn't always convincing. "A lot of weird things had happened to her today" is an understatement.
The time Harumi spends away corresponds to real world time - several months. At the end, again, it's a bit of a jolt, this transfer between worlds. It's really the time in the middle that matters the most - Harumi comes out stronger (and a lot skinnier), but so little of the story is set outside we're not really sure how it changes her. Still. It was an interesting book to read, and I think I might like to get my own copy. It's left me with questions and curiousities. I think I might have to do some further reading.
(from my livejournal)
Harumi isn't the most plucky of heroines - she tries to turn back, given half a chance, and you're a fair way through before she decides this is what needs to be done. She isn't always nice to those she meets by the wayside. She's not a fairy tale heroine, she's a human one. I do wonder how this story would be different if it were written by someone who was Japanese - I'm quite interested in the difference in different culture's stories. Rebecca Edwards clearly knows a lot about the mythology, and I can understand how she would want to write this. What I liked best in her prose was probably her descriptions, how she evoked the scenery, and how intriguing the landscape is. But what of that is because it's not the Western fairytale landscape, I wonder?
I think I remember where I read about the stone towers now - it was the Agent Angel series! Girl dies and gets to travel through time, setting paths right. One of the last books was set mostly in the dreamscape of a young Japanese idol. They were actually good books, though I had difficulty convincing people. ...at any rate, most of my Japanese mythology isn't from reading books on the subject. I guess I've just been reading around it more than I thought...
The River Sai gets better as it goes on - it starts quite stiffly - Harumi is in her family's antique store, Harumi is confronted by giant lion-dog and climbs in its mouth, Harumi is suddenly in the snow far away in who knows where... and her response, her interior monologue at these times isn't always convincing. "A lot of weird things had happened to her today" is an understatement.
The time Harumi spends away corresponds to real world time - several months. At the end, again, it's a bit of a jolt, this transfer between worlds. It's really the time in the middle that matters the most - Harumi comes out stronger (and a lot skinnier), but so little of the story is set outside we're not really sure how it changes her. Still. It was an interesting book to read, and I think I might like to get my own copy. It's left me with questions and curiousities. I think I might have to do some further reading.
(from my livejournal)
June 5, 2015
I read this book a few years back and adored it. I'm not one to write huge reviews. I just really liked this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews