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Mitsuko #1
Mitsuko
Fujiwara No Mitsuko adalah gadis berusia tiga belas tahun di Jepang abad kedua belas. Seperti gadis bangsawan lainnya di istana kekaisaran, Mitsuko hidup di balik tirai kesopanan, memakai kimono berlapis-lapis untuk menutup bentuk tubuhnya dan — bila di hadapan umum — menyembunyikan wajahnya di balik lengan kimono.
Tetapi Mitsuko bukan gadis biasa. Ketika desanya diserang bandit, kakak ipar laki-lakinya terbunuh, dan keluarganya dibawa pergi seorang pemimpin militer, Mitsuko mendapatkan keberanian untuk memasuki dunia bawah. Dengan bantuan tengu — makhluk berwujud burung gagak — dan makhluk-makhluk fantastik lainnya, Mitsuko melakukan perjalanan demi memulihkan harta dan kehormatan keluarganya.
Tetapi Mitsuko bukan gadis biasa. Ketika desanya diserang bandit, kakak ipar laki-lakinya terbunuh, dan keluarganya dibawa pergi seorang pemimpin militer, Mitsuko mendapatkan keberanian untuk memasuki dunia bawah. Dengan bantuan tengu — makhluk berwujud burung gagak — dan makhluk-makhluk fantastik lainnya, Mitsuko melakukan perjalanan demi memulihkan harta dan kehormatan keluarganya.
245 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 1996
7 people are currently reading
1663 people want to read
About the author
Kara Dalkey
44 books90 followersKara Mia Dalkey is an American author of young adult fiction and historical fantasy. She was born in Los Angeles and has lived in Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Seattle. Much of her fiction is set in the Heian period of Japan.
She was married to author John Barnes; they divorced in 2001. She is a member of the Pre-Joycean Fellowship and of the Scribblies. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Marketing in Los Angeles.
She is also a musician and has gigged extensively on electric bass (which she plays left-handed) and harmony vocals, with such bands as Runestone, the Albany Free Traders, and Nate Bucklin and the Ensemble (in Minnesota) and Relic and Voodoo Blue (in Seattle.) At different times she has also played drums, banjo and acoustic guitar. She is a songwriter, but her total output is low, and consequently no CD or other album is presently in the works.
She was married to author John Barnes; they divorced in 2001. She is a member of the Pre-Joycean Fellowship and of the Scribblies. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Marketing in Los Angeles.
She is also a musician and has gigged extensively on electric bass (which she plays left-handed) and harmony vocals, with such bands as Runestone, the Albany Free Traders, and Nate Bucklin and the Ensemble (in Minnesota) and Relic and Voodoo Blue (in Seattle.) At different times she has also played drums, banjo and acoustic guitar. She is a songwriter, but her total output is low, and consequently no CD or other album is presently in the works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
November 3, 2012
I'm Japanese, and it's really obvious this is written by a non-Japanese author. It just feels dripping with exotifying language in a bad way. I couldn't get through it, even though I love YA about birds and bird-monsters and the tengu character made me want to like it, but I couldn't even make it to that part.
If you want a good, English language, historical fantasy about shapeshifters, read The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson. It's much better and didn't make me want to throw the book across the room.
If you want a good, English language, historical fantasy about shapeshifters, read The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson. It's much better and didn't make me want to throw the book across the room.
July 30, 2010
If I hadn't read so much manga and watched so much anime before I discovered this book, I would have loved it - certainly as a teenager.
I sort of grinned at every time they messed up monogatari as monotagari/monotogari...
It's a fun romp through Heian times of Court Nobles and Oni mythology of Japan, with some Buddhism and Shinto thrown in. And it has a thirteen year-old girl as the heroine, who reads believable in her world-view as a daughter of a noble family. Loved all those lovely short poems (I didn't count if they were correct haiku syllable length).
I sort of grinned at every time they messed up monogatari as monotagari/monotogari...
It's a fun romp through Heian times of Court Nobles and Oni mythology of Japan, with some Buddhism and Shinto thrown in. And it has a thirteen year-old girl as the heroine, who reads believable in her world-view as a daughter of a noble family. Loved all those lovely short poems (I didn't count if they were correct haiku syllable length).
July 21, 2015
Part of the Non-European Fantasy by Women blog series.
This is exactly the sort of book I am so, so happy this blog series is introducing me to. I am breathless at how much I am loving the books I've chosen; Little Sister, by Kara Dalkey, is no exception.
It takes place in medieval Japan, a thoroughly foreign concept to me. I know very little about Japanese mythology and history, although this book was enough to make me keenly interested. We are introduced to Mitsuko, which translates literally to "Little Sister," and for much of the story the name fits her perfectly. She hides behind her sleeves like any good young woman being brought up in court, where modesty prevails above all.
Quickly, the fortunes of her family take a turn for the worse. The spirit of her beloved older sister, who Mitsuko wants to emulate in all things, wanders off after a tragedy, and only a shell of a human remains. Mitsuko takes it upon herself to fix this dreadful problem, leading her on an adventure where she makes unlikely friends through her tenacity and desire to set the world right.
The first thing I loved about this book was that it introduced me to a Japanese mythological creature called a tengu. There are a few different interpretations of what they are, but in this case, the tengu are basically raven men/demons. You can see a representation of one on Mitsuko's sleeve on the cover art. Goranu is one of these creatures, and decides to aid Mitsuko on her quest. He is hilarious and irreverent, and I would often burst into giggles when he pulled out a one-liner.
There is a definite journey of the hero here, and Mitsuko performs admirably. She pulls out extraordinary acts of bravery throughout the story, facing down a lot of adventures that would have left me, quite frankly, running for cover. At one point in the story she does break down - and, no spoilers here - it meant so much when it happened. I thought, "My god, look how far she's come, and I didn't even realize it was happening." The story was masterfully pulled together so the character development happened completely naturally. It's amazing to me how much punch young adult novels are able to put into so few pages.
I cannot tell you how much the ending affected me. Seriously, this is a young adult book! It's only 200 pages long! How attached could I possibly become to these characters? But I was, I was. I started blubbering at the last page, and typed within moments of finishing: "Oh my god. I just finished this about a minute ago. I burst into tears and walked blindly over to my computer to say Yes, yes, take all of the stars."
This was a great adventure novel that transcends the genre and the ages it was written for. It is out of print and so might be a little hard to get a hold of, but if you do ever get a copy, I hope you love it as much as I did.
This is exactly the sort of book I am so, so happy this blog series is introducing me to. I am breathless at how much I am loving the books I've chosen; Little Sister, by Kara Dalkey, is no exception.
It takes place in medieval Japan, a thoroughly foreign concept to me. I know very little about Japanese mythology and history, although this book was enough to make me keenly interested. We are introduced to Mitsuko, which translates literally to "Little Sister," and for much of the story the name fits her perfectly. She hides behind her sleeves like any good young woman being brought up in court, where modesty prevails above all.
Quickly, the fortunes of her family take a turn for the worse. The spirit of her beloved older sister, who Mitsuko wants to emulate in all things, wanders off after a tragedy, and only a shell of a human remains. Mitsuko takes it upon herself to fix this dreadful problem, leading her on an adventure where she makes unlikely friends through her tenacity and desire to set the world right.
The first thing I loved about this book was that it introduced me to a Japanese mythological creature called a tengu. There are a few different interpretations of what they are, but in this case, the tengu are basically raven men/demons. You can see a representation of one on Mitsuko's sleeve on the cover art. Goranu is one of these creatures, and decides to aid Mitsuko on her quest. He is hilarious and irreverent, and I would often burst into giggles when he pulled out a one-liner.
There is a definite journey of the hero here, and Mitsuko performs admirably. She pulls out extraordinary acts of bravery throughout the story, facing down a lot of adventures that would have left me, quite frankly, running for cover. At one point in the story she does break down - and, no spoilers here - it meant so much when it happened. I thought, "My god, look how far she's come, and I didn't even realize it was happening." The story was masterfully pulled together so the character development happened completely naturally. It's amazing to me how much punch young adult novels are able to put into so few pages.
I cannot tell you how much the ending affected me. Seriously, this is a young adult book! It's only 200 pages long! How attached could I possibly become to these characters? But I was, I was. I started blubbering at the last page, and typed within moments of finishing: "Oh my god. I just finished this about a minute ago. I burst into tears and walked blindly over to my computer to say Yes, yes, take all of the stars."
This was a great adventure novel that transcends the genre and the ages it was written for. It is out of print and so might be a little hard to get a hold of, but if you do ever get a copy, I hope you love it as much as I did.
March 21, 2024
Reread! I was obsessed with this book in middle school so I am blind to its flaws haha. It was a delightful adventure and I was so comforted rereading it.
Although I did side-eye the epilogue as an adult...'cause men really can't just stay friends no matter what species they are huh LOL
Although I did side-eye the epilogue as an adult...'cause men really can't just stay friends no matter what species they are huh LOL
September 10, 2008
This is my favorite book.
March 18, 2016
Genre: historical fiction, Japanese folktale, fantasy
Summary: Mitsuko is the fourth daughter (which is the literal translation) of a family in the powerful Fujiwara clan in Heian-era Japan. Mitsuko has an older sister that she adores. The family's home in the capital is attacked by some militant monks, so they flee into the country. However, they are attacked again on the road and Mitsuko's beloved brother-in-law is killed, and her older sister's soul has left its temporal shell. Mitsuko then commences a journey with the help of a tengu (a bird shapeshifter) named Goranu, to many otherworldly spheres, both heavenly and hellish, to find her sister's soul and to lay her brother-in-law's soul to rest. Mitsuko finds herself in the process and maybe finds something more with Goranu at the end.
Response: I remember reading this book when I was much younger and really enjoying it. Reading it again made me realize just why I loved it so much. It's one of those books that sticks with you but you can never remember the title or author, just the feeling of the story and its affect on you. I was ecstatic when I found this book again. It was fun reading this book, now that I am older, because I understood so much more. When I was younger, I understood the basic story, however, now I was able to appreciate all the research and detail the author put into it. Heian Japan is "classical Japan" just as Athens was the "classical Greece". Kara Dalkey portrayed the time period really well, giving great personality to the facts. There is also a lot of detail about Buddhism at this time period, which makes all those semesters of TA work for Hist 201 worth it. It was neat to see the history and the culture (in the form of folktales and myths) work side by side in a delightful and thoughtful read.
Summary: Mitsuko is the fourth daughter (which is the literal translation) of a family in the powerful Fujiwara clan in Heian-era Japan. Mitsuko has an older sister that she adores. The family's home in the capital is attacked by some militant monks, so they flee into the country. However, they are attacked again on the road and Mitsuko's beloved brother-in-law is killed, and her older sister's soul has left its temporal shell. Mitsuko then commences a journey with the help of a tengu (a bird shapeshifter) named Goranu, to many otherworldly spheres, both heavenly and hellish, to find her sister's soul and to lay her brother-in-law's soul to rest. Mitsuko finds herself in the process and maybe finds something more with Goranu at the end.
Response: I remember reading this book when I was much younger and really enjoying it. Reading it again made me realize just why I loved it so much. It's one of those books that sticks with you but you can never remember the title or author, just the feeling of the story and its affect on you. I was ecstatic when I found this book again. It was fun reading this book, now that I am older, because I understood so much more. When I was younger, I understood the basic story, however, now I was able to appreciate all the research and detail the author put into it. Heian Japan is "classical Japan" just as Athens was the "classical Greece". Kara Dalkey portrayed the time period really well, giving great personality to the facts. There is also a lot of detail about Buddhism at this time period, which makes all those semesters of TA work for Hist 201 worth it. It was neat to see the history and the culture (in the form of folktales and myths) work side by side in a delightful and thoughtful read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2021
This was a book I read in highschool, and I'm so glad I found a copy to re-read!
This is, by far, one of the best Japanese based historical fiction books I've ever read. It's obvious how much time the author spent studying the history of Heian era Japan as well as its literary styles. The entire book is written in a monogatari style originally penned by Heian era ladies of the court. Poetry styles are also showcased and often used to give a deeper understanding of the main character's emotional state.
I was worried that, as I've grown up and learned more about this era of Japan, the story wouldn't hold up. When I started, I honestly thought I might be ruining my childhood! But, honestly, it has only gotten better with time and research. The complaints I have about the book are very minor.
One of the best part about this story is it's accessibility. If I were teaching a class on Japanese culture or history, this is one I'd assign as a teaching tool.
This is, by far, one of the best Japanese based historical fiction books I've ever read. It's obvious how much time the author spent studying the history of Heian era Japan as well as its literary styles. The entire book is written in a monogatari style originally penned by Heian era ladies of the court. Poetry styles are also showcased and often used to give a deeper understanding of the main character's emotional state.
I was worried that, as I've grown up and learned more about this era of Japan, the story wouldn't hold up. When I started, I honestly thought I might be ruining my childhood! But, honestly, it has only gotten better with time and research. The complaints I have about the book are very minor.
One of the best part about this story is it's accessibility. If I were teaching a class on Japanese culture or history, this is one I'd assign as a teaching tool.
September 3, 2013
GAAAAHAHA THIS WAS SUCH A PRETTY STORY. All the poetry and everything omg. I was like What even I can't write anything near that wowowowo. This was pretty darn amazing story though for Mitsuko. So many metaphors though. Everything was just pretty omg. the names though like Yugiri kept making me think of sushi
June 23, 2021
Sarat petualangan dan mitologi, cover nya juga cantik, tapi terlalu middle grade..
Btw, aku suka si Tengu 🤭🤭🙃
Btw, aku suka si Tengu 🤭🤭🙃
September 7, 2020
Loved, loved, loved this a lot!
A Heian period young adult fantasy, centered on a young noble girl named Mitsuko. She lives a charmed life with her family, going to gatherings at the palace, writing poetry, and celebrating the new marriage of her oldest sister to a very charming nobleman. However, fighting erupts between the nobles and the warrior monks of Mt. Hiei, forcing the family to flee and ending in tragedy: her brother-in-law perishes while trying to protect them and her sister falls into a deep state of grief, her soul wandering out of her body in order to find her husband.
In order to save her sister, Mitsuko travels far and wide, meeting creatures of legend and folklore in her search for answers.
Mitsuko is a fairly typical protagonist: good-hearted, kind, and devoted to her family, but there is an interesting tension that appears towards the end as she realizes that the life her sister has and her parents want for her—to be a proper court lady—is not something she can be happy with after her adventures.
You can tell that Kara Dalkey really loved researching this novel. She wrote such lovely verses to accompany various poetry exchanges between characters, and really gave readers a sense of how important letters, poetry, and those various affectations were in the Heian period.
This skewed a little younger than I normally enjoy, even for a young adult novel, but still very much entertaining and fun—especially if you like that period of Japanese history. I wish I had found this when I was at the right age range for it, as I know I would have absolutely adored this.
Looking forward to picking up the second novel in this duology, as well as Dalkey's other works.
A Heian period young adult fantasy, centered on a young noble girl named Mitsuko. She lives a charmed life with her family, going to gatherings at the palace, writing poetry, and celebrating the new marriage of her oldest sister to a very charming nobleman. However, fighting erupts between the nobles and the warrior monks of Mt. Hiei, forcing the family to flee and ending in tragedy: her brother-in-law perishes while trying to protect them and her sister falls into a deep state of grief, her soul wandering out of her body in order to find her husband.
In order to save her sister, Mitsuko travels far and wide, meeting creatures of legend and folklore in her search for answers.
Mitsuko is a fairly typical protagonist: good-hearted, kind, and devoted to her family, but there is an interesting tension that appears towards the end as she realizes that the life her sister has and her parents want for her—to be a proper court lady—is not something she can be happy with after her adventures.
You can tell that Kara Dalkey really loved researching this novel. She wrote such lovely verses to accompany various poetry exchanges between characters, and really gave readers a sense of how important letters, poetry, and those various affectations were in the Heian period.
This skewed a little younger than I normally enjoy, even for a young adult novel, but still very much entertaining and fun—especially if you like that period of Japanese history. I wish I had found this when I was at the right age range for it, as I know I would have absolutely adored this.
Looking forward to picking up the second novel in this duology, as well as Dalkey's other works.
August 11, 2011
3 1/2 stars, I guess? Really, imagery and the prose itself is worth more than that, but I felt the story wasn't quite up to 4 stars, so I don't know.
Short, elegant, and entertaining. It was very cinematic, and I could see the whole thing unfolding in my head like animation (I could totally see this as a Miyazaki film - the sweeping visuals and sense of wonder were very similar in style to Miyazaki movies, actually). I loved the bizarre imagery of the underworld. The prose had that poetic, understated elegance thing going on, purposefully imitating the feel of Heian-era poetry - the clever humor of it, too.
I can't speak as to historical accuracy, since I know little about the era beyond surface details.
(An aside that no one else in the world but me will care about: I did find a couple of mentions of incense a bit odd. In one, a person is lighting "sticks" of incense; while I could be mistaken, it was my understanding that Japanese joss sticks are a relatively recent creation, and incense of the time would either be neriko (kneaded, aged balls of incense) or chipped mixtures of woods and spices to be heated over charcoal. At another point, a character complains her kimonos "stinks of incense" - but wouldn't that be normal? Didn't nobles generally deliberately perfume their robes with incense, and have contraptions specifically for the purpose of hanging them over heating incense?)
I felt like the story would have been better without the last little segment added on at the end - it felt off, and left me with a weird sort of feeling. Still, it was very well written, and a fun read.
Short, elegant, and entertaining. It was very cinematic, and I could see the whole thing unfolding in my head like animation (I could totally see this as a Miyazaki film - the sweeping visuals and sense of wonder were very similar in style to Miyazaki movies, actually). I loved the bizarre imagery of the underworld. The prose had that poetic, understated elegance thing going on, purposefully imitating the feel of Heian-era poetry - the clever humor of it, too.
I can't speak as to historical accuracy, since I know little about the era beyond surface details.
(An aside that no one else in the world but me will care about: I did find a couple of mentions of incense a bit odd. In one, a person is lighting "sticks" of incense; while I could be mistaken, it was my understanding that Japanese joss sticks are a relatively recent creation, and incense of the time would either be neriko (kneaded, aged balls of incense) or chipped mixtures of woods and spices to be heated over charcoal. At another point, a character complains her kimonos "stinks of incense" - but wouldn't that be normal? Didn't nobles generally deliberately perfume their robes with incense, and have contraptions specifically for the purpose of hanging them over heating incense?)
I felt like the story would have been better without the last little segment added on at the end - it felt off, and left me with a weird sort of feeling. Still, it was very well written, and a fun read.
January 5, 2025
2024: I hung onto this and read it every year, so I'm bumping it up to four stars.
Two and a half stars. This book was a lot creepier to me as an adult than I remember it being as a kid. The cover is even more beautiful to me now, and I was able to attach a different meaning to it. The imagery in this book is fantastic. I liked the poems, but they're not haiku. I liked the illustrations of what I took to be falling wisteria blossoms, that served as chapter transitions. The chapter titles were even intriguing to me as an adult. Normally, I find them useless. This could have easily been turned into a novella for adults. Considering the subject matter at times, I wondered if it should have.
The story has a massive tone problem. It contrasts beautiful, flowing, calm scenes with action, adventure, social commentary through its author; with heavy scenes of grieving a murder, arson, robbery...and this book is short. The story has an ending piled high with cliches that are done much better elsewhere. I recoiled in distaste from the wedding. I don't care if it's two minor characters and the author wanted to end on a message of hope. Unless it was a message about gender dynamics somehow. I'm glad I got to read this, though.
Two and a half stars. This book was a lot creepier to me as an adult than I remember it being as a kid. The cover is even more beautiful to me now, and I was able to attach a different meaning to it. The imagery in this book is fantastic. I liked the poems, but they're not haiku. I liked the illustrations of what I took to be falling wisteria blossoms, that served as chapter transitions. The chapter titles were even intriguing to me as an adult. Normally, I find them useless. This could have easily been turned into a novella for adults. Considering the subject matter at times, I wondered if it should have.
The story has a massive tone problem. It contrasts beautiful, flowing, calm scenes with action, adventure, social commentary through its author; with heavy scenes of grieving a murder, arson, robbery...and this book is short. The story has an ending piled high with cliches that are done much better elsewhere. I recoiled in distaste from the wedding. I don't care if it's two minor characters and the author wanted to end on a message of hope. Unless it was a message about gender dynamics somehow. I'm glad I got to read this, though.
March 18, 2008
This is a very interesting, entertaining book. Lots of action, adventure, and Japanese Mythology- but it still is easily accessed by a young, American audience.
June 27, 2008
I LLLLLOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE this book. It's a really great book, and I totally recommend it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
October 16, 2008
A very unique genre- Japanese historical fantasy mystery novel. Lots of cultural and religious beliefs mixed. A girl has to venture into the spirit world to try to save her sister.
October 14, 2020
Read this as a teen and the complex yet subtle relationships were captivating; I wish #ownvoices existed when I was a kid though.
February 8, 2022
The Little Sister of the title is Mitsuko, a 13-year-old member of the Fujiwara clan in 12th-century Japan. Mitsuko has grown up in Kyoto, her family enmeshed in the doings of the imperial court, a setting that requires noblewomen to live behind modesty screens, hiding even their faces behind the sleeves of their kimono. But courtly etiquette falls apart when warrior monks descend upon the allies of the Emperor and attack Mitsuko's household, burning it to the ground. The family is attacked again in fleeing the city for a mountain refuge. This time, her new brother-in-law Yugiri is killed and his wife (Mitsuko's big sister Amaiko) is left catatonic with grief. Mitsuko flees into the forest when the local lord decides to take advantage of their situation, taking Big Sister along with her in hopes of finding Amaiko's own wandering soul, but they are soon discovered by Goranu, a tengu and an immortal shape-shifting trickster who is greatly intrigued by Mitsuko's quest. Mitsuko believes that Amaiko's soul has followed her husband's into the land of the dead, and that Amaiko will herself perish if she isn't restored to her own body soon. Therefore Mitsuko, with Goranu's help, seeks out several Buddhist and Shinto spirits and makes her way to both heaven and hell, only to discover further treachery. A bit slow-moving in the early sections, this work ends up a colorful tale of encounters with a variety of supernatural beings, and of sometimes conflicting loyalties. Recommended.
February 14, 2018
Overall it came across clearly the author was outside the culture looking in, which while that might not be a killer, the rest of the book couldn't save it from this being a killing blow. As the story progressed, the reader finds themselves shoved from place to place, never able to really settle in and enjoy the scenery or get to know how it's affecting the characters we're following. The poetry, while often nice little pieces, seem forced in at odd times. I couldn't recommend this, and honestly likely would not have finished it if it had not been a gift.
March 1, 2020
I didn't love this book. I appreciated the author's efforts to tell a story based outside of Western mythology and landscapes, but I was never really drawn into the plot. The main character is introduced to a number of interesting figures from eastern mythology, but she only spends a few pages with each character. I also thought the main character was kind of boring and snooty. She was always staring down her nose and poor people, and she never really experienced any character development. Wouldn't recommend this one.
May 20, 2020
I remember reading this as a pre-teen and being transported to another world. I read it again as an adult (currently 31yrs of age) and I cant help but appreciate it as much as I did when I was younger. Love the fantasy and how you can easily sleep yourself into the story.
January 31, 2023
A book a I read in high school! I'm happy to have found it again. A very fun read.
September 21, 2024
A short, fun read that introduces you to Japanese culture (historical, not current) and Japanese mythology.
Didn't let the beginning throw you off, the writing style is annoying, but changes by the second chapter.
Didn't let the beginning throw you off, the writing style is annoying, but changes by the second chapter.
December 23, 2008
Novel yang mengambil Jepang sebagai settingnya selalu punya daya tarik tersendiri. Tidak heran begitu melihat judul buku dengan seorang gadis mengunakan kimono sebagai covernya, saya segera memasukkannya ke keranjang belajaan tanpa sempat melihat lagi resensi di belakangnya.
Mitsuko, kata yang menjadi judul buku, yang juga adalah nama seorang gadis bangsawan yang menjadi tokoh sentral dan sebagai narator yang mengisahkan perjuangannya untuk bebas dari bencana yang nyaris membuat keluarganya hancur berantakan.
Sungguh disayangkan memang. Karena sebelumnya kehidupan keluarga Mitsuko sangat menyenangkan. Bersama ayah, ibu, ketiga kakak peremuan serta adik laki-lakinya, mitsuko sungguh menikmati setiap waktu yang mereka habiskan bersama. kehidupan sebagai gadis bangsawan dirasakannya sangat nyaman.nyaris tidak ada keluhan di dalamnya. semua kebutuhan mereka dengan mudah terpenuhi. Terlebih ketika ayah Mitsuko mendapat jabatan tinggi dalam pangkat kekaisaran. Rentetan keberuntungan mulai memasuki keluarganya. Salah satunya adalah ketika kakak sulungnya, Amaiko menikah dengan Yugiri, seorang pria terhormat yang punya masa depan yang gemilang.
Namun layaknya roda, kehidupan juga berputar ke atas dan ke bawah. Keadaan menyenangkan yang terjadi di keluarga Mitsuko mendadak berganti dengan sebuat traged. Biarawan dari gunung Hiei dan Kuil Chizuko adalah penyebabnya. Dari seorang gadis penjaja mochi,Mitsuko mengetaui bahwa para biarawan masuk ke kota dan mulai membakar rumah para bangsawan. Tak perlu menunggu lama hingga akhirnya ibu Mitsuko memutuskan untuk membawa anak-anaknya meninggalkan kediaman mereka yang entah kapan akan menjadi sasaran pembakaran berikutnya. Ayah mitsuko sendiri tak jelas keberadaannya.
Sayangnya, malang tak dapat di tolak, mujur tak dapat diraih. Di tengah perjalanan menuju tempat pengungsian, kereta mereka dicegat oleh sekelompok biarawan. Perkelahian tak dapat dielakkan. Biarawan memang berhasil diusir. Namun Yugiri, suami Amaiko tewas karenanya.
Kesedihan yang mereka rasakan kini semakin bertambah. Semakin menumpuk ketika tahu bahwa tempat mengungsi yang disediakan bagi mereka tidak layakuntuk ditempati. Karena tidak ada pilihan lain, akhirnya mereka pun memilih untuk tinggal.
Masalah seakan tidak berhenti. Kehilangan suaminya ternyata memberi pukulan yang amat dalam bagi Amaiko. Kakak perempuan yang dulu selalu dibanggakan oleh Mitsuko kini layaknya mayat hidup. tidak ada tanda-tanda kehidupan yang terpancar di kedua matanya.
Karena tak ingin kehilang satu anggota keluarga lagi, Mitsuko akhirnya memutuskan untuk menyembuhkan kakaknya. Walaupun itu berarti harus meninggalkan anggota keluarga lainnya.
Tanpa rencana matang dah arah tujuan yang jelas, keraguan mulai melanda mitsuko. Sampai akhirnya ia bertemu dengan seorang Tengu – manusia gagak- dan makluk lain dalam mitos jepang di sebuah kuil. Beruntung salah satu tengu bersedia membantunya. Walau bersama seseorang dengan kemampuan di atas rata- rata manusia biasa, perjalanan menyelamatkan Amaiko bukanlah hal yang mudah.
Petualangan yang cukup menarik. Tempat – tempat yang disinggahi oleh Mitsuko membuat saya teringat dengan beberapa tokoh yang perna muncul di serial Monkey King. Sehingga tidak ada kesusahan untuk membayangkan perawakan mereka. Tapi satu hal yang membuat saya tetap penasaran adalah sosok sang Tengu. Karena buku inilah yang pertama kali membahas tentang tengu. Pernah sih sekali melihatnya di komik tapi itu juga tidak hanya sebagai tokoh yang numpang lewat. Bahkan di serial manapun tidak ada yang membahas manusia gagak ini. Semoga di Search Engine Google nanti akan mudah mendapatkannya.
Mitsuko, kata yang menjadi judul buku, yang juga adalah nama seorang gadis bangsawan yang menjadi tokoh sentral dan sebagai narator yang mengisahkan perjuangannya untuk bebas dari bencana yang nyaris membuat keluarganya hancur berantakan.
Sungguh disayangkan memang. Karena sebelumnya kehidupan keluarga Mitsuko sangat menyenangkan. Bersama ayah, ibu, ketiga kakak peremuan serta adik laki-lakinya, mitsuko sungguh menikmati setiap waktu yang mereka habiskan bersama. kehidupan sebagai gadis bangsawan dirasakannya sangat nyaman.nyaris tidak ada keluhan di dalamnya. semua kebutuhan mereka dengan mudah terpenuhi. Terlebih ketika ayah Mitsuko mendapat jabatan tinggi dalam pangkat kekaisaran. Rentetan keberuntungan mulai memasuki keluarganya. Salah satunya adalah ketika kakak sulungnya, Amaiko menikah dengan Yugiri, seorang pria terhormat yang punya masa depan yang gemilang.
Namun layaknya roda, kehidupan juga berputar ke atas dan ke bawah. Keadaan menyenangkan yang terjadi di keluarga Mitsuko mendadak berganti dengan sebuat traged. Biarawan dari gunung Hiei dan Kuil Chizuko adalah penyebabnya. Dari seorang gadis penjaja mochi,Mitsuko mengetaui bahwa para biarawan masuk ke kota dan mulai membakar rumah para bangsawan. Tak perlu menunggu lama hingga akhirnya ibu Mitsuko memutuskan untuk membawa anak-anaknya meninggalkan kediaman mereka yang entah kapan akan menjadi sasaran pembakaran berikutnya. Ayah mitsuko sendiri tak jelas keberadaannya.
Sayangnya, malang tak dapat di tolak, mujur tak dapat diraih. Di tengah perjalanan menuju tempat pengungsian, kereta mereka dicegat oleh sekelompok biarawan. Perkelahian tak dapat dielakkan. Biarawan memang berhasil diusir. Namun Yugiri, suami Amaiko tewas karenanya.
Kesedihan yang mereka rasakan kini semakin bertambah. Semakin menumpuk ketika tahu bahwa tempat mengungsi yang disediakan bagi mereka tidak layakuntuk ditempati. Karena tidak ada pilihan lain, akhirnya mereka pun memilih untuk tinggal.
Masalah seakan tidak berhenti. Kehilangan suaminya ternyata memberi pukulan yang amat dalam bagi Amaiko. Kakak perempuan yang dulu selalu dibanggakan oleh Mitsuko kini layaknya mayat hidup. tidak ada tanda-tanda kehidupan yang terpancar di kedua matanya.
Karena tak ingin kehilang satu anggota keluarga lagi, Mitsuko akhirnya memutuskan untuk menyembuhkan kakaknya. Walaupun itu berarti harus meninggalkan anggota keluarga lainnya.
Tanpa rencana matang dah arah tujuan yang jelas, keraguan mulai melanda mitsuko. Sampai akhirnya ia bertemu dengan seorang Tengu – manusia gagak- dan makluk lain dalam mitos jepang di sebuah kuil. Beruntung salah satu tengu bersedia membantunya. Walau bersama seseorang dengan kemampuan di atas rata- rata manusia biasa, perjalanan menyelamatkan Amaiko bukanlah hal yang mudah.
Petualangan yang cukup menarik. Tempat – tempat yang disinggahi oleh Mitsuko membuat saya teringat dengan beberapa tokoh yang perna muncul di serial Monkey King. Sehingga tidak ada kesusahan untuk membayangkan perawakan mereka. Tapi satu hal yang membuat saya tetap penasaran adalah sosok sang Tengu. Karena buku inilah yang pertama kali membahas tentang tengu. Pernah sih sekali melihatnya di komik tapi itu juga tidak hanya sebagai tokoh yang numpang lewat. Bahkan di serial manapun tidak ada yang membahas manusia gagak ini. Semoga di Search Engine Google nanti akan mudah mendapatkannya.
April 13, 2009
Category: Books
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author: Kara Dalkey
Fujiwara No Mitsuko adalah gadis berusia tiga belas tahun di Jepang. Seperti gadis bangsawan lainnya di istana kekaisaran, Mitsuko hidup di balik tirai kesopanan, memakai kimono berlapis-lapis untuk menutup bentuk tubuhnya dan — bila di hadapan umum — menyembunyikan wajahnya di balik lengan kimono.Serta menghabiskan banyak waktunya untuk menulis puisi.
Tetapi Mitsuko bukan gadis biasa. Ketika desanya diserang bandit, kakak ipar laki-lakinya terbunuh, dan keluarganya dibawa pergi seorang pemimpin militer Lord Tsuburishima. Kakak Mitsuko yang tidak sadarkan diri akibat shock saat suaminya, Yugiri terbunuh dibawa kabur oleh Mitsuko saat ibu dan saudara2nya hendak dijadikan tahanan politik.
Usaha Mitsuko untuk menyadarkan Amaiko kembali ke alam sadar melewati banyak petualangan fantastis. Diawali dengan saat ia bertemu Goranu si Tenggu gagak yang akhirnya menjadi sahabatnya. Berdua mereka bertualang mencari cara untuk menyembuhkan Amaiko. Dari bertemu dengan Raja Naga laut, Lord Emma O - Hakim pengadilan di pintu alam baka, Lord Susano Wo - Dewa gempa & guntur, Serta Putri Meiyo dari Gunung Fuji.
Little Sister is a wonderful tale, well-written and full of Japanese history and folklore. Good for any ages, boy or girl, whatever. Anyone would like it.
Cerita ini dilatarbelakangi di akhir tahun zaman Heian 1100. Mitsuko no Fujiwara tokoh dalam cerita ini adalah tokoh fiksi. Ia diceritakan merupakan putri dari Klan Fujiwara yang kedudukannya menurut sejarah Jepang berada satu tingkat dibawah kaisar.
Buku ini seharusnya memiliki sequel keduanya berjudul The Heavenward Path. Namun belum diterbitkan oleh penerbit Matahati. Semoga saja Matahati ada tujuan untuk menerbitkan sequel buku ini The Heavenward Path
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author: Kara Dalkey
Fujiwara No Mitsuko adalah gadis berusia tiga belas tahun di Jepang. Seperti gadis bangsawan lainnya di istana kekaisaran, Mitsuko hidup di balik tirai kesopanan, memakai kimono berlapis-lapis untuk menutup bentuk tubuhnya dan — bila di hadapan umum — menyembunyikan wajahnya di balik lengan kimono.Serta menghabiskan banyak waktunya untuk menulis puisi.
Tetapi Mitsuko bukan gadis biasa. Ketika desanya diserang bandit, kakak ipar laki-lakinya terbunuh, dan keluarganya dibawa pergi seorang pemimpin militer Lord Tsuburishima. Kakak Mitsuko yang tidak sadarkan diri akibat shock saat suaminya, Yugiri terbunuh dibawa kabur oleh Mitsuko saat ibu dan saudara2nya hendak dijadikan tahanan politik.
Usaha Mitsuko untuk menyadarkan Amaiko kembali ke alam sadar melewati banyak petualangan fantastis. Diawali dengan saat ia bertemu Goranu si Tenggu gagak yang akhirnya menjadi sahabatnya. Berdua mereka bertualang mencari cara untuk menyembuhkan Amaiko. Dari bertemu dengan Raja Naga laut, Lord Emma O - Hakim pengadilan di pintu alam baka, Lord Susano Wo - Dewa gempa & guntur, Serta Putri Meiyo dari Gunung Fuji.
Little Sister is a wonderful tale, well-written and full of Japanese history and folklore. Good for any ages, boy or girl, whatever. Anyone would like it.
Cerita ini dilatarbelakangi di akhir tahun zaman Heian 1100. Mitsuko no Fujiwara tokoh dalam cerita ini adalah tokoh fiksi. Ia diceritakan merupakan putri dari Klan Fujiwara yang kedudukannya menurut sejarah Jepang berada satu tingkat dibawah kaisar.
Buku ini seharusnya memiliki sequel keduanya berjudul The Heavenward Path. Namun belum diterbitkan oleh penerbit Matahati. Semoga saja Matahati ada tujuan untuk menerbitkan sequel buku ini The Heavenward Path
September 14, 2010
Mitsuko spends her days writing poetry, and keeping herself hidden from most of the world outside of her own family. But when her sister Amaiko’s husband, Yugiri, is murdered, and her sister’s spirit attempts to follows him into death, Mitsuko must flee her sheltered life and find Yugiri’s lost soul. With a crow-demon for a companion, Mitsuko begins a dangerous journey where she must deal with gods and monsters, and save her family before it’s too late.
Little Sister is a book that I first looked at when I was thirteen at a bookstore near my middle school. It’s not until now, at twenty-three, that I’ve taken the time to read it. I don’t know what took me so long. The writing (as seen above) is absolutely beautiful, the language simplistic, yet often heavy with meaning at the same time. The character of Mitsuko, starts out the story very lady-like and almost meek. To watch her growth to a fearless woman is very satisfying. Her journey flows more like a legend of a fairy tale, than a modern day novel, making for a very different reading experience to what I’ve been picking up lately. The setting of Heian Japan is an interesting choice for a fantasy novel. Dalkey has done her homework very well, and sprinkles the story lines with bits and pieces of old Japanese culture. I found myself drawn in right away, and was very sad when it ended.
Little Sister is a book that I first looked at when I was thirteen at a bookstore near my middle school. It’s not until now, at twenty-three, that I’ve taken the time to read it. I don’t know what took me so long. The writing (as seen above) is absolutely beautiful, the language simplistic, yet often heavy with meaning at the same time. The character of Mitsuko, starts out the story very lady-like and almost meek. To watch her growth to a fearless woman is very satisfying. Her journey flows more like a legend of a fairy tale, than a modern day novel, making for a very different reading experience to what I’ve been picking up lately. The setting of Heian Japan is an interesting choice for a fantasy novel. Dalkey has done her homework very well, and sprinkles the story lines with bits and pieces of old Japanese culture. I found myself drawn in right away, and was very sad when it ended.
October 30, 2011
Awal-awal baca buku ini sempet setengah hati, karena ceritanya yg terlalu anak-anak (mengingat saya udah bangkotan) belum lagi banyak tulisan dalam bentuk puisi, tapi setelah cerita mulai masuk ke konflik, tak terasa saya ikut terlarut membacanya.
Kisah perjuangan Mitsu-chan dalam menyelamatkan keluarganya membawanya dalam petualangan dengan para mahluk mitologi Jepang. Dan persahabatannya dengan tengu si bunian a.k.a jejadian digambarkan dengan indah dan polos. Mungkin karena akhir-akhir ini saya jarang membaca buku yang lebih mengisahkan persahabatan, saya jadi menyukai buku ini. Walaupun di ending, sepertinya persahabatan Mitsu dan tengu berkembang lebih dari sekedar teman (inilah twist endingnya)
Dan selalu menyenangkan mepelajari mitologi baru. Walaupun saya sering baca manga, tapi baru tau kalau di Jepang juga ada hakim orang mati (seperti mitologi China dan juga mengingatkan saya akan Hades dalam Norse mythology)
Buku ini ada sequel, tapi ragu akan diterbitkan oleh matahati.
Kisah perjuangan Mitsu-chan dalam menyelamatkan keluarganya membawanya dalam petualangan dengan para mahluk mitologi Jepang. Dan persahabatannya dengan tengu si bunian a.k.a jejadian digambarkan dengan indah dan polos. Mungkin karena akhir-akhir ini saya jarang membaca buku yang lebih mengisahkan persahabatan, saya jadi menyukai buku ini. Walaupun di ending, sepertinya persahabatan Mitsu dan tengu berkembang lebih dari sekedar teman (inilah twist endingnya)
Dan selalu menyenangkan mepelajari mitologi baru. Walaupun saya sering baca manga, tapi baru tau kalau di Jepang juga ada hakim orang mati (seperti mitologi China dan juga mengingatkan saya akan Hades dalam Norse mythology)
Buku ini ada sequel, tapi ragu akan diterbitkan oleh matahati.
February 12, 2009
Mitsuko: Persahabatan, Petualangan & Cinta Seorang Gadis Bangsawan. Judulnya ini benar-benar menggambarkan isi buku yang selesai gw baca hanya dalam sekejap, karena setelah membuka halaman pertama ternyata tidak bisa berhenti membacanya.
Yang menarik tentu saja karena Dalkey menggabungkan sejarah, mitos dan legenda dalam menceritakan perjalanan Mitsuko mencari jiwa suami kakaknya. Bertemu Raja Naga penguasa laut, dewa badai, sampai mampir ke neraka dan negeri leluhur tempat orang-orang mati pergi. Jadi bukan murni fantasi melainkan lebih seperti dongeng.
Sedikit menyerupai Alice in Wonderland kali ya... saat si gadis kecil tercebur ke negeri antah-berantah dan bertemu makhluk ini, makhluk itu, yang semuanya tak pernah terbayangkan oleh dia. Dan jangan lupa, ada sepercik kisah asmara juga di sini. Sedikit saja, cukup untuk sekedar menggambarkan bahwa Mitsuko telah beranjak dewasa.
Yang menarik tentu saja karena Dalkey menggabungkan sejarah, mitos dan legenda dalam menceritakan perjalanan Mitsuko mencari jiwa suami kakaknya. Bertemu Raja Naga penguasa laut, dewa badai, sampai mampir ke neraka dan negeri leluhur tempat orang-orang mati pergi. Jadi bukan murni fantasi melainkan lebih seperti dongeng.
Sedikit menyerupai Alice in Wonderland kali ya... saat si gadis kecil tercebur ke negeri antah-berantah dan bertemu makhluk ini, makhluk itu, yang semuanya tak pernah terbayangkan oleh dia. Dan jangan lupa, ada sepercik kisah asmara juga di sini. Sedikit saja, cukup untuk sekedar menggambarkan bahwa Mitsuko telah beranjak dewasa.
October 7, 2020
Very much reminiscent of earlier stories, with a simple fetch-quest plot and the need for the main character to go to various mysterious figures to petition their help to get to the next step of the journey. Its strength is in the research the author did to incorporate the culture of Heian era Japan not just into the atmosphere of the story, but in the quirks of the main character, Mitsuko. I really enjoyed the frequent haikus and other poems.
Still, the author gets some things wrong. Dalkey writes that the word for story, or narrative as she writes in the end glossary, is 'monotogari', but it is actually monogatari. Another noticeable detail is Mitsuko and her sisters refer to their parents as "Mama-chan" and "Papa-chan", but -chan is never used towards an older person, especially one's parents.
I very much enjoyed this book and I'm definitely going to pick up its sequel as soon as I can. I can't wait to read Mitsuko's continuing adventures.
Still, the author gets some things wrong. Dalkey writes that the word for story, or narrative as she writes in the end glossary, is 'monotogari', but it is actually monogatari. Another noticeable detail is Mitsuko and her sisters refer to their parents as "Mama-chan" and "Papa-chan", but -chan is never used towards an older person, especially one's parents.
I very much enjoyed this book and I'm definitely going to pick up its sequel as soon as I can. I can't wait to read Mitsuko's continuing adventures.
January 29, 2016
This is a fascinating book that takes place in Japan's past, at a time when there was a great deal of trouble in the country with warrior monks, feuding families, and, in this case, mythological creatures that turn out to be real.
Mitsuko is from a well-off family, but everything falls apart and she ends up going on a search for the spirit of her sister's dead husband in order to bring her sister's soul back to her. Mitsuko becomes involved with a shape-shifter, and the story just keeps getting more interesting.
Mitsuko is not perfect. She has a lot of prejudice against those who are not as wealthy as her family, and she tends to look down on the way that type of people live. She does manage to grow up a little in her attitudes become everything is over, fortunately.
It's a really good, very, very interesting book.
Mitsuko is from a well-off family, but everything falls apart and she ends up going on a search for the spirit of her sister's dead husband in order to bring her sister's soul back to her. Mitsuko becomes involved with a shape-shifter, and the story just keeps getting more interesting.
Mitsuko is not perfect. She has a lot of prejudice against those who are not as wealthy as her family, and she tends to look down on the way that type of people live. She does manage to grow up a little in her attitudes become everything is over, fortunately.
It's a really good, very, very interesting book.
December 9, 2015
Part of the 2015 Reading Challenge: A book you own but have never read
I'm a little slow at reviewing this book, so this should be quick and short.
I loved this book. While the world is largely unfamiliar to me, I was quickly pulled into medieval Japan, seeing it through the eyes of young Mitsuko. Her tale is one of quiet strength, and of an undying love for her family and sister. I enjoyed seeing Mitsuko grow and change, and how she had to find her own path in life.
The last chapter of the book was a little depressing, but I'm hoping the sequel will fix that.
I don't know how true this book is to Japanese culture and mythology, but I enjoyed it all the same, and I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel.
I'm a little slow at reviewing this book, so this should be quick and short.
I loved this book. While the world is largely unfamiliar to me, I was quickly pulled into medieval Japan, seeing it through the eyes of young Mitsuko. Her tale is one of quiet strength, and of an undying love for her family and sister. I enjoyed seeing Mitsuko grow and change, and how she had to find her own path in life.
The last chapter of the book was a little depressing, but I'm hoping the sequel will fix that.
I don't know how true this book is to Japanese culture and mythology, but I enjoyed it all the same, and I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel.
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