The Shogun's Queen

The Shogun Quartet #1

by Lesley Downer

Only one woman can save her world from barbarian invasion but to do so will mean sacrificing everything she holds dear -- love, loyalty and maybe life itself . . .

Japan, and the year is 1853. Growing up among the samurai of the Satsuma Clan, in Japan's deep south, the fiery, beautiful and headstrong Okatsu has - like all the clan's women - been encouraged to be bold, taught to wield the halberd, and to ride a horse.

But when she is just seventeen, four black ships appear. Bristling with cannon and manned by strangers who to the Japanese eyes are barbarians, their appearance threatens Japan’s very existence. And turns Okatsu’s world upside down.

Chosen by her feudal lord, she has been given a very special role to play. Given a new name -- Princess Atsu -- and a new destiny, she is the only one who can save the realm. Her journey takes her to Edo Castle, a place so secret that it cannot be marked on any map. There, sequestered in the Women’s Palace - home to three thousand women, and where only one man may enter: the shogun - she seems doomed to live out her days. But beneath the palace's immaculate facade, there are whispers of murders and ghosts. It is here that Atsu must complete her mission and discover one last secret - the secret of the man whose fate is irrevocably linked to hers: the shogun himself . . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Japan, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Cultural, Japanese History

478 pages, ebook

First published November 3, 2016

About the author

I write historical fiction set in Japan - women’s untold stories, largely true and based on meticulous and detailed research, though primarily, of course, good yarns. I’ve just finished The Shogun’s Queen, the fourth of The Shogun Quartet, four novels set in the nineteenth century during the tumultuous fifteen years when Japan was convulsed by civil war and transformed from rule by the shoguns into a society that looked to the west.
Preorder: http://bit.ly/TheShogunsQueen
The second, The Last Concubine, was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2009 and translated into 30 languages. The other two novels are The Courtesan and the Samurai and The Samurai’s Daughter. My non-fiction on Japan includes Geisha: The Remarkable Truth Behind the Fiction and Madame Sadayakko: The Geisha who Seduced the West. I’m also a journalist and travel writer, give lectures and teach Creative Writing at City University in London.

Reviews

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shogun's Queen is such a fantastic book. My knowledge before this book about Japan during 19-century was very limited and I enjoyed both getting a fictional version as well getting a history lesson all in one book. It's actually a very tragic book, the end of the Shogun's regime in Japan that we get to see through the eyes of Okatsu, a girl that was chosen to try to stop the barbarians from taking over the realm either by forcing or by bullying the leaders into giving in. Reading how the Americans and the British, etc. practically set an ultimatum to the leaders to open the borders so they could get into the land made my blood boil. The audacity to think that they had that kind of right is infuriating.

Okatsu, later Princess Atsu, life is fascinating to read about, and through the book did I really hope that she would achieve her goal, and save the realm, but she faces a lot of obstacles in the Women's Palace. To get the Shogun to listen is hard, especially since he is controlled by his mother. And, the Shogun mother is not a woman that will see reason, all she wants is to control her son and what happens outside the walls of the Women's Palace is second that. It would perhaps be easier if the Shogun had been more of leader, but this is a man that should never have ruled. He may have been born to be the Shogun, but he had not the mental capacity for that. Which his mother took advantage of.

The Shogun's Queen is an engrossing book, well-researched and it left me with a need for reading more about Japan and the Shogun's. I loved that it's through Princess Atsu that we get an insight into the chaotic time period. She may be trapped in the Women's Palace, but it's there that so much happens, and it's there that the faith of Japan will be decided...

I want to thank the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

[G.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shogun’s Queen is my favorite of Lesley Downer’s quartet of novels set in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Japan. There’s an urgency about the events narrated—Japan’s dealings with the predatory western powers in the 1850s—that makes for compelling reading. The heroine is Atsu (1836-1883), who was born to a cadet branch of the Shimazu house, hereditary rulers of the domain of Satsuma, present-day Kagoshima. By a series of adoptions Atsu was raised to a rank sufficient to become wife of the thirteenth Tokugawa Shogun Iesada (1824-1858; r. 1853-58). Immured in the “Great Interior,” the Women’s Palace of Edo Castle, she must survive the internecine intrigues of Japan’s ruling elite, help Iesada negotiate the same, and with luck give birth to a successor.

Downer sticks very close to what is known about the historical figures that people her fiction, though of course she has “taken whatever liberties were needed to tell a gripping tale.” (p. 469) What impressed me most is Downer’s ability to see the world of the 1850s through her characters’ eyes.

Here is Atsu, looking for the first time at a Dutch book:

“Westerners do everything upside down,” [Matsuki] explained, showing her. “Their books begin at the back.” She leafed through the intricate drawings and pages of incomprehensible script, written sideways. It looked more like wriggly snakes or mosquito larvae than writing, not elegant or beautiful at all. (p. 75)

Atsu’s adoptive father Lord Nariakira shows Atsu a daguerreotype, “a mirror with a memory.”

He brought out [a] silver plate and tilted it this way and that until a curved street came into view, lined with spindly houses with pipes like a forest of spears sticking out of the roofs. There were trees along both sides of the road. When Atsu looked closely she saw a couple of small people. It was as sharp and clear and real as anything she had ever seen, but it was not the world she knew…. She stared, mesmerized. She was gazing into another world—the land of the barbarians. (p. 77)

In Ansei 4/1857, Atsu sees one of these barbarians for the first time:

He was certainly human, he had arms and legs, but he was curious-looking all the same. Coarse grey hair bristled on his head and cheeks and around his mouth. Just as in the woodblock prints, he had a bulbous nose and round staring eyes like a pig. His skin was rough-textured and pinkish beige. From his bulk and sagging jowls he was quite old. He was sweating copiously, giving off a distinct meaty odour. […] He was wearing a most outlandish costume—a jacket with tubular sleeves, a high collar and gold trimmings, and tight leggings like a farmer’s pantaloons, dark blue with a gold stripe down the leg, all made of some dense fibre. He carried a stiff triangular hat with pointed corners and a clumsy-looking sword. (p. 362)

Just so, one feels, must Townsend Harris (1804-1878), the first American to serve as Consul General in Japan, have appeared to his hosts.

Also convincing are the frequent references to the Opium Wars in China, about which Japanese were well informed and thus understandably deeply suspicious of western motives in their own land. With hindsight we can see that Japan had little choice but to submit to the demands of the western powers and sign the unequal treaties in 1858. Downer’s novel takes us back to that time and shows in fabulous detail what it felt like from the Japanese side.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope you all enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it! It’s the true and poignant story of Atsu, beautiful and headstrong, who is sent on what appears to be a hopeless mission. Far from being a stereotypical submissive Japanese woman, she is strong and resourceful. It's hopefully a gripping and moving historical romance and is as true to history as I could make it. It’s set in 1853, at the moment when the American Commodore Perry arrived with his Black Ships to force Japan to open to the west - inadvertently transforming Atsu’s life ...

[Joanna Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

'We are all puppets,' he said. 'Lord Nariakira too. We are cogs in the wheel, small parts of the whole. We all have to sacrifice our own happiness to protect our country.'

Okatsu, a young Satsuma women, has enjoyed a peaceful childhood by the coast in a town where her father is the leader. She has always been encouraged to be bold, brave and speak her mind. When huge barbarian ships bursting with cannon threaten the Japanese and their way of life, Okatsu is chosen by Lord Nariakira for a special role to help save her beloved country. Her new role will elevate her to new heights and take her to places she never thought she'd go- Edo castle. Leaving behind everyone she knows and sacrificing her own happiness she must embrace her new life and gain the Shogun's trust if she wants to change Japan's fate. However life at the castle isn't easy and she soon finds out that things aren't quite what she has been led to believe. Though determined to succeed many problems and people stand in her way. Can she succeed in changing the Shogun's mind or will the old Japanese way of life disappear for ever?

Wow, wow, wow I really enjoyed this book! From the beginning it intrigued me and drew me in. I wanted to keep reading to discover what was going to happen to Atsu. The descriptions of the Japanese culture, fashion and ever day life are beautifully described. I felt like I was right there watching the action unfold. The author really knows how to capture a time and place to help enable the reader to understand more about the situation the characters find themselves in. This is especially true in the great descriptions of life in the woman's palace. I really felt that I understood what type of place it was and how hard it must have been to live there.

All the characters are based on real people and they are brought to life brilliantly. My favourite was definitely Atsu. I admired her bravery and how she handled the situation she found herself in, particularly in a society were women are considered inferior to men.

The love story wasn't the one i thought would be focused on in the book but I think that is what made it so beautiful and poignant. I enjoyed the gentle way it developed and how it changed the characters involved. It was one of my favourite parts of the book.

The extra information included at the front of the book was fascinating and helped me understand even more about the events described. I particularly liked the map of the woman's palace which meant I could visualize Atsu there. The daguerreotype of Lord Narikira was fantastic for the same reason.

The only slight issue I had was that I felt the section involving Atsu getting to know the Shogun went on a little too long. I did find myself speed reading through these bits to get back to the action.

The ending was so beautiful, a great way to end the book. I had tears in my eyes whilst reading it.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to everyone. It is an amazing historical novel which is easy to get thoroughly immersed in. If you aren't into historical fiction I recommend you still try it as there is lots of adventure and romance for everyone to love. It perfectly combines the great storytelling of Philippa Gregory with the beautiful descriptions of Amitav Ghosh which is an amazing combination.

This is the first book by Lesley Downer I have read and it won't be my last. I plan to read the rest of the Shogun Quartet to find out what happens next.

Huge thanks to Hannah Bright, Transworld Publishers and Lesley Downer for a proof copy. One of my favourite books of all times!

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical novel set in 1850s Japan

This review first appeared on our blog, where the author talks about researching locale in our #TalkingLocationWith... feature http://www.tripfiction.com/novel-set-...

This is the fictionalised story from the women’s perspective of the latter years rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. It was a period of stability, economic prosperity, cultural blossoming, with a strict social and hierarchical order. Japan also had had an isolationist policy, which left the Japanese wholly unprepared for the advancing westerners, who had already subjugated India and vast swathes of China and now had their sights set on this string of islands. There may have been one Shogun at the head of the country, based in Edo (the Tokyo of today) but he ruled over the daimyō, the local lords, and one of the issues threaded throughout the story are the efforts to bring all the disparate units together, so that Japan could present a unified front to the powerful forces descending.

Okatsu, called Atsu, is a young woman from the backwaters of Satsuma. She clearly has qualities that will take her far, and she is given as a daughter to Lord Nariakira, a seemingly caring paternal figure, yet an arch political manipulator. But political intrigue was intrinsic to court dynamics and both women and men formulated their goals and plotted and schemed their way forward, and Atsu found herself projected into the heart of political manoeuvring.

Atsu is then groomed to become the wife of the current Shogun, Tokugawa Iesada, who had outlived two wives already. It is a strategic match engineered by Lord Nariakira to secure his choice of heir, as Iesada has no heir and it is imperative to have strong and secure leadership at a period when the West is showing great interest in trading with Japan. If that can’t be done peacefully, then the foreigners are quite clear that they will resort to arms. Japan has until this point been so inward-looking that the might of the sabre-rattling Westerners is an anathema and many of the factions within the country have little understanding of how to approach the situation. Strong leadership is required!

But Iesada is already in thrall to his Mother and thus Atsu not only has to negotiate her way to the Shogun’s heart, so that she can implement Nariakira’s plan, but she also has to handle her wily mother-in-law. Atsu is a clever strategist pulling strings behind the scenes of a Shogunate that is nearing the end of its reign. “A clever woman never lets a man know how clever she is“…indeed.

This is a beautifully told story, rich in period detail and a must read if you are visiting Japan. I have visited many of the grand buildings in Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo, and was charmed to add to my understanding through the narrative crafted in this novel. I could imagine the characters in their sumptuous robes gliding along the wooden corridors, I could visualise the beautiful vistas across the palace gardens. I have even stepped on a nightingale floor in Kyoto – in Japanese “uguisubari” – described in the novel, a security device to alert the inhabitants to any intruders.

I was driven to research a little more about the fashion phenomenon of blackened teeth amongst the women of the period, which again is described in the book: apparently it is called Ohaguro, and the look is achieved by dissolving iron filings in vinegar, then combined with tea or gallnut powder, which made it non-water-soluble. It would be applied perhaps once a day and protected the teeth from decay.

A wonderfully written novel, that has been meticulously researched and was an absolute pleasure to read. It transported me to the period and place and has remained with me since I read it.

[Tocotin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this. It was anachronistic, misogynistic, and boring.

“She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the company of men. The women’s palace was full of intrigue, people who said one thing and meant another, smiled at you then put a knife between your shoulders the moment you turned your back.”

I don’t know, this kind of writing is so generic, it seems almost automatic. It must have been boring to write, let alone read. Frankly, I don’t think the author is even all that invested in this character; she describes a young, beautiful, clever princess (Atsu) who has to battle an old, nasty, shrewd mother-in-law – and in another book of her “series” she has a young, beautiful, clever princess (Kazu) who has to battle an old, nasty, shrewd mother-in-law (Atsu)… it’s just the same pattern, executed in the same boring, stereotypical way. An old woman is ugly and bad, a young woman is beautiful and good. Manly things are noble and exciting, womanly things are petty and boring.

The attitudes and behaviors and mannerisms of the characters were only superficially Japanese. I felt as if I were told again and again where the story is set – she’s a princess! she’s surrounded by luxury! she wants to be freeeeee – what? Tokugawa Japan was a military dictatorship. No one was free to even dress how they wanted. A samurai had to have his lord’s permission to do anything short of going to the bathroom. Men, women, rich and poor, all people were screwed. I can’t stand this “I want to be free” thing when it comes to historical novels. And I don’t care for the “I’m not like other women” type of heroine. It’s old. And ugly.

[Alison Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our history books tell of the arrival in Japan in the 1850s of the ‘black ships’ that heralded the development of trade between Japan and the West, but in The Shogun’s Queen Lesley Downer cleverly tells the story of the ‘barbarian crisis’ from the Japanese perspective. Her version concentrates on the attempts of a young woman to influence the tide of events by winning the heart of the weak-minded Shogun. Most of the action takes place within Edo Castle, where our heroine Atsu is cloistered in the stifling atmosphere of the women’s palace. The author creates for us a world of lavish silks, exotic aromas, painted screens and caged birds to evoke the decadent life of the palace. The cast of characters includes Atsu’s perfectly malevolent mother-in-law who provides much of the dramatic tension. Lesley Downer manages to create such a claustrophobic atmosphere in the palace that at times I found myself longing for a glimpse of the world outside. The Shogun’s Queen is a work of fiction, but the majority of the characters are drawn from a historical backdrop that has been meticulously researched. Purists must bear in mind that it is a work of the imagination and allow themselves to be caught up in the narrative, which tears along at a terrific pace. Altogether a cracking good yarn.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If an author is going to do a good job with historical fiction, they need to immerse themselves in the past that forms the basis to their story. They need to understand the politics, the social mores, the zeitgeist of the time. They might not tell us every little detail, but if their characters are to be more than modern people acting out scenes against the backdrop of an earlier era, if they are to truly convince us as people who lived in a different world to us, the author needs to have that well of context to draw from.

From the prologue which introduces our heroine and the political times she is living in right through the drama-filled main plot, it's clear that Downer has put in some serious legwork in understanding the period she writes within. The characters feel true. The enhancements Downer makes to whatever limited fact must be recorded about the characters in the official record feel natural. Downer also captures the atmosphere of the time, including little details about fashion, aromas, architecture, that help immerse the reader in the tale. There was a sense of woodblock prints being brought to life, and I was there with the characters on every page.

The book is a romance, but it's also an adventure story and a political thriller. Atsu is a feisty young woman who doesn't always follow convention. Downer's prose is punchy where it needs to be, capturing the urgency and excitement of espionage and threatened invasion. She understands drama and tension. I was utterly gripped by the action scenes at the start of the book where the Barbarians were approaching and Atsu's home town was plunged into chaos. Equally, Downer knows how to nuance her writing so that the reader gets the sense of torpor that comes with a months-long journey from Kyushu to Edo.

Atsu's story is fascinating in what it reveals about Japan's feudal society. To a greater extent, by the mid-19th century, Britain had left behind its feudalism, becoming a modern industrial nation no longer dependent on political alliances forged through strategic marriage to maintain power. Japan was still that nation in the years when Commodore Perry's black ships brought Western influence to the country. Atsu is a pawn in a game of strategy, a means by which the Satsuma clan can infiltrate the nation's powerhouse. For all that she is independently minded, Atsu knows that she has no control over her destiny beyond making the best of her situation. Blood counts for less than reliability in maintaining a dynasty, and adoption of strong characters who could further the ambitions of a clan was normal. That's how Atsu comes to pass from her birth family to her uncle and then on to a high ranking Edo prince, before finally attaining the goal her uncle has set for her - marriage to the Shogun.

Once she becomes Queen, Atsu's work is cut out to influence the Shogun in matters of state and deflect him away from the influence of his mother. Downer fills the story with insights into how the Tokugawa court operated, and the role women played at the court. There is plenty of intrigue, and femininity is used as a tool to exercise power. It's a variation on the theme of 'behind every successful man, there stands a woman', but within the context of the shogunate there is a validity to it. The women's court is a powerhouse in its own right. The women there are educated in matters of state and aware that there is an influence that they can exercise over those who hold the conventional power. True, they are the possessions of men and are exercising influence in order to increase the power of those men, because that will mean their own position is more secure, but within that context the women are as intelligent and strategic as the men who possess them.

The battle for influence over the Shogun between Atsu and her mother in law goes back and forth like a baseline rally in tennis. Just as Atsu seems to make progress with the Shogun, his mother pulls some manipulative trick. There was a little too much back and forth for my liking. I'd rather a 400 page novel that maintains its crispness to one that tries to spin out the suspense to fill more pages. That was the only thing I would change about the book. There's only so much jeopardy a story can sustain.

Eventually the Shogun makes his choice and things take the path that history records. The treaty with America is signed, opening Japan up to foreign trade. A power vacuum forms at the heart of the court, which is filled by lords loyal to the emperor, paving the way for the restoration. Atsu resolves herself to a life spent fighting the new Regent. It seems as though life has other plans for her, as though, after all the adventure and political scheming, romance will win the day. Atsu stays true to her Shogun, though. Romance of a deeper kind.

Downer's tale is an embroidering of history, an imagining of what might have gone on behind the palace doors, in the secrecy of the Shogun's court, but it's a rippingly told yarn, steeped in fact, and every bit as good as Philippa Gregory's Tudor romances.

The Shogun's Queen is published in November. The first in a series of books called The Shogun Quartet, it acts as a prequel to the other books already published. On the strength of this outing, I'll be taking a look.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is based in Japan during 1851-1858, a period in history when Japan is under threat from America and Britain. Although they trade with Holland successfully, the other countries want to set up ports and bases on the island, making more demands and wanting treaties signed. As this is going on the main story takes place, that of a young girl from the Satsuma Province at the south of the island, her name is Okatsu and she has been chosen for an important role. Her family has ideas that a country girl from a notable family can be elevated to the Imperial Palace in the north. She has absolutely no say in her future at all.

Lesley has created a historical fiction novel with a huge amount of detail, culture, customs, traditions, history, social class and values from Japanese life. As you read through this story, it is easy to notice the time effort and research that has been put into this, what also comes across for me is , is that the author has an obvious love for this country and it’s people. For me what I found great about this book is the amount of things I learnt from it, I have a basic knowledge of Japan and its history, but this book goes a lot further. The formalities and workings at the palace for a young girl entering this isolated and secluded world amazed me. I loved the fact that a lot of the main characters actually existed. The descriptions Lesley has given of each character and the way she has described the country is wonderful.

There are some really handy inclusions in this book to aid the reader, maps, a list of characters and their roles and a very insightful afterward. In the afterward she explains how a lot of the characters actually existed, they can be researched. Also how she did take liberties with some things. But the vast majority of the book is nearly true to fact.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, I found it a very addictive and easy read given the amount of detail that is included.

This is my first encounter with this amazing and talented author, it will not be my last. I highly recommend this book for readers of history. I would like to thank Lesley Downer for bringing this book to my attention, my review of this book is my own and is honest and unbiased.

[Colin Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a bit of a 'bloke', I'm not usually interested in the more romantic aspects of novels. However, as a frustrated Japanese historian, there was plenty in The Shogun's Queen to keep me turning page after page...and, when pressed, I may admit to succumbing to some of the more tender content on occasion.

The world Lesley Downer paints in her latest novel is so rich and detailed that it pulls the reader into Okatsu's life and the intricacies of late 19th century Japanese politics far beyond the cold text of any history textbook could achieve. It doesn't take long for the reader to understand the stakes, motivations and sacrifices made by the characters in order to maintain their national identity and manage the incursions of the Western nations. That's not to suggest that the author's account is dry or dispassionate: indeed far from it. Each character is developed fully and brought into play skillfully so that you can connect with their motivations and develop an emotional investment in their story.

The Shogun's Queen has action, political machinations, historical detail and , of course, romance in spades, but without any single area taking undue prominence. The text is well-balanced, the details tremendously well researched and realised and the overall balance of the novel makes it a cracking good read...even for self-confessed 'blokes'!

[Stephanie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the true story of Atsue, the wife of the all-powerful Shogun at a time when barbarian nations threaten to invade to Japan, Lesley Downer brings her exceptional knowledge of all things Japanese to create a story of forbidden love and lethal treacheries. Imprisoned in the luxurious quarters of the ‘Great Interior’, the women’s palace of Edo, clothed in exquisite silks, Atsue lives constrained by centuries of rigid convention. But secretly she has been primed for her task – to persuade her erratic and sickly husband to make peace with the foreigners. Can she save the nation from war and invasion? Read, enjoy, and find out.

[Ania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Właściwie to powinnam dać takie mocne 2,75. To nie była zła książka, ale taka całkiem dobra też nie. Miała swoje Momenty, dwa lub trzy. Większość bohaterów jest tu niestety dość papierowa, a nabiera wyrazu dopiero przy naprawdę kluczowych wydarzeniach. Plus dla autorki, że naprawdę obszerną wiedzę o XIX-wiecznej Japonii próbowała wpleść w tekst powieści. W ten sposób obyło się bez przypisów wyjaśniających to i owo. Pojawiły się nawet próby pokazania, w jaki sposób te postacie mówiłyby po japońsku, a to naprawdę nie jest łatwe. No i możliwe, że część tych prób mogła zatrzeć się w tłumaczeniu na polski.
Jeśli ktoś lubi powieść historyczną i interesują go zwłaszcza losy kobiet, to znajdzie tu coś dla siebie.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Only one woman can save her world from barbarian invasion but to do so will mean sacrificing everything she holds dear – love, loyalty and maybe life itself . . .’

The Shogun’s Queen from Lesley Downer is a very special book.

Published by Bantam Press November 2016, it is one of those books that I hope my review will do justice to, but it is suffice to say that I absolutely loved it.

Read on for my full thoughts…

Okatsu, a young innocent girl born into a position of status within her own community, is a warrior. Unwilling to become just another unheard female in a world controlled by men, Okatsu is not ashamed to speak up and express her opinions. She is trained in martial arts and ensures her mind remains active and educated.

The world is changing. China and Japan are no longer able to hide their existence from the rest of the world.

China is already under the oppression of the Crown and other nations. Japan, a very proud empire, is unwilling to lose sight of what they hold dear and refuses to trade with the ‘Barbarian’ countries. The Dutch have been granted limited access to Japanese treasures but the rest of the world is curious. Other nations want to discover for themselves the secrets that remain hidden behind the cherry blossom trees and the protected castle walls.

Okatsu attracts the eye of a friend of her father, Lord Nariakira Shimazu, Prince of Satsuma. He is a man of wisdom and sees in Okatsu a person who is destined for greater things. With her family’s permission, Okatsu sets off on a journey that will take her to Edo (now Tokoyo), the home of The Emperor, The Shogun, ‘He who shall not be Named’.

Edo is home of the Tokugawa shogunate. At it’s head is the Shogun, Iesada, a member of the Tokugawa clan. Iesada is a man of strange character, who remains closeted behind the walls of his castle, a recluse with only his overbearing mother to influence his decisions.

The ‘Black Ships’ of the barbarians are arriving at the Japanese coastlines with demands for a share of the wealth that Japan has to offer.

Lord Nariakira is a political strategist. People are but pawns on his chess board and he is very aware that Japan is facing a catastrophic challenge that will change the life of it’s citizens forever.

With assistance, he moves Okatsu around his ‘chess board’ until she achieves what she herself never anticipated. Her life continues inside the walls in The Great Interior (The Women’s Palace) as the Shogun’s consort, his queen.

Okatsu sacrifices so much along the way. She is exposed to the politics of a country caught between Civil War amongst it’s tribal Lords and outright war with the Barbarians. It becomes Okatsu’s job to prevent the destruction of their beautiful land. She has to weave her way into the centre of a tangled knot of deceit and lies. She risks everything for her country. She abandons all that is dear to her and fights using her mind and her will.

The Shogun’s Queen is based on a true story. Most of the characters in Lesley Downer’s novel are real.

‘The story, as I tell it, is largely based on research and historical fact, though in the end this is a work of fiction.’ ~ Lesley Downer

The story of Okatsu is a very special story.

Her strength, her determination, her sacrifice for her beloved Japan and it’s people is a testament to the type of person she was. Okatsu was a warrior. Her story lives on in Lesley Downer’s book and I cannot recommend or encourage you enough to buy yourself a wonderful gift of The Shogun’s Queen.

The Shogun’s Queen is a monumental novel about a time in history many of us have only scant knowledge of.

It is a wonderful work of historical fiction and to be honest I am not quite sure I have sufficient adjectives to describe it’s ability to transport the reader to a period of such fascinating beauty and a time of such a tumultuous history.

Every so often you pick up a book and savor every single word. The decision is made that you have in your hand a book that cannot be rushed. The Shogun’s Queen had all these qualities and more that I love in a book. I relished the five minutes I got to read a few pages and made sure not to miss a line.

I hope you get an opportunity to read this exceptional book. Please do let me know if you do. I would love to know your thoughts…

(NOTE : The Shogun’s Queen is the fourth book that Lesley Downer has written about this turbulent time in Japanese history. Do not be put off by the order of the books. Although this is the last of four, it is a prequel to the other three.)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shogun’s Queen is a truly epic historical, the kind where you want to sink into the fictional world and never have to leave. It's the story of ‘queen’ Atsu, third wife and consort of the 13th Japanese Shogun, Tokugawa Iesada, and is a fascinating account of one of the most tumultuous periods in Japanese history, beginning in 1853. I found it incredibly poignant and empathised with Atsu immediately. The reader can’t help but like her and root for her as she is elevated in rank through a series of adoptions, a practice that was apparently common in Japan, until she is fit to be married to the country’s ruler. The fact that the ruler in question isn’t quite what she had expected added a very human dimension to the story and showed Atsu’s compassionate side, making the reader love her even more.
It was fascinating to read about this period in time, seeing it through Atsu’s eyes. The descriptions of life in the Shogun’s household, in his vast castle in Edo (present day Tokyo) are amazing – I could see the opulence, feel the tatami mats under my feet, smell the damp in winter and sweltering heat in summer. The in-fighting, the factions, the tedium and the sheer spite of hundreds of women who have nothing to do except intrigue was perfectly portrayed. I wanted to tear in there and shake some of them, they were so vile!
This is an extraordinary tale, told in great detail and giving a unique insight into those last few years of the Japanese feudal way of life and I highly recommend it.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first became interested in the Far East, particularly China, Japan and Thailand when in my early twenties. There have been a few books detailing various periods in Japan's history but this book by Lesley Downer, although fiction, paints such a detailed picture of life in the women's palace in the mid 1800s that you feel a sense of loss when you realise you have finished the book. Fortunately, The Shogun's Queen is the first in a series of four so I am hoping to get more of my Japanese fix in the near future. Having lived in Japan for fifteen years, Lesley's love for the country and her attention to detail is evident in every page. I loved the character of Princess Atsu and the Shogun, who wasn't at all what I expected. The ending, with a look to what might have been is incredibly poignant but I won't say any more for fear of spoiling it. What I really loved though was the picture of every day life, the little details that transport the reader to another time and place. A wonderful historical account of a period in history that, until now, has not been so well documented in English; informative, entertaining and enlightening!

[Gill Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page you know you are in the hands of an expert, as the details of life in 19th-century Japan are woven artfully through the compelling story of a plucky young woman called Atsu. I was fascinated to learn about the political and societal structures of the era, the position of women, and the way the Japanese upper echelons lived their lives.
The story takes place at a pivotal moment when Americans are threatening Japanese shores: they are huge, lumbering men with beards who smell peculiar from their habit of eating animal flesh. Atsu is smart and is being groomed for an important role in the court of the shogun, Iesada. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say I couldn't stop reading as the story of the intrigues in the palace unfold.
For me, it's the perfect historical novel: it taught me about a period I knew virtually nothing about, while being entertaining at the same time. Highly recommended.

[Vic James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! As a former long-term Japan expat I know just how accurate Downer's evocative descriptions of Japan are, and how finely nuanced her historical scene-setting. Mostly, though, I just love her strong heroines and ability to write a swoonsome romance. THE SHOGUN'S QUEEN doesn't disappoint on either count! Longer review to follow.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shogun's Queen follows a young woman named Okatsu through the turbulent 1850s in Japan. She ends up in a powerful political position, which the novel's title gives away, at a time when other nations threatened Japan's prior isolation. The most aggressive was America, it seems. This is a time and place in history that I knew nothing about, thus I found the setting and copious material details interesting. Downer never hesitates to describe a room, an outfit, or a ceremony. However the characterisation is only serviceable. Okatsu is defined by being beautiful and feisty; the reader is told more about her by other characters than is effectively shown. Other characters receive less development and remain essentially one-dimensional. Also, giving the Shogun visions of the future was just silly and did not fit the tone of the book. I felt that the comparison with Hilary Mantel's extraordinary historical fiction in one of the puff quotes was not merited, unfortunately. I found The Shogun's Queen readable enough, but somehow both ponderous and melodramatic. That is a difficult combination.

Nonetheless, the narrative is striking as it depicts failure rather than success. Historical spoilers: the Shogunate did not survive. The slow pace and increasing pressure on Okatsu suggested the plot was building up to a dramatic climax. This turned out to be Okatsu trying her best, not succeeding at all, and her husband the Shogun abruptly getting murdered. The afterword explains that The Shogun's Queen sticks largely to historically documented events, with some additions (notably a romance subplot). Downer explains she was trying to show the perspective of a woman at the heart of major events in Japan's history, who had nonetheless largely been forgotten. I certainly appreciate that aim and enjoyed what I learned about the Shogunate. I would have preferred The Shogun's Queen as non-fiction, though, as the addition of melodramatic touches undermined rather than enhancing my enjoyment.

[Anneke Visser-van Dijken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bij het zien van de schitterende cover van De vrouw van de shogun van Lesley Downer krijg je al een idee dat je een verhaal uit het verre Oosten gaat lezen. Je wilt weten wie de vrouw is, waar ze precies vandaan komt en wat haar achtergrond is. Ondanks dat men zich niet aan de originele cover heeft gehouden, past deze cover net zo bij het boek als de originele cover. Het zijn even mooie covers. De titel maakt nieuwsgierig, je wilt meer weten over haar. Tijdens het lezen heb je op een gegeven moment het gevoel dat de titel niet klopt, maar als je weer wat verder leest, blijkt de titel wel goed gekozen te zijn. Het duurt even voor het duidelijk wordt.
De vrouw van de shogun van Lesley Downer is het eerste deel in een boekenserie van vier. Als je het boek uit hebt, dan kan je niet wachten om de volgende delen te gaan lezen. Je hoopt dat de andere drie delen net zo goed zijn als het eerste deel. Meteen vanaf de eerste bladzijde wordt je meegezogen in een indrukwekkend verhaal over een jonge vrouw die een belangrijke missie heeft. Al heel jong heeft ze geleerd om paard te rijden, het zwaard te heffen en nergens bang voor te zijn.

Lees verder op https://surfingann.blogspot.com/2020/... .

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok. I actually read this really fast, but nothing about it grabbed me. The time period and setting is one I was interested in reading about, but somehow even though this should have been high stakes and super interesting, I could not connect to anyone and I ended up feeling pretty bored.

[Holly Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful historical fiction novel based on lots of real people. There was lots of googling for images and facts whilst going through.
The imagery was beautiful, real escapism, and made me crave even more going somewhere somewhere and seeing something different.

[Renae Lucas-Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely the most enjoyable historical book, set in Japan, I’ve ever read. Although the author took certain creative liberties to portray the love story between the main character Atsu and her childhood sweetheart Kaneshige, I was delighted to discover that so many of the details in this story were based on true events and historical facts and Lesley Downer has interpreted all of this in a beautifully written book that really captured my imagination.

When I read the first few chapters of the book, I thought the author was a very talented writer but I became completely engrossed in the story when Atsu settled into Edo Castle to prepare for her life as the Shogun’s queen and consort. Here the author’s ability to tell an incredibly powerful story with so much passion and dignity really impressed me. I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to Atsu who was obviously a very attractive yet intelligent and kind woman, I was shocked learning about the difficulties she had to face in her life within the castle, I loved following her bourgeoning relationship with the Shogun, her tempestuous relationship with his mother, and reading about the ins and outs of her life and the daily rituals that took place at Edo Castle. I also felt sorry for Atsu when she occasionally yearned for Kaneshige and their life in Kagoshima, and with so much political tension throughout this book, the story truly came to life for me as I read each page.

So many other reviewers have outlined the plot in The Shogun’s Queen so I won’t be going into detail about this but I really think it’s worth mentioning that this book by Lesley Downer is worthy of many literary awards and I’m sure she’ll win quite a few. If you could give a book a higher rating, then this book deserves 7 stars. After finishing the book, I realised the plot must have been meticulously planned but every stage of the book flowed naturally into the next and I could easily visualize all the details of the life Atsu had to lead as the Shogun’s consort. I was also able to sympathise with all the demands put on her at such a young age and I really developed a strong admiration for Atsu’s determination to do what was right for the Shogun and at the same time her country and its people who were being torn apart by the arrival of “the barbarians”.

This book is full of political intrigue, suspicion, and treachery but to me that’s just the background for the narrative. Instead, it’s an exquisite but very poignant story of a woman who has everything she materialistically desires at the grand Edo Castle but the part that is most charming is that this queen wants nothing more than to save the men she loves, to protect her close friends and allies, and to steer Japan safely into the future.

[Charlie Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn’t a book I normally go for. I like history. When I go to a city I want to know how it came to be. However, I’ve never been interested in Japanese culture, I can’t say why. However, this book was described to me in a slightly different way. It’s a book of a woman sacrificing everything for the good her country. It felt sounded very Mulan. I know it’s a very different country. Okatsu is fiery and head strong, she was too good for the family she had been dealt. She is chosen to rise above her rank and is prepared for a very important mission: to marry the king. Once in the palace she can influence him into making the right decisions when barbarians descend on their land.

Being fiery and head strong, it’s not easy to be submissive and do as she is told. There are traditions and certain ways of doing things. Okatsu is under so much pressure from her new father to move quickly. Within the palace, she can’t move, speak or even blink without someone watching over her. She is surrounded by servants and ladies, all loyal to her Mother in Law. The frustrations I had with the books are her frustrations. I wanted action, the right thing to be done but first there is the tea ceremony.

There is no doubt in my mind that this book is accurate. Lesley Downer has written many books about the culture and some nonfiction books. The book is saturated in history, I find it a bit much. I was confused and lost my place several times. There is a hierarchy and a structure to everything. Servants have different names titles. Royalty have different names. Without a vested interest in Japan in the 1800s, this is a daunting read. If you have a good memory or a basic knowledge of that time, you’ll find a political high steaks read and the young fiery and head strong girl caught in the middle of it.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visit Japan via the Booktrail Literary Travel Agency: link: The Shogun's Queen set in Japan

Lesley speaks here and shares her photos of Japan -link: Lesley on location in Japan

This is a stunning novel. I was captivated from page one – by the writing, the emotion and the fact it was so vividly evoked in every sense of the word. I could see everything Lesley wrote as the pictures got stronger and stronger before engulfing me completely. I swear Lesley must have a time machine and has travelled back to this time and place and everything is just so vivid and enchanting that I was at the heart of the palace and sitting beside Atsu as she was sold from one man to another.

What a remarkably brave and fascinating women. I had no idea this was a true story so many congratulations to Lesley for taking this on and making it not only accessible but endlessly fascinating. I do love history and Japanese history in particular but can’t say I know much about it – if you aren’t even a history fan, this book will enchant you for the story it illustrates of an amazing lady who once played a very special and powerful role in an all male environment. The insights into Japanese history seen through the eyes of those who usually live on the sidelines of history are here, very firmly in their rightful place.

I feared for Atsu, I wanted to try and warn her -(she’s quite capable of what she does however) that’s how powerful this novel is. The ending was remarkable and I was left in awe at both her and Lesley for having taken me on such a wonderful journey. Absolutely spellbinding. Highly recommended !

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an epic story that sent my emotions soaring high and dramatically cascading low. I was enchanted by the author Lesley Downer’s beautiful words describing a colourful world. I felt instantly transported to a land far, far away to a time where legends and rituals were significant and paramount. To a time were the unknown were feared. A time when sacrifices had to be made for the sake of the countries survival.

The Shogun’s Queen is a fictional novel based on events in Japanese history. Young Okatsu with her beauty, knowledge and courage has been given a task like no other. At the tender age of 17 Okatsu has been given a mission, a mission that seems almost impossible but none the less she has no option but to try. Okatsu must leave her family, her village and the love of her life. A tumultuous journey lies ahead for Atsu, as she is now formerly known and her destiny is shrouded with secrets, political upheaval and death.

The torment that Okatsu faces saying goodbye to her love is so heartbreaking but more heartbreak is to come. I could hardly read the words with the tears falling. The Shogun’s Queen story gripped me and left me intrigued all the way through and has left me feeling quite emotional and bereft at the end. I completely adored this novel and would highly recommend it. A stunning historical romance of sacrifices and love. 5/5*

[Megan ☾ Lawrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to sound entirely insane, but do you ever just kind of forget your favourite author is your favourite author when you haven't read their books for a while? Well that's exactly what I did with Lesley Downer and now I was to kick myself. For a reason beyond me, I gave the rest of the books I had away to charity, and I'm mad af because I want to reread them all immediately ( - no worries though, already ordered them!) aaaaargg. OK. Now about the book.

The story is based on the true events of the 1850s in feudal Japan, and the true lives of the shogan and his women, particularly Atsu - the woman who was to become the consort (or wife) of Shogun Tokugawa Iesada!

There is so much scheming and political manouvering in this novel but it's never boring. You constantly root for Atsu, and most of the characters you're going to either love or hate (but you're going to love the one's you're meant to and hate the one's you're meant to!).

It's a standalone novel, but can be read as part of the Shogun Quartet!

UGH IDK HOW TO REVIEW THIS. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. FEUDAL JAPAN, SCHEMING STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS, WEAK-ASS MEN, SOME OTHER COOL MEN, SCHEMING, SAMURAI, THE WESTERN INVASION OF JAPAN FROM A NON WESTERN POV!!!! All based on real events VERY ACCURATELY!!! Just read her books.

She is my favourite. I will not forget this again.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book. I think my expectations of it were too high since I had to wait so long to finally read it.

I liked Atsu is a strong, smart woman which is rare in Japan at the time. She is outspoken and willing to fight for what she thinks is right. Sadly she was also limited in power and manipulated by those close to her.

I felt really bad for the Shogun. He was mentally ill and completely controlled by his mother and concubine. At least Atsu seemed to love him. I'm not at all sure about his mother and his concubine.

I was very intrigued to see how the Japanese viewed the 'barbarians'. I'm not a history buff so I didn't even really remember this part of history. But they way they viewed the Americans and British, etc was quite funny. I wonder why the Dutch were so subservient? Is it because they didn't have a lot of military power or were they just more polite like us Canadians?

The book definitely dragged at times. A lot of the first half of the book was about travelling and Atsu moving up in rank. She didn't even enter the palace until the later half of the book which is what saved the book for me. :)

[Jennifer S. Alderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shogun’s Queen provides a fascinating history of Japan as seen through the eyes of a highly placed woman in the age of the shogun, in a time when Westerners were encroaching on the island, forcing Japan to open its tightly sealed borders to foreign traders and settlers.

Rich in detail, the author creates a world of princesses, shoguns and emperors that lives and breathes. There is plenty of intrigue and back door politics. The preparations for war and tactics used by the Japanese to defend themselves are also well described. As a Dutch citizen, it was also interesting to learn more about the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands from a Japanese perspective.

A captivating and engrossing read, The Shogun’s Queen is the perfect book for readers interested in Japanese culture and history.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1850s Japan, this is the truly beautiful, magical, poignant story of Atsu's journey from young girl, born to a rural family, destined to be the Shogun's consort, living in Edo (Tokyo) Castle as the most important woman in the land. It's a feminist tale of how Atsu manages the intricate plotting and intrigue that fill the endless corridors and opulent verandahs of the Women's Palace, to win the heart of her troubled husband. Lesley Downer is such a skilled story-teller that from the first chapter we are with Atsu, running along the dark beach, watching the volcano in the distance, waiting for her childhood sweetheart. Based on fact, The Shogun's Queen is a work of fiction, however I wish every word were true! I loved spending time in Atsu's company. A well deserved five stars.

[Hanna (lapetiteboleyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone interested in the rich history of Japan, there are far worse places to start than with Lesley Downer. A talented historian, she approaches the culture and customs with compassion, offering insight even into the less palatable or 'romantic' aspects of history.
From a purely historical standpoint it's a wonderful book, and I greatly admire Lesley Downer for attempting to bring to light the stories of the women behind one of the greatest cultural upheavals in history. From a writing standpoint, it's good but not great. It's a gripping story, and a real page-turner, but there are definitely points where it all feels a bit repetitive and the sex scenes made me cringe myself silly.