Christaaay ’s Reviews > The Tale of Genji > Status Update

The author is so smart, sometimes, about the way she criticizes Genji. I mean, using an evil spirit of jealousy (from a previous lover) to haunt Genji and ruin his life?! So appropriate and realistic. No wonder Genji tried to groom Murasaki to not become jealous. It also checks that all of Genji's women suffer the effects of his previous lover's jealousy. I mean, just the STDs alone would have been terrible.

The Washburn translation is entertaining and easy to follow on audio. Some of the word choices are infuriating, though. A woman who rejects her r*****'s advances is “frigid,” is she? That right there is a value judgment. Granted, it's the author and not the translators concept, but EW. At least Genji is described as fickle and shallow. Let's hope he gets what's coming to him or grows up along the way.

🚨SPOILERS🚨




So Genji is now a peeping Tom and
r***** *smh* worse and worse. I feel a bit gross reading this tbh lol Unfortunately, I think this is what the majority of the book will be like. What others have called "seduction," I definitely would use a different word to describe.

(Ch. 2) The psychology Genji's friends is fascinating, although the characters repel me. The IRONY of these men referring to any woman as “deficient” - as if they're sufficient?? They are on the contrary the most relationally clueless husbands and lovers ever represented in literature lol Jury is still out on novel-Genji, but so far…not impressed with his choice of friends and that he actually humors their misogyny.

Starting chapter 2! I'm actually really enjoying it so far, go figure lol Genji's childhood is a lot less offensive than his later choices...