Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42764 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Across the Nightingale Floor more than lives up to its billing as an exceptional new literary sensation, from the tragic excitement and drama of a sacked village on the opening page, to the later multi-layered court intrigues and tales of family revenge by ancient Japanese dynasties. The engaging story and appealing characters combine incredibly well to produce a highly readable book that should appeal to many different-aged readers.

Takeo is just 16 when he loses his family to the evil Lord Iida and it seems like incredible luck when he is saved from death by the noble Shigeru, rightful heir to the Clan of the Otori. As Takeo travels into new territory and towards a new, unknown life, the tribal rivalries, romances and histories at large in this new world are revealed to him. These are treacherous times. Everyone is at risk, and few can be trusted. Takeo also has a special gift--inherited skills that mark him out as different from other men. He is at once desirable and highly dangerous to those in power. His life is soon in danger.

It's a fascinating landscape and a riveting story; it's genuinely very difficult to put down once you've started it. Unusually for a children's book with so many characters, several with strange-sounding names, the story is easy to follow. The writing is exceptional, with very few words out of place. The author, a pseudonym for Australian writer Gillian Rubinstein, is generous enough to paint the characters and scenery in great detail, yet keeps the writing clipped enough for the plot to move along at a steady pace. Importantly, there are no slow bits.

The book does not flinch from adult content and is certainly a mature read. There are numerous deaths, several beheadings, torture, cruelty and even a little lovemaking. All, however, are within context and not gratuitous. (Age 12 and over.) --John McLay

The Bookseller 21 June 02
The most enjoyable book I have read this year... This is a book that transcends the children's market, and I hope adults will read and savour it.

The Bookseller, 19 July 02
An intense love story at the heart of this novel makes for a book that's hard to put down. Lian Hearn is an exciting new crossover author.

Customer Reviews

Couldn't keep my eyes off it!
Normally I can never ever find anything to read but when I picked this book up I was gripped from the start! Its so descriptive and you can pretty much picture everything! The characters are all unique and interesting and when I finished the book I was straight onto the next, I'm now on the 4th book which is amazing so this is a must! Its perfect for those who like a bit of japanese culture, fighting etc, it has everything in it! The story line is great and you can just read it over and over without being bored! Love it!

Far better than I imagined.
I read thid book because my brother kept telling me how good it was. After reading the back I didn't find it was particularly appealing, and I thought it would be just another predictable love story. But I was so pleasantly suprised! I couldn't put this book down, and then I want straight onto reading the next one. It catches you right from the beginning, and I haven't enjoyed a book quite as much as this one for ages. It's a must read!, buy it now!

Excitment of reading...
I heard this book was fanatstic and decided to read it, took a few chapters to be un-seperable to it but overall i fairly enjoyed it. Made me read the second book in the seies i'm reading now which is BETTER! so hurry up and read this book and read book 2 it's fantastic!!! Evan better than book 1. But you do have to read this book to understand what happens in book 2. So highly recomended to older teenagers, as it has violence and gore .It's brill so read it!!! It's a must read!!!