The first book in a stunning trilogy of historicalfantasy novels following takeo, orphaned when a warlord massacres his village. Dec 07, 2011 across the nightingale floor fanmade kenichi ebina performs an epic matrix style martial arts dance americas got talent duration. The most important themes in the book across the nightingale floor are revenge, loyalty and search for identity. It is a story about a forbidden love and revenge in an ancient land. The across the nightingale floor community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. Dialogue third person narration the theme of family is presented very strongly throughout the entire novel. Across the nightingale floor by carsten lao on prezi. Across the nightingale floor by lian hearn reading guide. They have such relationships with each other through the text, that they make the story come to life. He knew he would not have the days or weeks of practice it took him to learn to cross shigerus floor in silence he had a matter of a handful of hours to watch others crossing and try to map the sounds in his head. Across the nightingale floor sunday, june 15, 2008.
I loved my inner picture of how takeo was view spoiler dancing elegantly over the nightingale floor hide spoiler. Good books books to read my books book 1 this book culture art nightingale fantasy books historical fiction. Rising action the next chosen husband for lady kaede was lord otori shigeru. Who we are, how we fit into our world and why, humbleness in the face of the sublime, these themes matter to me, and across the nightingale floor does a marvelous job of delivering on them. Across the nightingale floor by flynn pisani on prezi. A highly praised novel, it has received awards such as the german youth.
The magic of enhanced senses was beautiful and very appropriate to the setting. Hearn balances these elements well, plays them off each other, and leaves us hungry for the next. It is written by lian hear who has been studying modern languages and been to japan many times. Aug 10, 2009 across the nightingale floor by lian hearn is a wonderful novel set in feudal japan and deals with themes of honor, descision making, and identity. I started writing across the nightingale floor with the four main characters in my head and the opening sentence in takeos voice. The ways in which lian hearn develops the theme of personal identity in across the nightingale floor the book opens with the main character tomasu having his whole village burned down by. In a culture ruled by codes of honor and formal rituals, takeo must look inside himself to discover the powers that will enable him to fulfill his destiny. In bridge of birds children are dying and the protagonist, along with standard wizard wiseman, embark on quest to find macguffin and have random encounters along the way. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Across the nightingale floor is a lyrical and bittersweet tale set in a fantasymedieval, feudal japan. Although, when he does go, he finds his master, lord shigeru held captive in chains. Across the nightingale floor seems straightforward enough at first, but in hearns world, there are plots within plots, schemes within schemes, and skillfully interwoven elements of fantasy. Across the nightingale floor symbols, allegory and motifs. In his blackwalled fortress at inuyama, the warlor.
The novel explores themes such as family legacies, family pressure and revenge. It draws inspiration from japanese literary classics, such as the tale of the heike and the pillow book. Sep 14, 2002 across the nightingale floor by lian hearn 336pp, macmillan. A mythic novel, across the nightingale floor is an example of modern literature that most students read these days. Kaede and they instantly fall in love with each other which makes things a lot more complicated and introduces the theme of romance into the book. It is poised to become the most captivating novel of the year. Across the nightingale floor lian hearn belles beastly. An international bestseller, across the nightingale floor is the first book in the tales of the otori series by lian hearn.
Set in an imaginary, ancient japanese society dominated by warring clans, across the nightingale floor is a story of a boy who is suddenly plucked from his life in a remote and peaceful village to find himself a pawn in a political scheme, filled with treacherous warlords, rivalryand the intensity of first love. A film adaption of across the nightingale floor is being planned, and lian hearn has confirmed that a script is in progress, being written by david henry hwang. The following are the main characters that appear in book one. Across the nightingale floor takes on a traditional and contemporary trend, incorporating ideas such as teenage love and arranged marriages. Takeo wants revenge on lora iida because he slaughtered takeos people and family for no particular reason. I absolutely loved the fact it could affect my emotions and i found it so difficult to set down. A society of rigid castes and codes subverted by love. Read free book excerpt from across the nightingale floor by lian hearn, page 1 of 5. Tomasu, a member of the hidden by birth, returns from exploring the mountains to find members of his family slaughtered. Meet the characters across the nightingale floor book one. Meet the characters across the nightingale floor book. A work of transcendent storytelling with an appeal that crosses genres, genders, and generations, across the nightingale flooris a rich and brilliantly constructed tale, mythic in its themes and epic in its vision. Book analysis across the nightingale floor mimers brunn.
Jun 28, 2018 across the nightingale floor blew me away with how well it captured the essence of japan, and its knowledge concerning the japanese psyche. List characters and events that most belong to the following themes. The similarities in social stucture between those presented in the book and fuedal japan are startling and numerous. Across the nightingale floor begins as sixteenyearold tomasu, who was brn into a persecuted religious sect called the hidden, returns from walking in the mountains to find that his family has been slaughtered. Across the nightingale floor by christian pietrafesa on prezi. Each stratum of society owed allegiance to the one above it. Book map of japan by christian pietrafesa types of. On the flip side of the coin the explanation that it exists in a fantasy world gives the book a rare double edged blade of depth. Across the nightingale floor novel setting across the nightingale floor was set in middle ages japan when there were separate clans in different villages and towns. Lian hearns debut fantasy cum period piece across the nightingale floor, the first in the tales of the otori trilogy, created not a little stir in the publishing world prior to its release. After takeo is rescued from his village, it is revealed to him that he has supernatural powers.
Across the nightingale floor by lian hearn audiobook. Based on feudal japan, this world avoids the ancient grecoroman, european middle ages, or barbarian from the north stereotypical history and. Across the nightingale floor example 5 family theme page 98, the obligations of family literary techniques the literary techniques which were used are. Keep in mind that the relationships between these characters certainly do change. Of course theres a love story, and much action, and ms.
Nov 17, 2011 the shock when takeo realized how very much bigger and more lifethreatening iidas nightingale floor was was nicely done. Across the nightingale floor by meg kanofski on prezi. Lian hearns across the nightingale floor is one of those books that most adults reading ya want to like. Book analysis across the nightingale floor i have read the book across the nightingale floor. Sep 19, 2017 going into the forest on a spiritual quest, meeting the creatures therein, gaining their wisdom one way or another. Dont miss the related series, the tale of shikanoko. Across the nightingale floor study guide contains a biography of lian hearn, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Reading guide for across the nightingale floor by lian hearn.
Across the nightingale floor is an orphan boy, saved by rival clan leader, discovers hes part of a mystical ninja clan, and teams up with spunky, anachronistic loveinterest. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. The main villain of the novel, iida sadamu, has a famous nightingale floor in his palace, which is a floor specifically engineered to sing at the contact of any human foot, making it nearly impossible for any assassin to slip in undetected. Across the nightingale floor blew me away with how well it captured the essence of japan, and its knowledge concerning the japanese psyche. Its great to have read this book just after finishing of other worlds, and in particular the essay on stories, by c. Over a million stunning new images at your fingertips. Nov 21, 2006 the characters in across the nightingale floor each have remarkably distinct faces of personality. He also got to work on the teahouse wich was to be made. A work of transcendent storytelling with an appeal that crosses genres, genders, and generations, across the nightingale floor is a rich and brilliantly constructed tale, mythic in its themes and epic in its vision. Across the nightingale floor is a historical fantasy novel and the first book in the tales of otori series.
Across the nightingale floor lian hearn audio stewartry. Tales of the otori book 1 and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. Across the nightingale floor is set in a fictional feudal system, and follows the story of a sixteenyearold boy named tomasu and fifteenyearold girl named kaede. Tomasu, taken by the tribe is allowed one attempt from their leader, kikuta, to kill iida. Remember many characters and events will overlap decide with a partner which three themes you think are the most important or most explored. Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to across the nightingale floor. Across the nightingale floor book to film adaptations. In his blackwalled fortress at inuyama, the warlord iida sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. The ways in which lian hearn develops the theme of. Read across the nightingale floor 2002 online free. Another one of my favourite series tales of the otori is a brilliant fantasy heavily influenced by japanese culture and history.
Across the nightingale floor by lian hearn is a wonderful novel set in feudal japan and deals with themes of honor, descision making, and identity. At the end of across the nightingale floor takeo reflects, it would always be like this, summer after summer, winter after winter, the moon sinking towards the west, giving the night back to the stars, and they, in an hour or two, surrendering it to the brightness of the sun. A story of treachery, political intrigue, and the intensity of first love, set in a world ruled by formal ritual and codes of honor, across the nightingale floor crosses genres, generations, and. How much of that stir was due to its epic visions and bold inventiveness, as its copublisher said, and how much to astute marketing is open to. The man does this and makes a squicking flor that sounds like a nightingale. Probably one of the most prominent themes in the book. Across the nightingale floor hearn fiction commentary. It is an actionfantasy story set on a set of islands which closely resemble feudal japan. A lifelong interest in japan led to the study of the japanese language, many trips to japan and culminated in the writing of across the nightingale floor. The ways in which lian hearn develops the theme of personal identity in across the nightingale floor the book opens with the main character. Reading guide for across the nightingale floor by lian hearn discussion guide for book clubs. Jun 15, 2008 across the nightingale floor sunday, june 15, 2008.
Across the nightingale floor summary supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Also shigeru asks the man to build him a floor that will sing like a nightingale when someone walks across it. Across the nightingale floor is a 2002 historical fantasy novel. Normally a bad book is just that, but this book is actually infuriatingly bad. The author does some neat narrative juggling by alternating chapters between takeos firstperson odyssey and the yougogirl, thirdperson story of the cinderellalike kaede. Across the nightingale floor, tales of the otori book one brings the reader into a truly unique fantasy world. A lifelong interest in japan led to the study of the japanese language and many trips to japan, and has culminated in the writing of across the nightingale floor. Across the nightingale floor lian hearns books were the first i actually read from start to finish with complete anticipation the whole way through. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of across the nightingale floor by lian hearn. The characters in across the nightingale floor each have remarkably distinct faces of personality. Nov 21, 2017 across the nightingale floor by lian hearn how was it possible for the world to be so beautiful and so cruel at the same time. Across the nightingale floor is the first book in the trilogy know as tales of the otori written by english born australian writer, lian hearn real name gillian rubinstein. Gender discourses are embedded within the novel and are shown through the domination of males over females. Across the nightingale floor is the first book of a trilogy and follows the rescue and coming of age of tomasu later lord takeo, who begins the book as the only surviving member of his community and ends the book being torn between the conflicting needs of two other communities which lay claim to him.
It is written by lian hear who has been studying modern languages and been to japan many. Suitable for students, australian literature comprises of a variety of thoughtprovoking concepts that challenge readers minds, as opposed to the simple texts that students are confronted with nowadays. Read free book excerpt from across the nightingale floor by lian hearn, page 3 of 5. Shigeru is intreged at the idea of building and he and takeo watch the man at his work. It combined many of my favorite things, historical fiction, ya, romance, fantasy and action. In a culture ruled by codes of honor and formal rituals, takeo must look inside himself to discover the. The ways in which lian hearn develops the theme of personal identity in across the nightingale floor 662 words 3 pages the ways in which lian hearn develops the theme of personal identity in across the nightingale floor the book opens with the main character tomasu having his whole village burned down by lord iida and the tohan clan. Some clans were enemies with each other and had different laws. If you would like to participate, visit the project page. What do you feel were the three key themes in this novel. The across the nightingale floor community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
The novel follows the protagonist, a young warrior named tomasu who later becomes takeo. Lian hearn a pseudonym studied modern languages at oxford university and work as a film critic and arts editor in london before settling in australia. Takeo is raised among the hidden, whose beliefs forbid them to kill. This summary of across the nightingale floor includes a complete plot. Themes what do you feel were the three key themes in this novel. An ancient tradition undermined by spies and assassins. Shirakawa kaede has lived most of her life in captivity to the noguchi. Across the nightingale floor by lian hearn goodreads. Aug, 2012 the most important themes in the book across the nightingale floor are revenge, loyalty and search for identity. Boost engagement with internal communication videos. Across the nightingale floor is within the scope of wikiproject australia, which aims to improve wikipedia s coverage of australia and australiarelated topics. Ive written five books in the tales of the otori series. T robot said in the book across the nightingale floor i had no idea how i could relate to the characters on a personal level because as stroudilicious said it was very hard to relate to characters in a made up fantasy asian world in a time far older than what we live in but as i learnt more and more about the main characters there was much more that i could relate to. Across the nightingale floor is the first of lian hearns tales of the otori trilogy, first published in 2002.
I really, really enjoyed across the nightingale floor. Apr 02, 2004 lian hearn studied modern languages at oxford university and worked as an arts editor in london before settling in australia. Across the nightingale floor background gradesaver. Our own medieval feudal system was a relatively simple affair. It started as a trilogy across the nightingale floor, grass for his pillow. The across the nightingale floor community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author.
Across the nightingale floor literary elements gradesaver. Across the nightingale floor book central rappahannock. I was in akiyoshidai international arts village in yamaguchi prefecture. Lian hearns across the nightingale floor is a well constructed and vey entertaining read. Dec 01, 2005 shigeru is intreged at the idea of building and he and takeo watch the man at his work. While trying to escape, he steals the horse of iida sadamu, the ruthless leader of the military clan the tohan.