Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third book in this cycle of the Otori picks up where the second ended seamlessly, continuing the ongoing romance... and subsequent tragedies (yes, plural) that befall them.

Mostly Kaede, I think. She and all women have it the hardest in these books.

But that's kinda the point. Feudal Shogunate-ish as this is, with a sprinkling of fantasy clan magic makes it feel more like ninja action than anything else. But unlike Naruto, this doesn't have that many happy moments to balance out the dark and sad.

Let's hear it for realism!

This is a tragedy. We know it is a romantic tragedy. So why is it so hard to keep going with this?

Perhaps because I've gotten to love these characters.

I kinda loved to see a lot of these other people die. Bunch of thugs. The politics is only barely better than the outright bloodshed. Are all men this evil? Or is it just how I feel after reading this book?

Anyway. A delightful read, if difficult and disturbing. The author does have a way with words.

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