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Jump to navigationJump to searchClouds above the Hill: A Historical Novel of the Russo-Japanese War, Volume 1 by Shiba Ryotaro (view source)
Revision as of 13:46, 8 November 2014
, 13:46, 8 November 2014no edit summary
The books is incredibly detailed and with the level of information here regarding the history of Japan and the building up of both Army and Navy, it's tough to see the book as a historical novel in the traditional sense. Considering the likes of [[Spartacus: Rebellion by Ben Kane]] are historical novels which use history as the starting point for a novel, Ryotaro's detailed retelling of history makes it feel more like a work of history with added asides, rather than what I would normally consider historical fiction. Indeed, rather than being a novel based on history, it feels more as if history itself is a major character in the novel.
What also helps give this impression is the writing style. The Japanese use of language tends to be a little more formal than Western readers may be used to, which can take a little adjustment, but here it works perfectly. The slightly smore more formal style helps the novel fall somewhere between a history text and a standard war thriller and the compromise between the two makes it feel a little like a biography more than anything else. In a way, this is what it is, given that we're following the major characters through historical events, albeit with a little embellishment on the author's part – something which can sometimes also be said of autobiographies.
Much praise for this should go to the translators, Paul McCarthy and Juliet Winters Carpenter. I've read translations of Japanese thrillers that try too hard to Westernise the language and that would have taken a lot away from the historical aspects of this story. I was initially concerned that having two different translators would affect the consistency of the segments, but both parts were equally well done. The second seemed a little easier to read, but this may have been more due to my becoming used to the writing style or the increase in pace of events than any differences in translation style.
For those looking to find out more about the Japanese generally, try [[Japan Through The Looking Glass by Alan Macfarlane]], or for something more recent, check out [[Strong in the Rain: Surviving Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster by Lucy Birmingham and David McNeill]]
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|name= Vilnagaon
|verb= said
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One would imagine that such an enthusiast for things Japanese would know the conventions of Japanese names, which, as I understand it, put surname before "first" name. Therefore, the author of this work is known as "Shiba Ryotaro" in Japan but would be called "Ryotaro Shiba" in English-speakers' practice. Seeing the author referred to by his first name throughout the review is disconcerting, though Mr. Shiba might not have cared a bit.
An American Prig
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{{comment
|name= Sue
|verb= said
|comment= We apologise if we've caused any offence - it was certainly not intended.
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