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| The Last Concubine | 
 enlarge | Author: Lesley Downer
Publisher: Corgi Books
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy New: £6.39
You Save: £1.60 (20%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 119486
Media: Paperback
Pages: 429
ISBN: 0552155209
EAN: 9780552155205
ASIN: 0552155209
Publication Date: February 12, 2009 (In 86 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 A dissapointing read September 5, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I had high hopes of the lost concubine in the early stages of the book. However as I progressed through it I became increasingly disappointed. This disappointment developed in to annoyance as I progressed.
The Author seems to have become confused was she writng an historical novel, a mills and Boone romance or an all adventure girls own comic? The characters were stereotypical, unsophisticated and lacked any credibility. An example, 2 diminutive court ladies defeat 20 rogues with a dagger and hairpin. (doubtless blinded them with their etiquette) Court lady becomes a merchants servant after the fall of Edo and inexplicably develops an east enders accent. And it goes on and on. I also doubt the historical accurracy of the background plot. It is my understanding that the Satsuma rebellion was beaten by The Emperor Meji not supported by him against the Tokugawa.
All in all a poor attempt to handle a complex subject which fails on all levels.
 A romance set in a historic period April 5, 2008
12 out of 17 found this review helpful
The historical setting of the novel is fairly faithfully described, but the author fails to bring it to life. The picture we are given of the samurai lifestyle is somewhat flat. Duty to the liege lord may well have been the defining feature of life in the samurai era, but rather than demonstrating this through characterization, Downer repeats it to the reader till it becomes little more than a platitude. This sense of duty is then contrasted with the wonderful freedom introduced to Japan as a result of Western influence at the end of the book. This overly simplistic contrast of values is really not much more than a ruse so that the love story on which the novel centres can run its course.
The novel is an enjoyable enough read and has some interesting historical detail at times, but has a few too many implausible coincidences and small inconsistencies in the plot to ever really become a page-turner. It can also be a bit trite - a number of times the two lovers are in situations where they are so close `she could feel the heat of his skin'.... I don't mean to be overly critical, as I did enjoy the story, but it was a little too Mills and Boonish for me.
 An engrossing read March 15, 2008
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
Lesley Downer has certainly done her research. Each page paints a fascinating picture of feudal Japan. Everything from village to courtly life is described both vividly and accurately but none of this gets in the way of the story. Romance, politics, conflict and duty all come together to make this a compelling tale which is easily on a par with novels such as Shogun and The Samurai's Wife.
Sumptuous and evocative February 25, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Lesley Downer clearly has an expert and intimate knowledge of Japan and her vivid, evocative novel is likely to appeal equally to those who know something of the country and those who have never been. Sachi's story is entirely believable yet all the more astonishing for being based on fact. The Last Concubine is a compulsive read that pulls you powerfully back in time, a great saga, like a Gone with the Wind set in Japan, with a heroine to rival Scarlett - and told with exquisite delicacy and almost cinematic verve - you can almost see the scenes unfold as you read. Downer uses her cultural knowledge and her insights into the Japanese soul to weave a powerful and subtle story that transcends conventional historical romance.
enjoyable February 24, 2008
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
not a classic to the calibre of wild swans but enteraining, perphas not the best written style wise and sometimes predictable
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