Across The Nightingale Floor
Summary: Across the nightingale floor. By Lian Hearn.
Plot:
The story is about a 16 year old boy Tomashu ( Takeo ) who is one of the Hidden, a gentle, persecuted, pseudo-Christian sect (they say there is a secret God, who sees everybody equally). One night his town Mino is being attacked by the mean clan leader of the Tohan, Iida, who wants to kill the Hidden. Tomashu is the only one left and saved, later known, by Otori Shiguru, who recognises that he is, in fact, one of the Tribe. This is a secretive group whose people have acute powers of hearing and vision, the ability to split into two selves, they are hired by clans to assassinate people.
Lord Otori names Tomashu as Takeo and takes him with him to his town Hagi. Because of the great shock Takeo is captured in he has lost his voice, but through this he finds out that he has acute hearings powers. Arrived at Hagi Lord Otori introduces Muto Kenji to Takeo, who also recognises him as one of the Tribe. Muto Kenji himself is one of the leaders of the Tribe and is going to instruct Takeo. Takeo learns how to split himself into 2 selves, to be invisible and to be very fast. Muto Kenji also warns Lord Shiguru that some day the Tribe will claim Takeo.
Japan is divided into 3 pieces, ruled by 3 clan leaders: The Seishuu ( clan leader Lord Arai Daiichi ), The Otori ( clan leader Lord Otori Shiguru) and the Tohan ( clan leader Lord Iida).The uncles of Lord Otori want to make a alliance with the Tohan by letting Lord Shiguru marry a 15 year old girl Shirkawa Kaede, who is held hostage by the Tohan. Only lord Shiguru doesn’t want to marry her because Lord Iida had murdered his brother, Otori Takeshi, and he is deeply in love with Maruyana Naomi for more than 10 years. Lord Shiguru wants to adopt Takeo legally, but to do so he has to have the permission of his uncles who are only going to say yes if he makes the Tohan an ally of his. So he agrees, he and Takeo are travelling with Kaede to Inuyama ( castle town of...
View Full Essay