In her first novel, author lesley downer explores her fascination with japanese culture and history in a romanticized look at the end of the tokugawa shogunate period. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the last concubine. An epic novel closely based on historical events, the last concubine is the story of a shogun, a princess and the three thousand women of the womens palace all of whom really existed and of the civil war that brought their way of life to an. The story is captivating, the characters compelling and you are quickly drawn into the adventure unfolding during a pivotal time in japanese history. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Foreword vii kallla wadimna, and this book is to be. The shogun quartet, book 2 kindle edition by downer, lesley. Chinese published by beijing pengfeiyili books inc. The last concubine is set in japan in the mid1860s at the time of the civil war, the coming of westerners and a way of life which ended virtually overnight for ever. Lesley downers most popular book is the last concubine.
Unicode characters supported by the arial unicode ms font. Read the last concubine the shogun quartet, book 2 by lesley downer available from rakuten kobo. The last two examples quoted differ considerably from the story in our text. Watch lesley talking about the last concubine on meet the author read an extract. Lesley downer a mountain girl taken as a princes concubine flees the palace and falls in love with a rebel soldier while trying to work out the mystery of her past. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Lesley downer sachi is an ordinary girl growing up in rural japan. She also gave a lecture and there was a sword fighting display with samurai swords. I love mm romances, and when an amazing book like the last concubine by catt ford came to an end, thats exactly what i did. This book is a wonderful work of historical fiction that opens the komodo and provides an evocative glimpse into the secret social structure of the shogun era. I was really looking forward to reading this novel but found that the story was an excellent concept. Then, when she is just eleven, an imperial princess passes through her village and. There she is chosen to be the young shoguns concubine. Start by marking the last concubine as want to read.
With an overdrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for ataglance information about availability. The last concubine by lesley downer how do you fall in love when your society has no word for it. Buy a cheap copy of the last concubine book by lesley downer. The last concubine by lesley downer penguin books australia. Growing up in rural japan, sachi has always felt different, with her pale skin and fine features. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The pace is a bit slow in the first half, which is mainly concerned with setting up the stage for the rest of the story. Japan, 1865, the womens palace in the great city of edo. The last concubine is lesley downers first work of fiction, and i certainly think it was a solid debut. The concubine is the debut novel by nigerian writer elechi amadi originally published in 1966 as part of the heinemann african writers series set in a remote village in eastern nigeria, an area yet to be affected by european values and where society is orderly and predictable, the story concerns a woman of great beauty and dignity who inadvertently brings suffering and death.
Foreign editions of the last concubine lesley downer. The last concubine ebook by catt ford rakuten kobo. The last concubine by catt ford dreamspinner press. Read the last concubine by catt ford available from rakuten kobo. After finishing the last concubine i came across a spoilerfilled video in which lesley downer, the author, likens her novel to a gone with. The last concubine can be thoroughly recommended to anyone with an interest in japan or an appetite for stories of adventure and romance. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 480 pages and is available in hardcover format. Pdf the last concubine book the shogun quartet free. I am a huge fan of japan and books that take place in asia. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work the concubine book pdf.
I have never read this authors books before, but have found the last concubine to be informative and exciting, both from an historic as well as contents aspect. There she swept sachi behind the screens and made her kneel, facing her. The last concubine by lesley downer books the guardian. The last concubine by lesley downer, paperback barnes. Lesley downer has 21 books on goodreads with 18309 ratings. I have never read about the lives of the japanese samurai before and have found it quite engrossing. The levites concubine is an episode of the biblical narrative in judges 1921. Li yuqin was taken from her home by a japanese official to be chinas last imperial consort the last concubine of the last emperor. Her life is turned upside down at 11 when she is taken to the womens palace in the great city of edo. Empress dowager cixi was a concubine, and entered our household through a side gate. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The last concubine the shogun quartet, book 2 by lesley downer.
Sachi, a beautiful fifteenyearold girl, is chosen to be his concubine. Epic history and romance combine in a passionate, exotic novel featuring the mysterious mistress of the last shogun emperor. The last concubine is an epic love story closely based on historical events, chronicling 19th century. Yet she has always felt different, her pale skin and fine features setting her apart from her friends and family. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the last concubine. Bristling with intrigue and erotic rivalries, the palace is home to three thousand women and only one man the young shogun. The last concubine is an epic love story closely based on historical events, chronicling 19th century japans extraordinary change from a medieval to a modern country.
The story is certainly a pageturner, but its tendency toward sentimentality reduces it to a superficial treatment of the past. The last concubine is an epic love story closely based on historical events, chronicling nineteenthcentury japans extraordinary change from a medieval to a modern country. The second half is where most of the action occurs, and a lot happens. Accessories such as cd, codes, toys, may not be included. Shortlisted for romantic novel of the year 2009, translated into 30 languages. Reviews a sweeping historical drama it is fluently written and the political events, battles, customs minutiae of daily life and even the weather have all been meticulously researched to recreate japan in the 1860s.
Lesley met readers and signed books at the book launch for the last concubine on march 5th at the royal overseas league. The last concubine by lesley downer overdrive rakuten. Books by lesley downer author of the last concubine. Book one when his uncle mortimer died and left him hoxne grange, the familys gilded age mansion, tristan pryce became the second generation of pryces to. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 2008, and was written by lesley downer. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text. The last concubine by downer, lesley and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The shogun quartet, book 2 kindle edition by lesley downer. It concerns a levite from ephraim and his concubine, who travel through the benjaminite city of gibeah and are assailed by a mob, who wish to sodomize the levite. An extract from lesley downers the last concubine, which is shortlisted for the romantic novel of the year award. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes factbased historicalromantic fiction. Sachi, brought up as a peasant girl in the kiso mountains, is taken to the womens palace at edo when only eleven. Set in one of the most tumultuous eras in japanese history, the last concubine is an epic evocation of a country in revolution, and of a young womans quest to find out who she. This is the story of a shogun, a princess and the three thousand women of the womens palace all of whom really existed and of the civil war that brought their.
Bristling with intrigue and erotic rivalries, the palace is ho. Free download or read online the last concubine pdf epub the shogun quartet series book. Since the very beginning of his marriage, the tongzhi emperor proceeded to spend most of his time with his empress at the expense of his four concubines. The last concubine ebook by lesley downer rakuten kobo. How do you fall in love when your society has no word for it.
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