Customer Reviews

The Concubine's Tattoo

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Having read her entire Sano series to date, this one out does them all. More personality, and the suspense builds nicely to the end. Rieko is a great character addition to investigators team. The author could plan and plant the clues for the reader a little better but great reading over all.

The Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century has been a setting for a number of memorable works: the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa, Eiji Yoshikawa's epic novel "Mushashi," and James Clavell's "Shogun."

It's also the setting for this series of four novels by Laura Joh Rowland featuring Sano Ichiro, the most honorable investigator to the shogun.

When the shogun's favorite concubine is found poisoned, the discovery interrupts Sano's wedding feast as well as unleash a host of concerns. Was the killing an attempt to keep the shogun from begetting an heir? Will someone use the crime as a pretext for getting a rival out of the way?

Sano has good reason to be doubly concerned about the case: failure to find the culprit could mean a visit to the execution ground for himself, his assistant and his family.

Sano is also distracted by his bride, who is as spirited and unconventional as a 17th-century Katharine Hepburn. Their journey toward accommodation and compromise form a major part of the book.

One word of warning: many forms of copulation show up in "The Concubine's Tattoo," and its explicitness may prove unsettling to regular readers of the genre.

The Concubine's Tattoo offers everything that I need in a mystery. It is set in an exotic, fascinating era, 17th century Japan. It has an engaging mystery, about the death of one of Shoguns concubines, Harume while she is illicitly tattooing her lovers' name in a secret place and there are many possible suspects. The main characters in the story are interesting and sympathetic people. She opens the story at the lead character, Sano Ichiro's arranged wedding to Reiko, a Japanese woman with a mind of her own. The untimely death of Harume interrupts the wedding festivities and immediately set Sano and Reiko in conflict because of their different ideas of were a woman' s place is.

There are many great subplots woven throughout the story and Rowland has managed to make Ichiro's enemy, Chamberlain Yanagisawa, a richly drawn and sympathetic character without losing his menace. Actually all of the important secondary characters are given a nice depth, as well as the main characters.

This was the fourth book in a Series of books about San Ichiro's work as the Shoguns investigator and the first that I have read. I am not a regular mystery reader, the plots are usually a bit to predictable for me and I do not like the genre enough to put up with shoddy writing. This book however, and I hope the series, was engaging on several different levels. While it is a stand-alone book it definitely peaked my interest in finding and reading all of the books in this series. This is an author that I look forward to enjoying for years to come.

I ran the Mensa Feudal Japan group for over 10 years, and have loved the Japanese culture since childhood. I was thrilled to pick up The Concubine's Tattoo - the fourth in a series about 1600s-era detective Sano Ichiro and his brand new wife, 20 year old Reiko. I wasn't expecting real historical accuracy - just a fun afternoon read with mystery and romance.

On the historical side, Rowland gets many things right and several things wrong. That's to be expected from most books, and I won't let that bother me too much. They're a bit heavy on the tea ceremony for this period. The story is set in 1690 Japan - but they're reading Dream of the Red Chamber which is a Chinese masterpiece written in the 1700s. In any case, most people don't read casual one-afternoon mysteries in order to learn deep historical lessons, so that is fine.

On the other hand, when I read historically based novels -whether it's in England of the 1200s or Italy in the 1400s, I expect the characters and culture to be authentic. That's generally why I'm reading those stories, to lose myself in "another time". It was really hard, therefore, to get a handle on the characters that populate this particular world. Ichiro, the lead character, is 31 and a detective in high Japanese society. Suddenly through the course of this story he "becomes aware" - in a week or so - of all the plights of Japanese women, on how evilly they're held down by society. None of his previous 31 years had made him think of this? He has the same startling revelations about 'eta' - the outcast of Japanese culture.

Many of the quotes and situations in the book are deliberately set up for modern audiences to gasp in outrage, thinking "how could they treat a woman like that!" I'm trying to think of a modern day situation that people wouldn't immediately try to shoot holes in. OK, what if we assumed that 100 years in the future, that "kids" could not vote or marry until age 25 and any sexual or drinking activity by them was considered evil child abuse. Now let's say that a book written then was set in modern times (i.e. 2006). This book had parents who were aghast that their 22 year old son was having wine with dinner and had a girlfriend who he slept with. It just wouldn't make sense. It would, in fact, be quite odd for the time. There are LOTS of things we consider normal now, that simply weren't considered normal at other times. To force a couple in Japan to have "modern day sensibilities" to suit a modern audience is betraying the whole reason you set a book in another time period.

I'm not saying I dislike female characters. Far from it!! I *love* female characters, especially female strong characters. There were tons of strong female characters in Japanese history! Certainly women did many things - they weren't just all prostitutes and feeble housewives, as the book sometimes says. What makes it worse is that the female character in the book is a ninny virgin 20 year old who possesses little common sense. She's supposedly well educated and trained in patience and law - but her technique is just to harass the person in front of her until she gets her way. If I was her guardian, I wouldn't have let her out to help with a dangerous mission, whether she was female OR male. The way that she interacts with her new husband - going from demanding to petulant to "you must be my constant assistant" in such a short period of time is really quite unbelievable.

We get the same problem of unbelievability from other characters. The Shogun and his mom are cardboard cutouts of 'brainless rulers who you have to humor'. Other characters exist to serve a purpose, most of them presenting a specific stereotype. In a parallel problem, there is a huge fascination on the part of the author with physical beauty. People with physical beauty are praised and loved. People without physical beauty are evil and beat on. It's thought of as "tragic" when a woman, once beautiful with make-up and hair care, has to "go natural" and be herself. Several characters are described as "no longer attractive" because they're no longer under age 30.

I'm not squeamish about sex, and I understand that some soldiers in Japanese history were homosexuals. Heck, some soldiers in Roman history were homosexuals, some in Greek history were .... you can find prostitutes and affairs and sexual toys in any culture in the world, in any time frame. However, this book goes a BIT overboard. I think the author was trying to toss in every strange Japanese sex practice she could think of in order to liven up the story. Sure, they story involves the Shogun's official prostitutes - concubines. Yes, it involves a Shogun who likes boys. But does EVERY single character we run into have to have a bizarre sexual fetish? We're talking about a general cross section of Japanese society here; the novel wasn't about the "sex addicts group" and their weekly tell-all sessions. It got a bit much.

I don't mean to pick on the series too much here. I own the books, obviously I enjoyed them enough to read and re-read them. There is a lot of great detail in here, a lot of clear imagery that is very moving. I enjoy the poetry and the environment that has been created. I just wish the characters themselves had been more robust and three dimensional. Again, I don't mind occasional historical inaccuracies; it just happens. However, when the entire basis for characters is completely out of "time appropriateness" and when a large number of characters seem to be two dimensional, that does bother me in a book. It turns the book from one I can really savor into a quick page-turner to zip through on a rainy afternoon.

In 1690 Edo, Japan, Sano Inchiro, the Most Honorable Investigator, looks forward to marrying his beloved Lady Ueda Reiko. However, Sano's nuptial bliss is abruptly interrupted when Harume, a favorite concubine of Shogun Tsunayoshi, is murdered by an assailant who placed poison in the lady's tattoo ink. In his twenty months on the job, Sano has investigated several murders including a Dutch trader in Nagasaki. However, as dangerous as some of them were, Sano realizes that he begins his most perilous case because failure to solve this case would mean dishonoring the Shogun and potentially lead to Sano's death. Making maters more difficult for the Most Honorable Investigator is his new wife refuses to stay at home. Instead she begins her own brand of sleuthing.

With her fourth Sano novel, THE CONCUBINE'S TATTOO, Laura Joh Rowland continues her rapid climb to the top of the historical mystery sub-genre. The story line is filled with intriguing detail into Japanese history and culture without slowing down the who-done-it, which is intimately tied to the culture. In previous tales (see THE WAY OF THE TRAITOR, BUNDORI, and SHINJU) Sano has been a fully developed protagonist. However Reiko adds much personal depth to her spouse's character, turning him into a warmer sleuth. Fans of historical mysteries will shout "Banzai" after reading this deftly developed novel.

This is the fourth book in the Sano Ichiro series, and probably the best of the three that I've read. Ichiro is ordered by the Shogun to investigate the death of his favorite concubine, and it soon becomes clear that the death is a result of poison. As always in this series, Ichiro is playing a delicate game trapped between the weak and stupid Shogun and his powerful enemy Chamberlain Yanigasawi. Yanigasawi is the Shogun's lover and favorite, but, since the Shogun trusts Ichiro, can only act against Ichiro in ways the Shogun doesn't notice. Since the Shogun is less than observant, that still leaves him with quite a few options.

The book stands well on its own; I think it woud be unnecessary to read the earlier installments of the series before reading this one.

This book adds the character of Ichiro's wife, Reiko, who is eager to take her own role in Ichiro's investigations. The presence of Reiko adds interesting complications and allows the Ichiro character to develop further, but from my own limited knowledge of the period, I doubt that either her independence, her Nancy Drew spunkishness, or Ichiro's relatively easy acceptance of it are at all realistic.

The plot involves a good deal of sex, some of it kinky, as other readers have observed. I found it all appropriate - there is no explicit content just thrown in for its own sake without furthering the story - but it may be too much for some readers.

The mystery is done well, with several vivid characters introduced as suspects, and Ichiro facing a dangerous dilemma when the evidence seems to point to the Shogun's mother, who it would certainly be fatal to accuse.

Several readers have commented on the historical realism of the setting. It is always risky to read historical novels and expect to get real history, and this series is no exception. At one point in this book, the Shogun is portrayed reading the classic chinese novel, "The Dream of Red Mansions". That book in fact wasn't written until over half a century after this story takes place. I suspect that Rowland intended an earlier classic novel of chinese decadence and erotica, the Ch'in P'ing Mei. If a person like myself, with no special knowledge of the period in question, can spot a careless blunder like that, how many inaccuracies would a real expert catch? Probably quite a few - for instance, one reviewer of this series has stated that the teahouses which play a prominent role in this and other installments, while very popular in later Japan, wouldn't have existed at the time this story is set in.

First and foremost Concubines Tattoo is on the same level as Shinjuku, Bundori, the Way of the Traitor the other books Laura Rohland has written in this series.

Laura Rohland's Sano mysteries set during the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan are pretty good. Set in a time period a little after the time period described in the classic book Shogun, these books are pretty good. They do a decent job with the setting, characters, and the story.

The Concubine's Tattoo is up to par with the rest of the series. Once again our hero Sano protects the Shogun and solves the mystery. There is some good period and historical detail and at the same time there is some cheese.

If you are interested in Japan and Japanese history you will like this book and the others in the series. For mystery fans the books are ok also. Again, I think this book or any in the series are no Shogun but if you like Japan and Samurai type stuff this is pretty good. For a more modern mystery series set in Japan check the Salaryman's Wife and Zen Attitude.

This is not a classic book. But if you are looking for a good period historical mystery to read on the beach, plane or on the train this book fits the bill.

Laura Joh Rowland may not write mysteries that have Agatha Christie posthumously worried about her place in the literary pantheon, but her Sano Ichiro mysteries are among the most realistic, well-grounded historical mysteries extant.

"The Concubine's Tattoo" is the fourth mystery in this series, and it's an excellent entry. The Shogun's favorite concubine has been murdered under circumstances that lead our hero to believe that she had other romantic interests besides the Shogun. Not only must Sokosan Sano solve a mystery that brings him into the inner sanctum of the pathetic, sexually depraved Shogun, it places him fully at odds with his sworn enemy, Chamberlain Yanisagawa. And he's playing for keeps.

Adding to the luster of this mystery is Sano's marriage to the beautiful, if ambitious (a sin for a Japanese lady of the time) Reiko. Not only does Sano's new wife have ambition, she thinks she can aid Sano in his investigation! Unheard of! Rowland handles this (somewhat predictable) marriage conflict with wonderful ease, ridding it of virtually all cliches. Reiko is also a worthy character in her own right, and she will surely add to the series as it progresses.

This is a lusty, violent novel. Rowland pulls few punches when it comes to the seedier side of sex in Tokugawa-age Japan, and this book is not for the prudish. But for those non-Puritans out there, it's a heck of a read and a solid mystery to boot - this is not one of those mysteries that you can decipher in the first 50 pages.

Check it out, but start with "Shinju," the first Sano Ichiro novel.

I picked up the Concubine's Tattoo over the holidays with the plan of reading the next of the Sano Ichiro mysteries soon. With the start of the New Year, I delved into the book and found myself drawn forward. I was not disappointed.

The book begins in Edo, days after Sano Ichiro's return from Nagasaki, at the wedding between Ichiro and Ueda Reiko. The celebration is cut short when Harume, one of the shogun's concubines, runs out from the Large Interior into the procession of concubines and dies. Ichiro is charged by the shogun to discover the cause of her death, cutting short his expected month's vacation.

The book adds a number of characters to the growing cast of the series as well as continuing to develop previously established characters. Reiko is shown to be vibrant and assertive. She compliments Ichiro well and provides him with interesting challenges. Hirata's inferiority with woman of rank comes to light. Yanagisawa finds the love he always needed, though what he does with that love is an interesting matter. Midori, from Shinju, is reintroduced as an attendant in the Large Interior. Magistrate Ueda is shown to be a strong proponent for justice, but he has problems standing up to the demands of his daughter. Ryuko is a Buddhist priest who uses the Tokagawa bafuku to his own ends through the shogun's mother, Keisho-in, who may be a great fool or a cunning actress.

And these are just a few of the characters and portrayals. Each is distinct, allowing one to be distinguished from the other. I am interested to see what happens to this cast of characters over the next few books. If she continues to add, I am afraid that it may become unwieldy. I suppose I will have to read and find out.

The story is well paced, working out the conflict of Ichiro and Reiko's marriage, Hirata's struggle with Ichiteru - one of the suspects, and the overall investigation of the murder of Harume. The political tensions are much more present than in Way of the Traitor, returning to their previous levels, but Yanagisawa puts a new twist to his machinations and possibly brings about his own ruin.

The book is a great read, and it pulled me along strongly. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes period mysteries, the Japanese setting or a little political intrigue. I will be reading the next one soon.

I read the first three books in this series, SHINJU, BUNDORI, and THE WAY OF THE TRAITOR, mostly because of my voracious appetite for historical mysteries. All three of them had very clear shortcomings, and it seemed as if Rowland was unlikely to overcome her inadequacies as an author. However, this book really marked a turning point. It was far better, thoroughly engaging, and made the whole series up to this point seem like an extended prologue. Highly recommended!