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Rating: 
Summary: Of Nightingales That Weep
Review:
I thought this was a pretty interesting book. In the beginning, it's about a preteen girl named Takiko who's father dies in a battle. Her mother decides to remarry to an ugly country potter. This story takes place in Japan during the Gempei War of 1180 - 1185.While in the countryside with her mother and her new father, Goro, a merchant comes and decides to take Takiko to the imperial Japanese court to see if she can serve there. She is, and she meets a new friend, Mieko. Mieko goes almost everywhere with her and they trust each other very much. During the war, Takiko waits for her love, Hideo, to return to her, but it always takes him a while and he doesn't exactly do what he says he is going to, only sometimes. She doesn't know if she should betray him by being loyal to the Heike or just keep it a secret. The war is between the Heike and the Genji who are fighting for control of Japan. It is a really gruesome war and a lot of blood and death is involved even though this story doesn't talk much about it. My main point is that it is really interesting, and that you should read this book if you haven't already!
Rating:
Summary: Not a kids books. . .
Review: I read of Nightengales that Weep when I needed some quick extra credit. That was the ONLY reason in the world that I kept on reading the book, was cause I needed the credit. Out of all of Katherine Paterson's great literary works, I am sorry to say, but this book is just not very good. The story mainly revolves around a young girl named Taikiko. Taikiko is very poorly explained in the book, and along with her tavels throughout fedual Japan. Many of the other characters like Heido, Goro, and Ichiro are very poorly explained and lack character. The story plot is not very good. All it is about is a young and naive girl who takes place in the royal court of samurai. The reality of what took place in fedual Japan is very far from what happens in this book. The problems between the two fueding clans take up most of the reading in this book. Also, no offence to the author, but there is a lack of proper Japanese use in this novel. Sorry to say this, but Paterson really needed to re-check her use of Japanese in this novel. Many times she missued the ending word 'chan'. All in all, not worth the time reading. Paterson didn't do as good of a job on this novel as she did her other works. If you are into fedual Japan, I suggest that you read, The Tale of the Genji. That book is well worth the read. If you want to read some better books by Paterson, read Bridge to Teribithia. Save yourself from being bored to death, and don't read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Riches to rags story
Review: I'm a fan of Katherine Paterson, so I was eager to read this book. It was a colorful, emotional tale about Takiko, a samurai's daughter in feudal Japan. Since it was wartime, she had to move from place to place (including a palace) to escape the adversary. On the way, she met a handsome young enemy warrior named Hideo and they fell in love. Would she choose loyalty to her dead father's cause or to forbidden romance? The choice she made affected her entire life. I wanted to love the story, but it was too tragic. Many of Takiko's loved ones died throughout the course of the novel. Hideo abandoned her, as did her beauty and wealth. However, it's a tribute to Mrs. Paterson's skill that a fictional story could arouse so much feeling in me. However, the ironic ending confused me. Why did the events turn out the way they did? Still, I reccomend this book for its vivid descriptions of feudal Japan and its skill in plucking one's heartstrings.
Rating:
Summary: Not terrible, but not the author's best
Review: Let's be upfront here. I don't know a darned thing about imperial Japan in the 12th century. So I really don't know if author Katherine Paterson meticulously studied the history and language properly. And I don't know if this book is the very essence and spirit of all things Japanese. All that I know is what I read in this book. A portrait of a spoiled samurai's daughter, "Of Nightingales That Weep" traces her journey from potter's field to palace to exile with Japan's royal family. The book doesn't begin particularly well. The kid who wants to read this book has first to stumble through a page describing the correct pronunciation of Japanese names and, following that, a long section dedicated to the historical figures presented in the book. Kids reading this must wade through sentences like, "This intense rivalry came to its first climax during the Hogen Insurrection (1156-1159), which found the two clans supporting opposing elements within the Imperial household". I myself had more than a little difficulty getting through this section, and I'm 25. When at last, however, I stumbled through I finally got to the story itself. I can't help but wonder if the Historical Note containing this information wouldn't have been better suited to exist at the end of the story. That way, kids wouldn't immediately be put off by a complicated set of rivalries and battles of which they do not care, yet. Once they've read the story, the notes would serve to give a little background. And you really don't need these notes to read the book. I read the notes first and I couldn't keep track of what was going on anyway. Lord help the ten-year-old who does the same. The story itself is interesting. Protagonist Takiko is proud but also given a strong point of view. Readers will sympathize with her, even as she displays disgusting shows of self-interest. Her callous rejection of her step-father, her dismissal of all servants, etc. Takiko eventually finds herself supporting the royal family and fleeing with them from angry warlords. As she does, she finds herself falling in love with the enemy... a man as vain as herself. Paterson adeptly draws you to Takiko's point of view, but it's difficult not to despise her when her own wants overwhelm the needs of her family. In the end, the moral of the story is a bit askew. As far as I can tell it boils down to, "Be good or eventually you'll have to bear the child of your deformed step-father". Oog. Sex and death opponents, beware. Though sex is never described in much detail (the most we get are suggestive poems about bird's nests and scenes that end right before the supposed act) but there are a couple moments where Takiko understands that she's being hit on (at fifteen) and must either lure the man on or find ways to break it off. And the violence is a little less harrowing that the sheer amount of death. Boy oh boy do a lot of people die in this puppy! I love Katherine Paterson. I loved "The Great Gilly Hopkins" and "Road to Terebithia". I like her style and the pace she takes with her books. Quite frankly, however, I can't whole-heartedly recommend this one. Though it does give a new look at life within imperial Japan, the way in which it is written is not going to necessarily interest the kiddie set. Read it if it really interests you. You may like it quite a lot. But in the end its just a nice story set in an interesting place in uninteresting ways.
Rating:
Summary: Not terrible, but not the author's best
Review: Let's be upfront here. I don't know a darned thing about imperial Japan in the 12th century. So I really don't know if author Katherine Paterson meticulously studied the history and language properly. And I don't know if this book is the very essence and spirit of all things Japanese. All that I know is what I read in this book. A portrait of a spoiled samurai's daughter, "Of Nightingales That Weep" traces her journey from potter's field to palace to exile with Japan's royal family. The book doesn't begin particularly well. The kid who wants to read this book has first to stumble through a page describing the correct pronunciation of Japanese names and, following that, a long section dedicated to the historical figures presented in the book. Kids reading this must wade through sentences like, "This intense rivalry came to its first climax during the Hogen Insurrection (1156-1159), which found the two clans supporting opposing elements within the Imperial household". I myself had more than a little difficulty getting through this section, and I'm 25. When at last, however, I stumbled through I finally got to the story itself. I can't help but wonder if the Historical Note containing this information wouldn't have been better suited to exist at the end of the story. That way, kids wouldn't immediately be put off by a complicated set of rivalries and battles of which they do not care, yet. Once they've read the story, the notes would serve to give a little background. And you really don't need these notes to read the book. I read the notes first and I couldn't keep track of what was going on anyway. Lord help the ten-year-old who does the same. The story itself is interesting. Protagonist Takiko is proud but also given a strong point of view. Readers will sympathize with her, even as she displays disgusting shows of self-interest. Her callous rejection of her step-father, her dismissal of all servants, etc. Takiko eventually finds herself supporting the royal family and fleeing with them from angry warlords. As she does, she finds herself falling in love with the enemy... a man as vain as herself. Paterson adeptly draws you to Takiko's point of view, but it's difficult not to despise her when her own wants overwhelm the needs of her family. In the end, the moral of the story is a bit askew. As far as I can tell it boils down to, "Be good or eventually you'll have to bear the child of your deformed step-father". Oog. Sex and death opponents, beware. Though sex is never described in much detail (the most we get are suggestive poems about bird's nests and scenes that end right before the supposed act) but there are a couple moments where Takiko understands that she's being hit on (at fifteen) and must either lure the man on or find ways to break it off. And the violence is a little less harrowing that the sheer amount of death. Boy oh boy do a lot of people die in this puppy! I love Katherine Paterson. I loved "The Great Gilly Hopkins" and "Road to Terebithia". I like her style and the pace she takes with her books. Quite frankly, however, I can't whole-heartedly recommend this one. Though it does give a new look at life within imperial Japan, the way in which it is written is not going to necessarily interest the kiddie set. Read it if it really interests you. You may like it quite a lot. But in the end its just a nice story set in an interesting place in uninteresting ways.
Rating: 
Summary: More than just a love story
Review: Of Nightingales that Weep is fiction woven into history. The Genji Wars, Yoritomo, sea battles for dominance of Japan are all real events. And Takiko is swept up into the middle of it all living in the court of the exiled boy emperor. On top if it all she is in love with an enemy spy. The lessons she learns about family and true love, and about the vanity of court make this book a valuable read, more profound than most teen literature.
Rating:
Summary: Of Nightingales That Weep
Review: This book is the best. I loved it so much. If you like books where the boy gets the girl & books where it has a very surprising ending, then this is definitely the book for you. I loved this book so much, that I didn't want it to end. I really wish Katherine Paterson would write a sequel. Buy this book. I guarantee that you will love it. This book is for all ages that can read!!!! *^.^*
Rating:
Summary: pretty good, i guess, but not outstanding....
Review: ~This story is set in Japan during the Heiji War (also called the Gempei War) between the Heike and Genji clans. Takiko is an adolescent Japanese girl born to a noble samurai, Moriyuki. When Moriyuki dies in a battle, Takiko's mother, Chieko, decides to marry an ugly country potter named Goro to support herself and her daughter. While living in Goro's household, a visiting merchant decides to take Takiko to the Emperor's court to serve Princess Aoi. There, Takiko falls in love with a handsome~~ young enemy warrior named Hideo.
The rest of the book describes how Takiko has to choose between her lover and her family, and how she learns that beauty is not everything.
I thought this book was pretty good, because the characters were defined fairly well, and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading. But I think that this book isn't exciting enough. I don't mean that there isn't enough action, but the plot isn't the kind that keeps people on the edge of their seats. A little more~~ background information on the Heiji War would be nice, too.
The one thing that I liked a lot about this book was its twist ending. I really wasn't expecting that!~
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