Review of the Book of Fallen Leaves

Book One

Those two words carry a heavy weight upon them, the promise that the story does not end here, that what you have in your hands will not be the end of what you start reading here, and that what you read here will be enough that you will want to read on, when the next piece arrives.

In many cases, Book One drives the inevitable fear of not wanting to read it, in case book two isn’t as good, or worse, doesn’t arrive.

Do not make that mistake here.

The Book of Fallen Leaves is epic storytelling, and I say that not from the point of view of the nature of the story or the events that unfold within, but for the way in which the story has been told.  I once read Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa, and from the beginning of this book, I was struck by the similarities, and the bold way in which they had been embraced.

This is epic because it chooses to move at its own pace, telling the story as it needs to be told, not as the reader would have it be told, many characters, some of whom seem unimportant whilst retaining a supreme purpose, the interwoven threads of fate and the understanding that all those threads must remain unbroken to ensure that fate is not disrupted.

This is what Tamaki has done here, there are no characters immune to fate, no points where the gods are merciful, no clever use of magic or subterfuge to evade what must happen, what was fated to happen. As the book goes on, what was thought to be unconnected threads are woven into the tapestry of grand theatre, and in the greatest tradition of the Samurai, sometimes the greatest triumph is to die in the manner you were meant to.

So, no bridge crew immunity, no second chances, densely crafted stories that leave you wondering till the very last page, when you realise that you’ve gone through the book in less time than you thought you had, and your only regret is that Book two has not yet arrived, but actually, that’s alright.

Book one deserves a re-read…

Superb book, very recommended, a true Japanese epic, very much looking forwards to the second book.

Thanks to LBB Group and the Author for the Free ARC, my views are my own, no incentive offered or accepted.