This was a very interesting story and one that, under other circumstances, I would not have read. I like to read contemporary Japanese fiction, but the setting for this novel was 10th century Japan. It was based on an actual diary of an 10th century aristocratic Japanese woman.

I liked the first half of the book the best, in which the author described the courtship of Bellflower by Tomonaga who was already married to Lady Wisteria. It really delved into what it must have been like for a Japanese bride becoming part of a polygamous marriage. It sounded dreadful to me. I'm not sure how I would have felt had 10th century Japanese culture been my own, but I think it would have felt very much like what Bellflower experienced. The poetry in the book was an especially nice touch.

By the middle of the book, I was more interested in the outcome of the story rather than what was actually going on. The middle of the story involved some political intrigue in which I was not that interested, but which I had to try to understand in order to follow the story.

I've come away from this book with a greater appreciation of some Japanese customs, celebrations, and holidays. I enjoyed this opportunity to live the life of a 10th century Japanese woman, but I was happy (in most ways) to return to the twenty-first century. ( )