The Commoner: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
by John Burnham Schwartz
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Book Summary Information
Author: John Burnham SchwartzEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2009-01-06
ISBN: 1400096057
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Vintage
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9781400096053
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of The Commoner: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
Book Review: A lovely and enjoyable story, somewhat flawed at the end
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this novel, particularly after having read "Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne" by Ben Hill. The protagonist of this novel goes by the name "Haruko", who is the current Empress, Michiko. It describes how Haruko went from being a commoner to being an Empress and all the trials and tribulations she went through, including the many criticisms by her mother-in-law and the psychological cruelty meted out to her by her Chief Lady-in-Waiting, Oshima. The first two parts of the book were fascinating. I found myself unable to put the book down.
He later went on to describe the marriage of "Keiko", who in reality is the current Crown Princess, Masako, to the current Crown Prince and the fate in which Keiko (reads Masako) found herself. It is here that I found this book really echos what the other book by Ben Hill has written about. Whilst "Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne" is a piece of journalistic reporting, and "The Commoner" is a novel, the stories that both books tell are more or less the same, except in one point.
Whereas "Princess Masako..." paints a picture of Masako (reads Keiko) suffering at the hands of the Empress Michiko (reads Haruko), in "The Commoner", Haruko (reads Empress Michko) was out to help Keiko (reads Masako). It is here that I found the story unconvincing.
The last part of the book was most unconvincing. When a person marries into the Royal Family, she loses her family name and does not have a passport anymore. The last part describing the disappearance of Keiko (reads Masako) is therefore most unconvincing and impossible. It is for this reason that I have entitled my review "A lovely and enjoyable story, somewhat flawed at the end." The ending was just totally unconvincing.
Summary of The Commoner: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
In 1959, a young woman, Haruko, marries the Crown Prince of Japan. She is the first nonaristocratic woman to enter the mysterious, hermetic monarchy. Met with cruelty and suspicion by the Empress, Haruko is controlled at every turn, suffering a nervous breakdown after finally giving birth to a son.Thirty years later, now Empress herself, she plays a crucial role in persuading another young woman to accept the marriage proposal of her son, with tragic consequences. Based on extensive research, The Commoner is a stunning novel about a brutally rarified and controlled existence, and the complex relationship between two isolated women who are truly understood only by each other.
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