Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven, Japan 1858 ANNOTATION
Princess Kazunomiya, half-sister of the Emperor of Japan, relates in her diary and in poems the confusing events occurring in the Imperial Palace in 1858, including political and romantic intrigue.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Kazunomiya, along with her royal family, is thought to be a divinity, descended from the goddess of the sun, and she lives an extremely sheltered life. However, when a Japanese general signs a treaty with the white-faced men from America, uncertainty and turmoil erupt in the kingdom. But the external threats do not compare to the tangled intrigue, romance, and politics that dominate the imperial palace, as wives and queens plot to destroy Kazunomiya and her mother.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Heather Robertson
As many social studies teachers know, history is hard to make interesting. Historical figures seem boring and hard to relate to. This book, like the others in the "Royal Diary" series, makes the famous queen seem like every other teenager. Kazunomiya was a Japanese princess during the mid-nineteenth century. She was originally betrothed as a child to one man but forced to marry another when the political climate changed. Using these historical facts, Lasky creates the story of a princess who is forced to leave her first love and be with another boy she does not like. Her family refuses to tell her they are making these decisions and she is struggling to come of age in a time of chaos. The book is incredibly well-researched and even includes a section with pictures and a family tree. The Japanese culture is very different from modern American culture and while Lasky does her best to make it understandable, it still may make the book confusing to some readers. This is the only complaint about an otherwise informative and entertaining read. 2004, Scholastic, Ages 10 to 14.
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