reading notes

by Kij Johnson

ISBN: 0312875592

Johnson based her story on a Japanese fairy tale from the ninth century. In that place and time, foxes were thought to have magical powers, and humans needed to be wary of them.

Yoshifuji, a noble still in the beginnings of his career at court in the capital, isn’t as wary as he is supposed to be. When he fails to get a position at court, he returns to an inherited but abandoned estate in the country. At loose ends and depressed, he develops a fascination with the foxes living on the property.

Shikujo, Yoshifuji’s wife, lived with him at the estate when they were first married, and she and their son return to the country with him. She is afraid of country, for herself and her son, and becomes more afraid for her husband.

Kitsune, a fox living with her grandfather, mother, and brother finds herself more curious than fearful when the humans return. Her curiosity turns to fascination, and to love as she falls for Yoshifuji.

Johnson uses the private writings of these three main characters to tell her story, so we see all three points of view. She manages to keep all the good things about fairy tales (the compulsive readability, a sense of certainess and belief in the world of the story, and the idea there will be an important lesson learned) while avoiding any of their pitfalls (seeming formulaic, failing to develop depth in characters, pat endings) in her nearly 400 page book. She also throws in poetry: I mean this not as a description of her prose (though that might be apt) but actually poetry, as the convention was for people to exchange short poems with each other.

There are vivid descriptions of silk robes, scents, and scenery in the capital and in the country. The conventions of the time period appear to be realistically portrayed, if Johnson’s research is any indication. All this is interesting, but not what was most interesting.

Most interesting where the questions that Kitsune, Shikujo, and Yoshifuji struggle with. What does it mean to be human? Is faith in gods rewarded? How important are things like poetry, honesty, and love? What are the obligations of family? What is more important, duty to self or others? Is it better to strive for beauty if it means artifice, or should one strive to live well?

I read this book because I saw that over at Pam’s Book Log, she said this was the best novel she’d read in the last year. I can see why. Highly recommended.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2003 at 4:12 pm and is filed under fiction.