Friday, December 03, 2010

Historical Fiction: Heart of a Samurai

Part fact, part fiction, part Moby Dick, and part rags to riches story,
Heart of a Samurai is a simple, breathtaking, tale. And don't just take my word for it - this debut novel got four starred (that means really, really dang good) reviews from four of the biggest book review magazines.

It is 1841 and fourteen year-old Manjiro is a poor Japanese fisherman who finds himself lost at sea with four of his friends. They group finds themselves on a deserted island, barely clinging to survival, when they are rescued by an American whaling ship. Never having seen Caucasian people before, Manjiro and his friends are weary of these barbarian North Americans (they call them "butter stinkers"). But unlike his friends, Manjiro can't fight his curiosity and soon begins to learn English. Once he befriends the Captain of the ship, Manjiro's life begins to change in drastic, exciting ways, and he begins a whirlwind around-the-world journey.

While I like historical fiction, I prefer things domestic and girly (think Karen Cushman's The Midwife's Apprentice or the Dear Canada books). I'm not one for adventure on the high seas. But I was completely absorbed by this novel, which is based on a real historical figure. Manjiro (or John Mung as he is known in North America) was believed to be one of the first Japanese people to ever set foot on North American soil - and he was just a teenager!

Sometimes historical fiction can be boring and overly-detailed, but Margi Preus exercises a wonderful restraint. I think that's the main reason I enjoyed this book - the language is simple and sparse, with an emphasis on action rather than description.

If you are not one for swashbuckling tales and this sounds like the last kind of book you would ever read, let me say two things: 1) I felt the same way, and 2) I dare you to read this! In a publishing climate that's full of vampires and wizards and paranormal everything, this is something completely different and completely absorbing.

Historical Fiction
Grades 6+
Click here to check out the Port Moody Public Library's catalogue!

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