Book Review: The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu

Written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji is an iconic piece of Japanese Literature, this book the very first translation in English by Kencho Suematsu. As explained in Suematsu’s introduction, the original work of Genji Monogatari—the Japanese title—is composed of fifty-four chapters, whereas this version contains the first seventeen. 

I’ll admit that it took me a little bit to get used to the way the story was told—in reference to some terminology, and the conversations in verses—however, soon I was enamoured with this tale. The many footnotes not only certainly helped me understand some of the terminology, they also gave me interesting insights into how life in the Imperial Court in Heian Japan worked, providing an explanation on customs, clothing, as well as piquing my interest in Chinese poetry (often mentioned throughout the story) and art. The political intrigues, the secret romances, and the travels reminded me a lot of the Korean period dramas I like to watch, so it was easy for me to picture what I was reading, and soon, I was really invested in the life of Prince Genji. Obviously life at court is not all rainbows and unicorns—well, life in general isn’t either—so I felt for Genji through his difficult moments, and I can’t deny I favoured certain characters over others. It’s a shame I’m not able to read the rest of the story, as I’d be curious to know if there is any change of style (it is said that the last ten chapters or so were written by somebody else), or if it’s noticeable at all. 

Forbidden romances, political intrigues, and secret progeny make The Tale of Genji the perfect book to add to your Japanese literature collection.