Beyond the Blossoming Fields - Jun'ichi Watanabe

This book is based on the real-life story of Ginko Ogino - Japan’s first female doctor.  After contracting gonorrhea from her husband, experiencing divorce and humiliation of being examined by male doctors, Gin sets out in male dominated 19th century Japan to become the first female doctor so other women don't have to experience the same humiliations she did.

What can I say about this novel?  I finished it.  It was a tad painful.  I'm not sure if it's because it's a male writer portraying a female persona, maybe something was lost in translation from Japanese or that the writer can't decided to tell the story in first person narrative in the characters present or telling the story ABOUT Ginko historically but this was a terrible read.  It had such great potential and it was so disappointing.  In the middle of Ginko talking about how she applied to a school the next paragraph will talk about how that particular school many years last would go on to become a blah blah blah which would have absolutely nothing to do with Ginko, female doctors or the story.  It was a random historical fact.  And how he writes about Ginko herself there is a disconnect with the character.  For all that she went through and the strength she had to fight to become a doctor, as the reader you are not in any way connected with her.  There's no emotion.  You don't even feel sorry for her.  It's like you're just reading facts about a condition not a person.

All in all with poor writing I would not recommend this book.  Save yourself the trouble and read the wiki article about Ginko Ogino.

The Diamond Throne (#1 of The Elenium) - David Eddings

After being exiled for many years, Sparhawk made his way home to his queen.  But things are not well in the kingdom of Elenia and it's queen Ehlena is encased in glass to save her life.  What happened to the young queen and who's head does Sparhawk need to bash?

I am the biggest fan of David Eddings and his Belgariad series.  It was only a matter of time before I dusted this series off the shelf and read it.  And I'm not sorry I did.  I was always afraid like most really good authors it would be a rinse and repeat storyline and characters would be too similar.  Eddings not only managed to create a whole totally different world but another set of amazing characters that aren't like my beloved Belgariad.

I love Sparhawk.  For lack of a better reference he is a paladin.  He is a no nonsense knight that kicks, ass, takes names and his horse is worse.  I may be more in love with his horse Faran.  Anyways Sparhawk already has a reputation (I would pay good money to read about Sparhawk as a youth!) but when he returns to the kingdom and then sets out to save his queen the characters he takes with him are just as rich and mysterious and spirited as he is.

Read it!!

A Court of Wings and Ruin (Book #3) - Sarah J. Maas

The last book in the series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring court.  War is coming, has come already to some parts of the land and she has to play a dangerous game of being a spy.  Her loyalties clear, she must save all those she loves or all is lost.

I must admit that the second book is still clearly my favorite.  This one tied up everything quite nicely and once again Sarah has quite a bit of intrigue.  She still introduces characters (ones you've read about before but she describes them thoroughly here) and takes you further into other lands of Pyranthian.  There are unexpected and gripping surprises and some characters doing things you would at first think they would do but upon further/deeper reflection it is within character.  So she really shows a depth to characters that is awesome.  The beginning of the book sees some HUGE changes to some that is felt throughout the rest of the book.  I like the direction she went with the ending and am happy with how the series has finished.

Read it.  You've already read the first two...

Split Infinity - Piers Anthony

Stile lives on Proton - where he is a serf and master games man.  His life is pretty good and he is marveling at his luck lately when suddenly he doesn't have a good streak anymore - someone wants him to not be so good and injures him enough that he isn't very much use to his citizen.  Stile is no dummy.  There is a reason he is a master gamesman.  While hiding out he stumbles through to another world.  Another world nothing like his but somewhat the same.  Where is he and can he survive here?

What can I say about this book?  It was written in the 70's.  AFTER I read the book I read other's reviews and some of them are pretty harsh.  Stile is a manly man man.  But I don't think this book is sexist.  I don't think women are objectified in this book either.  He has created some very strong women characters and they have their place in these worlds.  Stile is the main character and it's his story.  I liked the way Piers writes and I like concept of parallel universes.

I think this is a good old read and it should be experienced.