Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77919 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780439164856
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8–Princess Kazunomiya, 12, meets and falls in love with Prince Arisugawa, to whom she has been promised for the past eight years. Suddenly everything changes and she must marry someone else to increase the political power of the family. The plot is basic and timeless, with a mixed-up love triangle and an arranged marriage, but it is both complicated and enhanced by the numerous details and descriptions of a royal life in Japan in 1858. While accurate and informative, the story gets too bogged down with the details of historical events. Fans of the series will welcome this addition, but it is unlikely to attract new readers.–Nancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Good new book from the Royal Diaries series.
As a princess of Japan in the year 1858, twelve-year-old Kazunomiya lives a life of privilege and luxury. But it is one in which she is a virtual prisoner, kept sheltered behind palace walls, only able to leave for the occasional visit to a temple or shrine. But her predictable life is changing. Japan has kept itself isolated for generations, but now foreigners are clamoring to be allowed in, and given trading rights. And Kazunomiya finds her own future in question, when she learns that her betrothal to a prince she has known since childhood may be broken so that her half-brother, the Emperor, can make an alliance by marrying her off to the young man that will be the next shogun of Japan.

I recommend this new addition to the Royal Diaries to all fans of the series. I enjoyed learning about what life was like for a princess of Japan during an era of great change. I had never heard of Kazunomiya before I learned of this book, but I found her life fascinating.

A nice story about an era of change
12-year-old Princess Kazunomiya, the half-sister of the current emperor of Japan, lives a very common life of a person of royal lineage. She has luxery and respect, but shes not much more than a prisoner behind the palace walls. She is never allowed to leave, unless for official state events or to pray in the temple. Her life is generally very monotonous and everyday is similar to the next. However Kazunomiya is living in a time of great change for her country of Japan, a time in which her own life will also be affected by the changes of the political landscape. Japan is becoming more open to foreigners and many are flocking in eager to trade and make money. Different alliances are being made and soon Kazunomiya finds her future in question because of political calculations.

Kazunomiya comes off as a likeable character. Her confusion over the circumstances of her country are understandable. I'm Asian American so I was really looking forward to reading morea about the Japanese culture. I recommend this book to all fans of the series.

One of the greatest eras of change!!
12 year old, Kazunomiya is a virtual prisoner living in luxury behind the vast walls of the Japanese Palace.She is born in the year of the fire horse, which is a bad omen, especially when her father died after her birth, so they made her elder her age by one year.Kazunomiya, who lives her methodical life behind the palace walls, is going to find a new change in her life.

Paled skin people called, Americans are appearing at the Japanese boundaries and accepting trading rights from the Japanese.It is at this time too that Kazunomiya learns that her prince, she had known all her life was not going to marry her.Her half-brother the Emperor, wants her to marry the young Shogun of Japan, who is pathetic and stupid.Kathryn Lasky has created a beautiful character within the pages of this book, I sincerely congratulate her!