Kenneth W. Harmon
Autore di The Amazing Mr. Howard
Opere di Kenneth W. Harmon
Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Sesso
- male
Utenti
Recensioni
Deeply moving read!
I must say I really had no idea what I was getting into with this story.
I found it stunning, compassionate and yet could hardly read some parts.
An American bomber, dropping propaganda pamphlets warning people to leave Hiroshima was shot down. Bombardier Mica Lund tries to scramble out, his parachute becomes entangled and he dies on impact. All this happens just as a war widow Kiyomi Oshiro is passing nearby. In the moment of his death their eyes lock and they become joined in the spirit world. A spirit world that Kiyomi and her daughter Ai can enter when asleep.
So begins an amazing encapsulation of this time in Japan, including the strict customs around living arrangementsand many beliefs.
It sounds somewhat corny but it wasn't. It was respectfully written, unrolling like a deceptively intricate Japanese scroll painting.
The bombing of Hiroshima was hard to read but again depicted sensitively despite the horror.
The journey of these three delves into human beliefs, war, food shortages, human behavior and Japanese mythologies, transcending cultural and religious barriers.
Hopeful despite the subject matter this is a very moving magic realism ready that I just didn't expect!
An IBPA ARC via NetGalley… (altro)
I must say I really had no idea what I was getting into with this story.
I found it stunning, compassionate and yet could hardly read some parts.
An American bomber, dropping propaganda pamphlets warning people to leave Hiroshima was shot down. Bombardier Mica Lund tries to scramble out, his parachute becomes entangled and he dies on impact. All this happens just as a war widow Kiyomi Oshiro is passing nearby. In the moment of his death their eyes lock and they become joined in the spirit world. A spirit world that Kiyomi and her daughter Ai can enter when asleep.
So begins an amazing encapsulation of this time in Japan, including the strict customs around living arrangementsand many beliefs.
It sounds somewhat corny but it wasn't. It was respectfully written, unrolling like a deceptively intricate Japanese scroll painting.
The bombing of Hiroshima was hard to read but again depicted sensitively despite the horror.
The journey of these three delves into human beliefs, war, food shortages, human behavior and Japanese mythologies, transcending cultural and religious barriers.
Hopeful despite the subject matter this is a very moving magic realism ready that I just didn't expect!
An IBPA ARC via NetGalley… (altro)
Questa recensione è stata scritta per Recensori in anteprima di LibraryThing.I really enjoyed this novel. You found yourself not liking the policeman and liking the protagonist, despite him being a vampire that nicely kills young girls. The characters keep you engaged.
Questa recensione è stata scritta per Recensori in anteprima di LibraryThing.The Amazing Mr Howard 3.5 stars
Mr. Howard is a professor of esoteric studies and aids the local police using his psychic skills. A bit of a recluse, Mr. Howard only teaches night classes due to a skin allergy to the sun. I am sure it is obvious to even casual readers that Mr. Howard is a vampire.
Mr. Howard's latest blood donor is from a wealthy family so the police are under intense pressure to find the girl. Willard, a state police detective, is soon on the hunt to unmask Mr Howard. However, the character Willard is so abhorrent - calling his family names and beating his kids - that the reader has zero affection or respect for him. While Mr. Howard kills, he is remorseful about the killing and seeks to return his victim's remains to their families.
The writing is fine and the story moves along nicely. Although while I could accept the premise of a wealthy vampire, the exorbitant payout to a private detective would draw suspicion and attention that was unwanted by the main character. Sometimes fairly minor details like this throw the reader out of the story and detract from its enjoyment.
Received free copy in exchange for honest review… (altro)
Mr. Howard is a professor of esoteric studies and aids the local police using his psychic skills. A bit of a recluse, Mr. Howard only teaches night classes due to a skin allergy to the sun. I am sure it is obvious to even casual readers that Mr. Howard is a vampire.
Mr. Howard's latest blood donor is from a wealthy family so the police are under intense pressure to find the girl. Willard, a state police detective, is soon on the hunt to unmask Mr Howard. However, the character Willard is so abhorrent - calling his family names and beating his kids - that the reader has zero affection or respect for him. While Mr. Howard kills, he is remorseful about the killing and seeks to return his victim's remains to their families.
The writing is fine and the story moves along nicely. Although while I could accept the premise of a wealthy vampire, the exorbitant payout to a private detective would draw suspicion and attention that was unwanted by the main character. Sometimes fairly minor details like this throw the reader out of the story and detract from its enjoyment.
Received free copy in exchange for honest review… (altro)
Premi e riconoscimenti
Statistiche
- Opere
- 4
- Utenti
- 64
- Popolarità
- #264,968
- Voto
- 3.3
- Recensioni
- 41
- ISBN
- 4
Ken Harmon’s In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow is a multi-layered novel that combines magic realism, traditional historic fiction and cultural exploration, resulting in that rare novel that is both a fine read and a work of art.