Overall I liked this book. I really enjoy books that introduce me too or explore alternate cultures than my own and that was the case here, though, as others have noted, I’m uncertain of the accuracy and so may look up some of the items or details myself. Regardless, it served as inspiration and this is all I can hope for as I maintain my own critical thinking.
I did find the dialogue a little hard to follow and long at times, along with the characters internal struggles; while important to the story, many stated too often?
As I said though, overall an enjoyable story and glad I read it. :)

NOTE: I won a free eBook copy of this book in PDF format from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers (December 2020).

I selected this book on the basis of the advertised synopsis, which made the plot seem like an epic action saga with a romance story line woven in. What I found as I read was nothing of the sort. The novel is actually an introspective, fictionalized account of the life of legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, although this isn't made clear until the second half of the book. Once the historical figure who inspired the story was revealed, I was able to learn more about him from other sources, which helped the book as a whole make more sense.

Musashi's tale begins when he was a boy named Hachi and chronicles his transformation into the famed samurai. The peach tree of the title serves as a symbol of the protagonist's connection to his former life: once his transformation is complete, the physical tree disappears from the narrative entirely, remaining only in a painting displayed on a woman's wall. Musashi narrates in the first-person; however, some third-person passages are featured, which raise questions as to how reliable the protagonist is as a narrator. Though the novel records Musashi's inner thoughts and mental state in detail in every chapter, it often gazes at its own navel for extended passages. Dialogue markers are often ambiguous and hard to follow. Readers would be wise to approach this book as they might with works of Japanese art and haiku - in other words, by examining the details on their own merits and reflecting on the overall impressions that they give. ( )

Unfortunately I was unable to get this book into a readable format. I was looking forward to reading it so I was greatly disappointed. Perhaps I will pick it up on Amazon at some point.

Hachi is a slave training to become a samurai. He sees taking up the sword as his only chance to better his life and social standing, and he envisions the freedom it could provide. The story is revealed through Hachi’s point of view.

In addition to his daily training activities, Hachi introduces us to two creatures of his imagination. He focuses considerable attention on a peach tree within his master’s estate. The reader goes along to a few encounters with the tree but uses the tree as a symbol of his ambition and goals. He also dwells on a chance encounter with his master’s daughter Umi whom he believes to be his one true but unattainable love.

Seeing the story through Hachi’s eyes has both its strengths and shortcomings. Being inside Hachi’s mind offers the reader into both Hachi’s experiences and his idealized views through images such as the titular peach tree and Umi. But such a view also limits the reader’s views and characterizations to Hachi’s often superficial evaluations. The reader gets an in-depth look into Hachi’s world as he sees it, but is only one side of the story.

Hachi’s viewpoint is claustrophobic at times because of all of the repetition. It makes sense that Hachi would dwell on certain thoughts and circumstances while banishing others that the reader may want to understand more. The lyrical prose draws the reader into the world, but excessive repetition can leave the reader stuck in less essential parts of the story.

I was drawn to this book as a fan of Asian historical fiction, such as Memoirs of a Geisha and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I would have preferred more plot but appreciated the poetic prose.

Thank you, NetGalley and BHC Press, for providing me an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. ( )

I didn't really like this book when I first started it. The prose seemed vague and nebulous, and the rhythm of the sentences was a little jarring. As I continued however it's best to describe it as growing on me, and now that I've finished, I'm a fan. The novel is a reimagining of the life of a famous samurai, whom it might be a spoiler to name. Let's just say our protagonist is named 8 (Hachi in Japanese), an orphan who fortuitously ends up in a nobleman's samurai school. He is being groomed to be a samurai in his master's guard, and shows an early proficiency with a sword. It seems to be a straightforward path if he's able to dedicate himself, but that wouldn't be much of a story, would it? Wars for the unification of Japan are brewing as he grows older. He keeps his mind focused by meditation on his Master's daughter and the peach tree he met her under. As he comes of age, his life takes many twists and turns, and that's when the novel really becomes interesting. Recommended for those interested in the Warring States period of Japan, and who enjoy a rather ethereal style of writing. ( )