Title: Excellent companion book to the novel
Review: The Tale of Genji: A Reader's Guide gives an excellent introduction and chapter by chapter guide to the often overwhelming details of characters and basic plot chronology in The Tale of Genji. The guide is helpful to read BEFORE starting The Tale of Genji and essential to keep within reach while reading the novel itself.The only downside to this concise volume is that it accentuates the need for a detailed, annotated, modern English edition of The Tale of Genji to better understand the sophisticated, archaic language and ancient Japanese culture it depicts.
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