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Long Nights Alone
by Miki Fujita,

BookSurge Publishing, 2006, 268 pages, ISBN: 1419614274

Reader's Comments by Clare Keen

Long Nights Alone is a must-read novel set in ancient Japan, a really fascinating period. For me, this book opened up a whole new chapter in Japan's long history. I really felt sympathy for Lady Bellflower, the main female character, who is described in realistic terms. You can genuinely understand the injustice she feels at having to marry someone she does not love, Fujiwara Tomonaga, and then have that person share his time with her and another women, Lady Wisteria. The tale also made me reflect on the human condition in general as the novel is based on a 10th Century diary. Duty, love, power, romance, pride, passion, obligation, endurance and revenge have all been with mankind for as long as the written word has existed. Miki Fujita's writing style really makes the most of this potent mix of emotions and she gives us a great historical backdrop. I just could not stop reading this book once I started. You could really empathize on different levels with Bellflower, Lady Wisteria, and Morning Glory. The ending even brought a tear to my eye and I hope there will be a sequel or maybe even a movie, it would make a fantastic period piece.

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