The Commoner: A Novel
by John Burnham Schwartz
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Book Reviews of The Commoner: A Novel
Book Review: Schwartz is no Jane Austen
Summary: 1 Stars
The premise of this novel is a familiar one: once upon a time a young and beautiful outsider/commoner married into a royal family, which treated her coldly and made her life miserable. The story of Princess Di is perhaps the most famous version of this tale. In "The Commoner," John Burnham Schwartz offers a Japanese variation on the story, in which the lovely and intelligent Haruko marries the Crown Prince of Japan, thereby gaining a nice (but tradition-bound) husband, a life so severely constricted that it causes her to temporarily lose her voice, and a mother-in-law so cold that not even Helen Mirren could make her likeable. The trouble is, if you're writing a novel in which you work variations on a story that everyone knows by heart, you'd better have an idea about how to make it interesting.
Unfortunately, this novel is as stiff as its Imperial Household setting, with page after page of guidebook-like description of the niceties of royal weddings, ceremonies, and dinner conversation, padded out with dialogue so dull that you'll find your eye sliding down the page in search of something interesting. At one point in the novel, the Crown Prince, on his wedding night, begins to remove the first of the (many) layers of Haruko's wedding kimono, at which point the novel discreetly averts its eyes. We don't need to know what happened there, but one wishes the author had gone beneath the stylized (and sometimes stereotypical) surface of this story. To use the terminology of your 9th grade English teacher, these characters aren't "round," they're as "flat" as can be. If you, like me, enjoy books about Japan and want to read this one, wait until it hits the remainder table. But don't say I didn't warn you.
Book Review: Common
Summary: 3 Stars
This novel was good, but could be better. The story idea is fantastic, based in 1959 when a "common" girl, Haruko, marries the crown prince of Japan. Readers get a brief glimpse of her life before she literally hands it over, seeing life in Tokyo during world war two, her education, her childhood friend, and her close relationship with her parents, namely her dad. Here I have one complaint. When she meets the prince and begins to "court him" there is complete lack of emotions among all involved. Never does it say why she accepts his marriage proposal. At a later date she says she loved him but I never got this vibe once throughout the novel. They are cordial to each other, but very unemotional. A few years into her marriage and after a generous amount of insults and criticisms from the grand empress (her mother in law), Haruko becomes severly depressed and loses her voice. I had a hard time feeling pity for her tho. I mean, can one really expect to marry the most famous and watched person of Japan and proceed to live a normal, happy life? Her parents did warn her. Eventually, Haruko recovers her voice and becomes grand empress herself and convinces another young, promising woman to follow in her own footsteps by marrying her son. Basically, she leads another woman into captive misery. However, Haruko redeems herself of this grave error by the end of the book.
For a very similar storyline that takes place further back in history, check out Empress Orchid
Book Review: A Sense of Duty
Summary: 4 Stars
Like Queen Elizabeth II, this book is based on a sense of duty. However, the two female characters, Haruko and Keiko, were commoners and gave up their educated, modern lives to become part of Japan's royal family. And I'm not sure why they did it.
Haruko was an athletic, bright girl absolutely adored by her father. She was not treated as inferior because she was a female. He was a successful businessman who gave his daughter freedom of choice. Nevertheless, when Haruko decides to accept the proposal from the Prince, her father is accepting but knows that he will never really see her again.
Haruko seems to love her husband but the confines and duties of her new life lead to despondency. Her mother-in-law, the Empress, represents the worst of all mother-in-laws with her constant criticism. This badgering and disapproval enhance her depression. Haruko luckily gives birth to the heir, a son. When it is time for the son to marry, he also falls in love with a modern, creative Japanese woman. Keiko also is persuaded to marry this Crown Prince. I cannot make any sense of why she would accept this future, except out of a sense of duty and a plea from Haruko.
Tragedy follows Keiko and she becomes more depressed and out of touch. She is trapped in the royal life which is the antithesis of her pre-marriage years when she traveled, made decisions and laughed. The end of the book is interesting and there is some triumph for these two commoners. However, it is difficult to grasp that these modern women would dedicate their lives to an ancient tradition.
Book Review: An incredibly engrossing read
Summary: 5 Stars
Such a beautifully written and fascinating story. I found myself so quickly and thoroughly caught up in a world that was previously completely unknown to me that it was hard for me to tell where biographical/historical fact ended and novelistic invention began. The fact that the story of Haruko's marriage into the semi-divine confines of Japan's royal family is in fact based on a true story only makes this book that much more intriguing. Although it's completely authentic in its tiny details of palace life, ultimately what makes this book so pleasurable in the read is it's first person narrative. Haruko is a marvelous and original character that you can't help but root for. Her journey from a cloistered family upbringing in the rubble of World War II through Japan's remarkable 20th century history is so deep and so true that it's hard to believe it was written by a man. Interestingly , one thing I kept thinking as I was enjoying this wonderful book, is that by bringing me into to the interior life of this uniquely contemporary Japanese monarch that I was somehow gaining access to another late 20th century royal icon - on a different continent - who also paid a price for being born a commoner.Book Review: romantic, realistic, and refreshingly regal!
Summary: 5 Stars
My royal novel of choice is usually something about the British royal family - so "The Commoner" was a quite a refreshingly regal change for me. And that said - I loved every graceful, delicate word of it. The author's light touch and poignant tone captures the grace and humility of the Japanese imperial culture until you are immersed within the painful intricacies of palace life. Based on Japan's real-life royal family, the book takes you on the journey of two generations of Japanese Crown Princesses (both commoners) and the challenges these brave women face as their royal duty takes over every aspect their lives -- and forces them to question (and to remember) who they were before they became royal. I was often surprised that the author is male as his descriptions of female emotions were strikingly accurate and I was moved to tears several times. If you're tired of reading about Princess Diana and Henry the VIII - but still crave romantic and realistic royal material, this book is for you!