Across the Nightingale Floor

The Bestselling Historical Fantasy Classic

By: Lian Hearn

Narrated by: Aiko Nakasone, Kevin Gray

Set in a mythical, feudal, Japanese land, a world both beautiful and cruel, the intense love story of two young people takes place against a background of warring clans, secret alliances, high honour and lightning swordplay.

Lian Hearn's stunningly powerful bestseller, Across the Nightingale Floor, is an epic story for readers young and old.

In his palace at Inuyama, Lord Iida Sadamu, warlord of the Tohan clan, surveys his famous nightingale floor. Its surface sings at the tread of every human foot, and no assassin can cross it. But sixteen-year-old Otori Takeo, his family murdered by Iida's warriors, has the magical skills of the Tribe – preternatural hearing, invisibility, a second self – that enable him to enter the lair of the Tohan. He has love in his heart and death at his fingertips . . .

The first novel in the epic Tales of the Otori series, Across the Nightingale Floor is followed by Grass For His Pillow and Brilliance of the Moon.

'Quite simply the best story of magic, love, sex, revenge and suspense to have come this way since Philip Pullman.' – Independent on Sunday

Critic reviews

Across the Nightingale Floor remains quite simply the best story of magic, love, sex, revenge and suspense to have come this way since Philip Pullman.

Across the Nightingale Floor was described to me by the young man in Borders bookshop as a "Japanese Harry Potter, only better". In fact, it's a different beast entirely. Much darker, much sharper, much less predictable.

Amazing story

A heart wrenching fantasy novel, I really enjoyed it. The narration from Takeo’s pov was on point.

Exciting Japanese teenage drama

Family clans on the brink of war - who can you trust? The story is told in past tense from the perspective of two teenagers, a boy (1st person) and a girl (3rd person). The special gifts of 'the tribe' makes it a fantasy novel, but it does not go over the top. The story is charming and exciting, but can be both a bit rushed and a bit predictable. This is not the detailed and clever writing of George R R Martin, but it's still a coherent story that works, though I feel it takes some lazy shortcuts sometimes when I want a more detailed and true-nature-like story. This is how I feel it is intended for teenagers - more simple and short, action oriented.

a great book ruined by the female reader

The book itself is well written, the story has nice twists and turns to it, and the depiction of the scenery doesn't take away from the progress of the plot.
however, the book is ruined in the chapters that are read out loud by the female vocal actor (Aiko Nakasone). i have never heard seach brutal disassociation from the content that is read out loud. it was very hard to listen to, and if it wasn't for the author's great writting i would have returned the book without finishing it.
this is even sadder when you think of the male voice actor (Kevin Gray) of this book which reading is spot on, but has to share the chapters with such low quality female counterpart.
please consider hiring another actress for your next books.

Good

Liked it. It was a good book. Eight more words for the minimun requirement thanks.

Fantastic book

Fantastic book with depth and a great story!

Sadly the reading of the chapters with the other main character are poorly dramatised and quite flat, which gives a bit of dissonance to the listening experience since the reading of the main character is so really well done.

But I would still recommend it!