The Nightingale

Kara Dalkey

During the late eighties, Ace Book released a series based on fairytales, of which this is one. Dalkey retells the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of the nightingale, changing the setting to Japan (because, she says, she knows more about Japan than she does China) and extending it to novel length.

A fine little work it is. Dalkey has taken the cast of characters form the tale, expanded on it, and fleshed out the existing bunch to give us a fine little tale. It is well-paced, intricate, and a joy to read. Along the way, the reader also gains some knowledge of various Japanese cultural traditions. Quite fun, and highly recommended.