Book Blog 4.

"I was silent. My head ached, and an unbearable sense of failure was creeping over me. Everything in me had been had been aimed like a spear at one target. Now the hand that had held me had been removed. I had fallen, useless, to the ground (Hearn 230)."

The quote perfectly captures the mindset of Takeo. Everything he wanted and had been living for seemly has fallen apart. The tribe has claimed him and there's no way for him to escape, it seems like he has given up.

I wonder how this will affect the out come of the Tohan - Otori unfriendliness/hatred.
What does the tribe have planned for takeo?
Will Takeo get his spirit back?
What will happen to Shiguru?

Book Blog 3.

"There was something unspeakably eerie about it. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up in warning....I stopped. Kenji stood right behind me. A girl stepped towards us, saying, "Come and look, lord." I recognized her voice, but it was a couple of moments before I placed her. Then I jumped backwards, evading Kenji and leaving my second self by the cart. It was the girl from the inn at yamagata, the girl of whom Kenji had said, "She's one of us" (210 Hearn).

This passage in the story is an epic turning point for the story. It reveals the true character of Kenji, previously thought to be the trusted tutor-like character. Takeo, who was on, I thought to be major point of the story, is suddenly abducted and taken to a hidden location, a location of the tribe. He was told the tribe would take him, but I assumed that they would 'take him' after he assassinated Lord Iida.

I want to know what caused Kenji to betray takeo.
I also want to know why the tribe chose to take him at that moment.

Book blog 2.

"The Baskets with the dying men in them were almost directly above my head. One was calling over and over again for water, one moaned wordlessly, and one was repeating the name of the secret god in a rapid monotone that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The fourth was completely silent. The smell of blood, piss, and shit was terrible. I tried to close my nostrils to it, and my ears to the sounds. I looked at my hands in the moonlight (Hearn 170.)

The passage helps the reader to get a sense of the sights smells and sounds of the area. Hearn is trying to emphasize how horrible the condition of these men are by using many different putrid smells. This is clearly a very bad place for the character to be, but you feel like you're right in the action.

How did these people end up dying in baskets?
Why has the Takeo decided to end their suffering?
What will the other characters think of his actions?

Book Blog 1.

I was thinking fleetingly of the first time I'd crossed the bridge at Hagi when I saw a drowned Heron floating in the water, its gray and white feathers waterlogged, all it's gracefulness crumpled and broken. The sight of it chilled me. I thought it was a terrible omen. "(Hearn 157).

I'm about 65% through the story, and so far the plot seems to be pretty straightforward. The passage seems to be foreshadow for bad things to come, as the characters are going into the territory of an enemy for a 'peace' marriage. The Protagonist is 'in love' with his adopted father's, Lord Shiguru, forced arranged marriage wife. Which is slightly ironic because the Shiguro is secretly in love with another woman he cannot marry. I think I have a pretty much understand the plot so far. It's pretty straightforward, and no real confusing things.

1 .Is there is going to be a revolt of the people who consider themselves Otori?
2.What does Iida has planned for the protagonist and his company when they arrive at yagahara?