Praised for its epic scope and descriptive detail, Across the Nightingale Floor, the first book in the Tales of the Otori series, was an international best seller and critical success.

With Grass for His Pillow, we return to the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's creation - a land of harsh beauty and deceptive appearances.

In a complex social hierarchy, amid dissembling clans and fractured allegiances, there is no place for passionate young love. The orphan Takeo has been condemned to work as an assassin - an enforced occupation that his father sacrificed his own life to escape.

Meanwhile Takeo’s beloved Shirakawa Kaede, heir to the Murayama and alone in the world, must find a way to unify the domain she has inherited, as she fights off the advances of would-be suitors and hopes against fading hope that Takeo will return to her....

Listening Length

10 hours and 22 minutes
Author

Lian Hearn
Narrator

Tamblyn Lord, see all
Audible release date

29 June 2015
Language

English
Publisher

Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
ASIN

B010EFYMVS
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	10 hours and 22 minutes
Author	Lian Hearn
Narrator	Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com.au Release Date	29 June 2015
Publisher	Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B010EFYMVS
Best Sellers Rank	11,276 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 7 in Literary Fiction for Teens 10 in Literary Fiction for Young Adults 131 in Historical Fantasy (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

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4 star		20%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from Australia

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GraceLee Patrick

When Power and Control Mask as Honour

Reviewed in Australia on 24 January 2015

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I read this book in one sitting ...simply cannot wait to see what happens next. This is such a powerful story of the life of the Japanese in the time of the Samurai - and how power and control masked as honour.

Throughout this book we see kindness and compassion trying to make it's way through ruthless, elitist, controlling and powerful alliances all aimed to destroy it. The best of human nature (the minority) is destroyed as powerful war lords (men) fight for control of the land. The peasants are as nothing in the fight and women are used as barter by their families to build alliances. It is unhelpful in this environment not to be beautiful and compliant. The women are also pitted against one another as they vie for position for their children. There is no second place.

This is a story also of the women who dared to be warriors and who died doing so. It is a story of deception, of hate and of power and control. It is also a story of passion and of deep and unbroken friendships. It is a story that rocks between war, death and cultural elitism to families, love and deep spirituality.

This a fascinating look into a culture, the outcomes of how we are socialised as people and the best and worst of humanity. To enjoy this book to the maximum, I recommend first read 'Across The Nightingale Floor'.

I am thankful to my son who gave me this series to read when it was part of his English reading criteria as year ten student. I am hooked and that doesn't happen often.

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Phil

Excellent!!!

Reviewed in Australia on 1 March 2015

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This was a great read!!! Flowed really well from the first book and set up for the next!!
I couldn't put the book down and found it exciting and full of drama!!
They should consider making this series a movie!! Although I'm sure they couldn't do it justice :D
The story just keep building and getting better and the characters are excellent!!
My only negative critique is that the author never uses page breaks or at times does not clearly divide thoughts between paragraphs which makes it sometimes confusing and an overload at times to read.
I'd recommend this series to anyone!!

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Pure beauty in the writing

Reviewed in Australia on 30 January 2017

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Wonderful fragile beauty every step of the way.
It has reminded me all all the things I believed before this life took over.
Never let it be spoiled by allowing people to make it into a film, all would be lost in the gross money making machine.

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purdec lose

fasinating read but will not bother with the rest.

Reviewed in Australia on 8 June 2020

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Loved the description of medieval Japan but really getting fed up with plot lines that reveal nothing about the world except conflict and desire.

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Kindle Customer

Good read

Reviewed in Australia on 26 March 2022

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Love the series, hard to put down

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Scott William

Great plot, great language

Reviewed in Australia on 23 February 2020

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I’m enjoying this series. I like the Japanese theme, but unlike so much fantasy the language is interesting and treats you as an adult.

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Firefly

Riveting

Reviewed in Australia on 21 September 2018

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The 2nd book in the series is just as riveting as the first. You wont want to put this book down.

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Amazon Customer

Good read

Reviewed in Australia on 8 February 2021

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Keeps you reading but not a great as some

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Top reviews from other countries

Arkham Reviews

Beautifully written but a weak sequel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 December 2014

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As the original Tales of the Otori Trilogy was originally written as a single novel, I think its clear why this novel contains all of the same strengths and weakness as Across the Nightingale Floor. While the prose is still hauntingly beautiful, I felt that this sometimes did not act in its favour as the flowery language often took the edge off the horror that the characters were exposed to.

I have rated this novel slightly lower than its prequel because I also felt that it succumbed to middle novel syndrome. Unlike Across the Nightingale Floor, it did not follow a strong plot but instead felt like an extended build up to the final novel. The pacing was very uneven, slow to start and far too fast towards the end, as its only purpose appeared to be to put Takeo and Kaede in position ready for the last part of the trilogy to begin.

The secondary characters also felt a little weaker this time around as, while the cast list was huge, I felt as though I did not get to know any of them. The biggest offender was Arai, who barely featured in the novel despite being its principle antagonist. Although the novel tried to emphasise his power, I never really felt it as it went unseen within the story.

However, Kaede and Takeo do remain incredibly likable and sympathetic protagonists. I especially loved how much development Kaede got within this story - she really did go from strength to strength and her gradual rebuilding of Shirakawa is testimony to how far she has come as a character.

One person found this helpful

EpicDom

A good follow up to 'Across the Nightingale Floor'

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 March 2011

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It began slow, but picked up by the middle. However, I wasn't bored by the beginning pace. Instead I soaked up the descriptions of the landscape. The beginning mainly focused on Kaede finding her way in a man's world and even though it wasn't fast paced, it was nice to see a female character actually doing something about her inferior position. I'm glad many familiar characters were brought back in this sequel. Near the end of the book it grew quite interesting as the story developed and discoveries were made about characters. However, I did feel the cliffhanger to this book wasn't as gripping as 'Across the Nightingale Floor' in the sense I didn't feel the same urge to read the next book so eagerly. However, it didn't stop me from purchasing the last of the trilogy straight away so I hope this tale will have an ending to match the high standards of the previous two.

xKamex

Pretty good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 May 2013

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I like this series, full of history (albeit somewhat fictious) an interesting setting and some interesting characters that you really start to care about. Would recommend the series as a whole, though I personally think the first and third books of the original trilogy were better than this part. This book itself is a little slow and I felt not a whole lot really happened in it, but it does eventually build up to some pretty great stuff. Would definitely recommend for the series sake.

Dharric Rolyat

Improved

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2013

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This, second book continues to develop the narrative drive of the first. When a prophecy was mentioned I nearly decided to quit and delete it. I bore with it and was glad I did. The skills of the tribe - where they come from is still obscure. Genetics? NO. Magic? I HOPE NOT. I hope this gets resolved at some point.
The nuances of feudal Japan have been well researched and are detailed well. A very pleasing book. I hope it can be maintained through the rest of the series.

RunRuby

Wonderful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 April 2013

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Discovering this series of books has been a joy. I've had trouble remembering all the characters and in this case got on better with the first book which I had in hard-back, because I could flip back to the list at the beginning of the book with all the characters names and who they were in relation to others. But the story is just excellent. Such good writing, such clever descriptions, so emotional in places - that I would not hesitate to buy / read anything by this author.

One person found this helpful

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Grass for his Pillow: Tales of the Otori, Book 2 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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