The Goddess Chronicle

by Natsuo Kirino

On an island the shape of a tear drop live two sisters.

One is the Oracle, the other is damned.

One is admired far and wide. The other must sacrifice her life to fulfil her destiny.

But what will happen when she returns to the island for revenge?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Japan, Japanese Literature, Retellings, Feminism

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

NATSUO KIRINO (桐野夏生), born in 1951 in Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) was an active and spirited child brought up between her two brothers, one being six years older and the other five years younger than her. Kirino's father, being an architect, took the family to many cities, and Kirino spent her youth in Sendai, Sapporo, and finally settled in Tokyo when she was fourteen, which is where she has been residing since. Kirino showed glimpses of her talent as a writer in her early stages—she was a child with great deal of curiosity, and also a child who could completely immerse herself in her own unique world of imagination.

After completing her law degree, Kirino worked in various fields before becoming a fictional writer; including scheduling and organizing films to be shown in a movie theater, and working as an editor and writer for a magazine publication. She got married to her present husband when she turned twenty-four, and began writing professionally, after giving birth to her daughter, at age thirty. However, it was not until Kirino was forty-one that she made her major debut. Since then, she has written thirteen full-length novels and three volumes of collective short stories, which are highly acclaimed for her intriguingly intelligent plot development and character portrayal, and her unique perspective of Japanese society after the collapse of the economic bubble.

Today, Kirino continues to enthusiastically write in a range of interesting genres. Her smash hit novel OUT (Kodansha, 1997) became the first work to be translated into English and other languages. OUT was also nominated for the 2004 MWA Edgar Allan Poe Award in the Best Novel Category, which made Kirino the first Japanese writer to be nominated for this major literary award. Her other works are now under way to be translated and published around the world.

Reviews

[Widyanto Gunadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dive into the vastly immersive fictional, mythical, and fantastical world taken off of an East Asian cultural history, coming from the infamous feudal land of the rising sun, Japan. Whether you are an avid Japanese literature enthusiast, or a casually curious reader wanting to know a brief bit of an important piece of Japanese history, especially on how the land is believed to be borne, as well as how it is intermittently reflected and rooted deep in the nation's social consciousness, this book can be a good starting point for you.

Albeit its several minor changes for an obvious reason; namely its clear intention to be a much bleaker retelling of the original classic Japanese creationist folktale; which can be found attributed throughout its entirety, Kirino successfully managed to not deviate too far from the original with her own signature take on the story.

On a side note, feminists may also find their niche with this novel for its rigorous depiction of a strong female main character, deadly set out in her heart-wrenching journey and conviction to rule over mankind using her omnipotent powers and exact revenge on men, by taking them into the realm of the dead; where she governs everything to her heart's content; as a payback for the betrayal which has been imposed on her by a man she loved most endearingly. Conclusively, out of all the novels, she has written, I liked this one best.

[Deniz Balcı · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natsuo Kirino, Japon korku/gizem edebiyatının en yetkin kalemlerinden bir tanesi. Daha önce Türkçede 'Çıkış' isimli başyapıtını ve 'Grotesk' isimli başka bir romanını okuma fırsatı bulmuştuk. Bir başka önemli eseri olan 'Real World'un yayımlanmasını bekliyor iken, ansızın 'Tanrıça Günlüğü' ile karşılaştık, çok güzel bir sürpriz oldu.

Bu eser, Kirino'nun bibliyografyasında farklı bir yerde konumlanıyor. Zira 'Tanrıça Günlüğü' sipariş üzerine yazılmış bir roman. 1999 senesinde Canongate Mit Serisi adı altında, dünyanın farklı yerlerinden 18 yazarın kendi kültürlerinin mitlerinden beslendikleri kısa romanlar yazdıkları, modernist bir çalışma başlatılmıştı. Başlangıcından itibaren 18 edebi roman ortaya çıktı. Proje kapsamında eser üreten Su Tong, Margaret Atwood, David Grossman, Ali Smith, Philip Pullman gibi isimlerde kayda değer edebiyat kariyerlerine sahip isimler.

Peki eser sipariş üzerine yazıldığından dolayı nitelik açısından eksik midir? Bence değil. Çok keyifli bir okuma sunduğunu söyleyebilirim. İzanami ve İzanaki tanrılarının merkezde olduğu, çok lezzetli bir fantastik öykü var kitapta.

Ying-Yang esasına dayalı, düalist bir anlayışın hükümdar olduğu Japon inanışlarında, İzanami kadın tanrı, İzanaki'de erkek tanrı olarak eşleştirilmişler ve birlikteliklerinden dünyayı oluşturan kara parçası, içindekiler, diğer tanrılar meydana gelmiştir. Ancak İzanami ateş tanrısını doğururken, onarılamaz yaralar almış ve ölüm diyarı Yomi'ye hapis kalmıştır. Dünyada eşsiz kalan İzanaki, insanların doğurmasına katkıda bulunmuştur. Ölüm diyarının tanrıçası olarak hüküm süren İzanami de yaşayanların canını alan konumuna düşmüştür.

Bu Japon mitolojisiyle ilgilenenlerin zaten bildiği bir hikaye. Kirino bu tanrıların hikayesini romanın merkezinde anlatırken bir yandan da kadın olmaya dair bir şeyler söylemeye çalışmıştır ki romanı daha ilginç kılan nokta burada yatıyor. Kadının Japon toplumunda kutsanması ve aynı zamanda da tahrip edilmesi aslında bizim kendi kültürümüzde de pek yabancı olduğumuz bir şey değil. Doğurganlık bazı toplumlarda kadının hem laneti, hem de lütfu olagelmiştir, Kirino da bunu çok güzel işlemiş.

Bir yandan da hikayenin iskeletinde çok önemli yer kaplayan ying yang doktrinini, romanın bütününe de yedirmiş. Tüm hikaye sonlandığında ve karakterler serüvenlerini tamamladıklarında ortaya yine her şeyin birbirini dengelediği bir tablo çıkıyor. Elbette İzanami dışında. Kirino'nun kadın söylemleri de bu ayrıntıda yatıyor.

Ben pek beğendim, mitolojiyi dayanılmaz derecede sıkıcı ve saçma bulanları dahi içine çekebilecek; okuyucuyu yormayan, hem düşündüren hem olaya olabildiğinde dahil eden yerinde bir kısa roman. Tavsiye ederim.

8/10

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A human life means nothing to a god and can be taken away at will. But for you... you're human, and that makes you hesitate. Gods and humans are different. My suffering and yours are different."
"Then, Izanami-sama, why do you suffer?", I asked, without thinking.
"Because I am a female god."

~*~*~

This book put me under a spell. I loved it so much it hurts, seriously.

I ordered it for the English language section of our bookstore (which is slowly but surely overtaken by English translations of Japanese authors *coughs*) and then started reading it during a slow evening and it pulled me in and pulled me under and didn't let go. It's worth reading for the language alone - lush and poetical and just, just gorgeous.

The story itself is based on the Japanese myth of Izanaki and Izanami, and focuses on a young girl destined from birth to become the priestess of the darkness.

In a way it was the perfect book for the person I am right now - while the book is about many things, what stood out most for me was how it captured what it means - and meant - to be a woman, the pain, the expectations, what happens if women refuse to fulfil the role "society" (read: men) want them to fulfil. It's also a story about what it means to love and what it means to hate, and the incredible selfishness of men (oh did I love the ending!).

It's one of those books that if you read them at the right moment they touch something at your very core and I am so, so grateful I got the chance to read it right now. (And I know this review didn't even begin to capture the amount of love I have for it, ugh.)

[Jean Menzies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting to love this one a lot more than I did. Unfortunatly, it was a little lack-luster. Now one of the things about reading translated literature is that I can't necessarily pin down my dislike of the prose to the writing or the translation but it just didn't create any atmosphere for me. It is a retelling of a Japanese creation myth that I was only vaguely aware of and I certainly enjoyed learning a little more about, although I'd like to go and read some original Japanese mythology now instead. I love myth retellings and I love the Canongate myth retellings in particular. I didn't love this book, but nor did I hate it. It started off strong, with a fascinating world and backdrop, it was also trying to do some interesting things with gender roles and enforced cultural roles. But, like I said the delivery was lackluster and I found myself gradually losing interest. Oh well, what can you do?

[Algernon (Darth Anyan) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Izanami-sama, why do you suffer?’ I asked, without thinking.
‘Because I am a female god.’

I considered myself a big fan of Natsuo Kirino after reading her crime thriller Out , and I confess I am unfamiliar with Japanese mythology. So I started this book with great expectations, only to struggle to finish it and with a bitter aftertaste for a conclusion.
It’s all about tears and revenge. From the shape of the distant island where the story starts to the darkest pits of the underworld where the journey ends.
The tears are shed by women who are betrayed by men and the revenge is that of wronged women against traitorous men. Archetypal men and women, starting with the very first couple to emerge from the primordial chaos: Izanami and Izanaki. Their family squabble apparently started on the very day of creation, and continues to this day:

I was a woman, and women were not permitted to speak first.

It gets worse. Izanami gets sick and is disfigured by illness. She dies and goes to the Realm of the Dead. Her husband Izanaki descends after her, but when he sees her new form, he runs away. This will prove unpardonable.

‘My husband, Izanaki, put that boulder there to block the passage, so I am trapped here for all eternity.’

>>><<<>>><<<

The story of these prime gods of the Japanese Pantheon is told by another woman, a mortal girl this time, who is in turn betrayed by a man she trusts, killed and sent to the Realm of the Dead where she will serve as an instrument of Izanami’s revenge. I am painting the plot in very wide brushstrokes here, partly in order to avoid spoilers but also because my early interest in the mythological parts of the story was crushed by the heavy handed revisionist treatment of Kirino. She appears to believe feminist goals can only be achieved not by uplifting women, but by bringing down and destroying the men. In a hard-boiled context like in Out this attitude was easier to accept than her attempt to rewrite mythology as a female empowerment tool.
Which is sad, because I believed the story of the tear-shaped island and its unusual customs really had potential.

Our island was governed by cruel customs.

Sixteen years old Namima, a sort of ugly duckling growing up in the shadow of her beautiful and accomplished sister Kamikuu, will learn the truth about her home island the hard way. When she does, she tries to escape by boat with the young man she has fallen in love with: Mahito.

I believe that it was because I broke the law that I was able to confront my true fate.

Alas, Namima ends up in the realm ruled by the bitter goddess Izanami and further painful revelations are waiting their turn. She will also learn the origin story of the gods, starting with the first pair Izanami and Izanaki, a tale that is strangely mirroring her own betrayal by a man.

Mahito’s fickleness and betrayal had left ice in my heart. I felt that the Realm of the Dead was a suitable place for me now. [...] I understood Izanami’s anger and bitterness.

Sadly, the rest of the story devolves from this point into an endless rant about how bad men are and how much the women must endure. There are of course plot elements that push the story forward, including the journey of the male god Izanaki in the realm of the living and the tale of the next generation of girls to fall under the curse of the island’s customs. But I was frankly losing interest in the whole project, so these details are already fading out, except some rather humorous plot holes of a one armed man rowing a boat or climbing a vertical cliff. Truly, a feat worthy of a god.

Even the quotes I saved from the text reflect only the message of revenge against men and little else of value:

More than anything, her voice registered the anger she felt at being forced to cut her life short.

I want to make him suffer. I don’t think he should be allowed to forget.

‘In all things you think only of yourself. And you have no qualms about disrupting order in other worlds. You are now a wayward human, and I – as a god – am meting out punishment. That is all.’

I always thought that the Oriental concept of yin / yang is one of harmony, of creating a circle out of two opposite shapes. Apparently, for Kirino, the struggle for domination is more important that the union of opposites.

‘There is always poison. You can be certain of it. So long as there is a day, there will be a night. And where there is yang, there is yin. To every front, a back. No white without black. Everything on earth has its opposite, its mate.’

Even with my present disappointment, I still think Natsuo Kirino is a very talented writer, with a lot to say for the women’s cause. But I believe I should stick to her contemporary crime novels in the future and I will try to learn about mythology from a different, less revisionist source.

[Tolgonay Dinçer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roman Japonya'da kutsallık atfedilmiş bir adanın öyküsü ile başlıyor. Her zaman adalarda yaşanan mistik olayların işleyişini merak etmişimdir o yüzden büyük ilgiyle okundum. İkinci kısımda roman Japon yaratılış mitine bağlanıyor.Bundan sonra cinsiyet ayrımı, cinsellik, intikam üzerine sorgulamalara neden oluyor yazar. Ama bu sorgulamayı yapış tarzı biraz rahatsız edici buldum. Bazı yerlerde olayları gereksiz açıklayıp okuyucuya 'burayı siz atlarsınız ben yazayım da atlamadan okuyun' havası vermişti.
Ama yinede beğendiğim bir roman oldu, Grotesk'tan daha güzel olduğu kesin ancak sıradanlıkla özgünlük arasında gidip geldi. Japon mitolojisi yerine fantastik bir roman oldaydı niye dört yıldız verir miydim bilmiyorum.

[Mizuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an outstanding retelling of the Japanese Creation Myth of Izanami and Izanaki.


The myth of Izanami and Izanaki is a powerful myth, it is related strongly to the most primitive human conditions and emotions: birth, love, betrayal, grief, the death of a beloved wife and mother, the struggle of life and death, a man's cowardliness before the fear of death, etc. I like the story of the twin priestesses on the small island and how the twin's story is later being related to the tale of Izanami, originally Mother Goddess of All who eventually became the Goddess of the Underworld, I especially like how the Goddess eventually became 'a true goddess' (a true destroyer) at the end of the book.

I also like how love, grudge and hopeless longing between male and female characters eventually came to rest at the end of the book.

The Goddess Chronicle offers us no happy ending, nor a black-and-white definition of good and evil. I can only tell you that much, the rest is left for you to discover.

PS: Dragon Sword and Wind Child is also a very remarkable YA retelling of the same Japanese Creation myth.

[Gorkem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kadınların kadını İzanami.: Ölüm ve arzuların tanrıçası ve ilk başlarda her şeyi yaratan tanrıça.

O kadar zor ki bu kitabı yorumlamak. Kitap 3 yönden anlatılıyor. Birincisi Namima, ikincisi Namima ve İzanami ve sonra İzanaki ( Yaşam Tanrısı). Her iki kadın da bir ihanet doğrultusunda bir şekilde bir araya geliyor.Ve kadınların yaratma gücünü ve istediğinde neler yapabileceğini mitolojik olarak ona hizmet eden bir ölü kadının gözünden anlatıyor. İzanaki, tarafından anlatılan kısım ise cidden duygusal bir kısımdı. Ama Kirino, cidden maskulen ve feminen algıyı o kadar güzel yorumlayarak kurgulamış.

Kitap, duygu yoğunluğu olarak çok yoğun. Bu durum, bazen giren ayrıntılardan kopulmasına neden olabiliyor.

Her şeye rağmen güzel bir deneyimdi.

10/8

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The set-up for the main plot is slow, at times boring and too repetitive. The action, once we get to, can also be repetitive -- I kept thinking: please give the reader some credit -- though I'm willing to speculate that perhaps some of the fault is with the translation. The bland prose doesn't fit such an emotional story and the exposition seems as if it was written for a young audience. While I understand what she was trying to get at with the ending, it seems forced and I'm not sure it makes much sense.

[Nafiza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of the Canongate Myths series and I am a fan of Natsuo Kirino who has this way of slipping into the heads of her characters so exactly and so seamlessly that it’s almost a surprise when you, the reader, resurface in the “real” world and realize that the people you have been reading about are characters and fictional. So to say I was looking forward to reading The Goddess Chronicle would have been an understatement. The premise is so fascinating and though I am not very familiar with Japanese mythology, I do know that Izanagi and Izanami do exist as mythical figures and the novel closely shadows or perhaps more appropriately, does attempt to bring to life these godly figures.

The mythology is rich and the potential for a layered complex tale with certain creative licenses taken was there. Unfortunately, the style and technique chosen to tell the story wasn’t, in my opinion, one that highlighted the mythology. Namima’s story was interesting enough and while I was reading that portion, I was invested into the story despite knowing Namima’s tragic end. I wanted to see how her short life would play out and what would happen to her in the underworld. Unfortunately, the majority of Izanami’s story is exposition where the readers are being told what is happening instead of being shown. Couple this with the complex nomenclature of the Japanese deities, reading became somewhat tedious and not what I would have expected something of the genre to be.

The ending, too, is strangely anticlimactic and unsatisfactory. There were no resolutions whatsoever and I understand that and even accept that in cases where actual mythology is transformed into fictional myth, too much deviation from the original can be detrimental and defamiliarizing. However, those characters that were wholly fictional could have had their storylines resolved. Namima never gets to confront her sister, she doesn’t get to talk to her daughter, she doesn’t even get to feel satisfaction from the death of the person who betrayed her. The novel was frustrating. However, the world building was splendid and Namima’s story was vividly portrayed. I don’t know if the novel would have been stronger in its original language and until I learn Japanese and read it in the language it was written, I guess I won’t be able to find out.

[Nicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a really good retelling of the story of Izanagi and Izanami, with a dual thread of story where a young woman’s life echoes that of the goddess as she finally goes to serve her. The translation seems to capture the flavour of the original, a sort of tone that seems to be as distinct to Japanese stories as there is one I find distinct in Russian stories. It’s mostly simplistic language, which maintains that fairytale feel.

I wasn’t a big fan of the narrative voice, though. Sometimes it’s first person, sometimes third, and it’s not always clear where/why the switch has happened. I felt like I didn’t always follow the reasoning behind the characters’ thoughts, particularly not in the last page or so, and Izanami as a personification of all the sorrows of all women didn’t work for me. Like, she’s a “woman among women”, for giving birth and being abandoned by a man. So not to give birth, not to participate in that aspect of femininity, means you’re not properly a woman? You haven’t had real female experiences? Hm.

There are some great moments of tension, grief and understanding, and some beautiful description, but it doesn’t come together right for me. Part of that might be because I’m definitely missing context; my only other contact with the story of Izanagi and Izanami is round the edges in Persona 4, and I’m not sure that even really touches on it much — it’s more from meta about the game than in the game itself. So it’s difficult to really contextualise this retelling and the commentary it makes on the original story, which is always a shame when reading a retelling, for me.

Originally posted here.

[Librukie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Último libro que me quedaba por leer de la autora en español, y tremenda sorpresa me he llevado.
Esperaba encontrarme otra historia que roza el thriller, perturbadora e incómoda, al estilo de sus otras dos novelas traducidas... Y aunque "Crónicas de una diosa" sigue teniendo muchos tintes oscuros, es un estilo completamente diferente a lo que yo esperaba.

Nuestra protagonista Namina, que siempre ha vivido a la sombra de su hermana mayor, nos relata su infancia y como termina sirviendo a Izanami, la diosa del Inframundo. De esta forma, tenemos una historia empapada de mitología japonesa, de la que me confieso tremendamente ignorante. Quizá por eso este libro me haya resultado tan interesante, ya que me ha abierto este mundo fantástico-mitológico del que yo solo tenía pinceladas.
Además, la historia de Namina y de los personajes que la rodean se me ha hecho muy atrayente, apenas he soltado el libro y me lo leí básicamente en dos sentadas.

Si os gusta la mitología no creo que este libro se os tenga que escapar 🙌🏻

[Fulya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bu kitaba dün başladım bu gece de kitap bitti. Japon mitolojisi konusunda pek bir bilgim yok ancak bu kitap İzanaki ve İzanami adlı dişi ve erkek iki tanrının üzerine kurulu yaradılış mitolojisinin yeniden yazımı. Feminist bir bakış açısından yazılan kitapta, kadın doğurganlığının ne denli büyük bir mucize ve aynı zamanda da büyük bir lanet olduğuna dair bir içgörü var. Hayatın devam ettiriciliği görevini üstlenmiş olan kadın, ölümle de kutsanmış durumda aynı zamanda. Başta tahmin edilmesi zor sonrasında katmanlar tahmin edildikçe daha da hüzne boğan yan hikayeler kitabın asıl sürükleyici noktası. Yeniden yazımlara meraklıysanız bunu okumanızı tavsiye ederim. Önce bir Japon adalarının yaradılış mitine de göz atarsanız daha farklı bir ışıkta okursunuz.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://more2read.com/review/the-godde...

" ‘There is always poison. You can be certain of it. So long as there is a day, there will be night. And where there is a yang, there is a yin. To every front, a back. No white without black. Everything on earth has its opposite, its mate. Should you wonder why, if there were only one there’d be no birth. In the beginning there were two, and those two were attracted to one another and drew together, and from there we have meaning. Or so it is said.’ "

What a enjoyable tale I found this to be, involving: love, loss, betrayal, hatred and revenge with great storytelling qualities, memorable characters an epic and mythical read.
Whilst amidst this tale you may possibly forget everything you know about creation, life, birth and death and become fully immersed in this ancient tale of life.
The authors writes well and makes you feel what the characters go through when they are in darkness and loneliness of death and the bliss and love in life.
Journey through realm of the dead and the realm of living, Yin and Yang. Goddesses, Gods and Oracles. Creation and birth, immortality and death.

A tale that will have you captivated and fully intertwined, a love story that will remain in you mind and felt in you heart for many cycles of the Sun.
With all the walking with the Gods, immortality and darkness in this story there is at its core a very human tale, a light in the form of humanities frailty.

A love story like no other yet as ancient as life itself.

"The shape of our island is unusual, resembling a teardrop. The northern cape is pointed and sharp, like the end of a spear, with dangerous crags jutting into the sea. Closer to the coast the terrain is gentle, sloping to a flat shoreline that wraps softly round the island. Along the southern end the land is nearly level with the sea. Whenever a tsunami blows ashore, that area swells with water. The island is so small that a woman or even a young child could walk its entirety in less than half a day. Countless pretty beaches grace the south. Over time the pounding waves beat the coral reefs into fine pure white sand, which glitters when the sun strikes it. The seas are blue, the sand white, and all along the coast yellow hibiscus grow rampant. The fragrance of the midnight peach scents the sea breezes. I cannot imagine anywhere else on earth as beautiful as the beaches of my island. The men would set sail from these beaches to fish and trade and would not return for close to half a year. In times when the fishing was not good, they’d press on to more distant islands to trade and would be gone for more than a year."

[natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.75) love when women are angry and kill the men they have rightful grudges against and then even when said men are dead they just stay angry yes girls succumb to the endless depths of your rage and grief

[Sharlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at
https://reallifereading.com/2017/05/3...

“And so it came to pass that sisters who had been the best of friends were forced to follow separate paths. ‘Separate’ is not quite the right word. Our paths were more distinctly different, as if she were to follow the day and I the night; or she the inner road and I the outer, she to traverse the heavens and I the earth. That was the ‘law’ of the island – that was our ‘destiny’.

It feels like a bit of a gamble for Natsuo Kirino, best known for her crime/mystery novels, to have written this retelling of the Japanese creation myth.

Yet it also remains true to her female-focused narratives, with this being a more feminist rebelling.

Apparently when Kirino’s books, especially Out, were first published in Japan, many criticized her plots and one radio DJ refused to speak to her because in Out, a woman murders her husband.

Also, later I realize that The Goddess Chronicle is part of the Canongate myth series and that Kirino was invited by the publisher to write a story based on ancient Japanese myth.

I didn’t know anything about this myth of Izanaki and Izanami before reading the book – and you don’t really need to but I guess it would enhance your reading of it. Izanaki and Izanami are deities commanded to make the lands of Japan. Their first attempt resulted in a deformed island and upon consulting the other deities, they learn that it’s because Izanami (the female) had spoken first. And when they try procreating again, Izanaki speaks first and Izanami gives birth to the many islands of Japan. After giving birth to the fire deity, Izanami dies. Izanaki pursues her to the underworld. (You can read more here)

The Goddess Chronicle begins with a dual thread of a story of a young woman whose journey has echoes of the goddess’ life. Namima who lives on a tiny remote island, where the islanders believe they are ruled by ancient gods.

“They sustained our lives; the waves and wind, the sand and stones. We respected the grandeur of nature. Our gods did not come to us in any specific form, but we held them in our hearts and understood them in our own way.”

Her sister Kamikuu is apprenticed to the Oracle on her sixth birthday. She lives with her and learns from her. And she is to no longer see Namima again. Namima is tasked to carry food to Kamikuu. Despite the poverty and scarce resources of the village, the food for Kamikuu is bountiful and rich. Yet she barely eats it, and as is tradition, the leftovers are tossed into the sea

Namibia is due for a very different life.

“Kamikuu, Child of Gods, is yang. She is the high priestess who rules the realm of light. She resides at the Kyoido on the eastern edge of the island, where the sun rises. But you are yin. You must preside over the realm of darkness. You will live here, in the Amiido, on the western edge where the sun sets.

That is, she is to care for the dead. She is to live with them, tend to their decaying bodies, and never return to her village.

But Namima wants more than this dreadful life she is expected to live, just because she is second-born. Things take a very different turn for her when she meets a young man, a fellow outcast whose family is shunned because his mother cannot produce a female child.

We eventually meet the deities Izanaki and Izanami and gods being gods, their story does sound rather silly and petty but they will never change. Or will they?

It took me a while to get into this story. Sometimes with translations one can never tell – is it the translation or is it just how the original story is written? Quite a bit of over-explaining makes the narrative a bit clunky. But overall, I really enjoyed learning about this Japanese myth and I especially liked the human story running alongside. Although I so wish that there was a better resolution to Namima’s story.

[Lorina Stephens · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's always difficult to review a translated work, because when you come across either brilliance or lack of lustre, it's difficult to assess whether that boon or bane is attributable to the author or the translator.

Such is the case with The Goddess Chronicle, by Natsuo Kirino, translated by Rebecca Copeland.

The story is a retelling of an original Japanese creation story. I suspect the original work by Kirino is a charged, tight story. Copeland's translation, however, lacks passion, and certainly this is a story about passion, in fact eons of passion as we trace the history of the Yin/Yang gods of Izanami and Izanaki through the mortal lives of Namima and her unscrupulous lover.

There is much here of sibling rivalry and betrayal of sacred trusts, of epic journeys both temporal and spiritual. There is a genesis story, a parallel to the Greek Persephone myth. There is the struggle of the desperately poor serving religious tenets that serve only to embed their poverty.

It's all there. And not a single phrase of elegance or startling insight to lift the reader from a grey narrative to the chiaroscuro the story demands.

[zoe ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason this book has three stars is that it isn't terrible nor is it anything remarkable. The story was readable yet bland. Brutal yet boring. Odd combinations, I know.

The premise was very good, interesting even. Two sisters on opposite sides usually makes for interesting conflict. I think the main reason that the story came off so bland was this lack, the conflict lasted at most two pages and was over as soon as you realised what it was. There was no buildup for this conflict, and when there was some there was barely anything going on. We were told instead of shown what was happening to the main characters.

However, the writing style is true to the mythology that the author is trying to recreate. There is a lovely atmosphere created with beautiful flowers contrasting the ignorant cruelty of locals. It had all the tools to be completely horrifying, but in the end it was a bit off the mark.

[hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually go and read about the Japanese myth of Izanami and Izanaki because of this book. It was interesting to read the re-telling version from the author. Kind of out of the usual Natsuo Kirino, this one is more historical and sort like a fantasy.

I love how it goes-- from the start of how Namima telling story about the great land of Yamato, her island and its surroundings, the Oracles and yin/yang of their family root to her destiny and after life.

It was sad somehow-- revenge and betrayal, grudge and regret. I honestly feel bad for Namima for what she had to endure. When she asked the goddess to grant her the wish to go and see her daughter my heart breaks with her, thinking about a mother's love.

The story of Izanaki was very interesting-- from a god to immortal human being to a perfectly human being. I like how he finally decided to meet Izanami at the end because of his love for Yayoi. Learning about all this myth was really fascinating-- the part where Hieda no Are telling the story of how all the (myth) god and goddess was born quite captivating.

Overall, I am glad to pick this book up though it's quite out of crime fiction noir sort of Natsuo Kirino I used to read. Some what refreshing. A devastated love story, tragic and apparently satisfying.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extra star for a homoerotic love-suicide! Good old Japanese literature and its homoerotic love-suicides coming at you from all directions:

"'Why don't you kill me and see if that makes a difference?'
Yakinahiko was shocked. 'Why would I kill you?'
'Because something might happen.'
...
'Let's die together and see what happens. Death - should we both succeed - would be a happy outcome.'
...
'I'm ready. I will gladly give my life for you.'
...
Unashi urged Takinahiko on with such adult assurance it was difficult to believe he was just nineteen. Surely if he killed the man he admired and if in turn he were killed by that man, he would die peacefully. Yakinahiko unsheathed the long sword at his hip. Unashi was trembling as he pulled out his own blade.
...
Destroying Unashi's youthful spirit had allowed him to steal into a boy's young body."



The rest of this was very below average. It seemed so vague and frustrating on everyone's powers, on everyone's fates, on why some spirits do this and go there, why some gods die and others don't ....

SPOILER:

For example, at one point, we learn "It was now clear that he had been guided here so that he could meet this woman."

What? Are we saying that two gods were born, and created the world through intercourse, and she died in childbirth, and they then fell-out when he visited her in the after-world, and then she vowed to kill all of his next girlfriends, and he had lots of girlfriends and they all died, and then he went back to the most beautiful of them and was sad when he learnt that she was dead, and then he killed himself with his boyfriend, and his spirit entered the younger man's body, and he went to an island to see another fabled beautiful woman, and she'd just killed herself, and so he had to stay for the funeral, and there she was! and THIS was him being "guided here so that he could meet this woman"?

[Books on Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story and a clever take on Japan's creation myth.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across Natsuo Kirino's novel when I read her most famous crime fiction, Out. It was a very intense read and I was not surprised at all that it received the Grand Prix for Crime Fiction, Japan's top mystery award and was a finalist (in translation) for the 2004 Edgar Award. Her other novels, Grotesque and Real World were published subsequently and they received good reviews too, though Out is still considered her best work due to the thrilling and disturbing plot. It is no doubt a masterpiece in many readers' opinions.

The Goddess Chronicle, her latest release, however is unlike her previous works. Based on the Japanese myth of Izanami and Izanagi, this tale is about the relations between gods and men, men and women, yin and yang as well as life and death. It is a story between two sisters who live on a small, remote island called Umihebi - the island of sea snakes as the seas surrounding the island were abundant with them. On their island, It is believed that they still ruled by the ancient gods and there are traditions and the people have to adhere to the strict customs which has passed on to them from generations to generations.The women would collect sea snakes, tend the mountain goats, collect shellfish or seaweed from the shores,but the most important task they do is to pray. They pray for the safe return of their men fishing on the high seas and most importantly, they pray for the prosperity of the island. There would be a great miko, the high priestess known as the Oracle, is responsible for all the prayer rites.

Two sisters, Kamikuu and Namima, were born from a prestigious family where their grandmother, Mikura-sama is the Oracle. The younger sister, Namima is very close with her sister although they are so different in their looks and personality. Kamikuu is the sturdy girl and the cleverest child on the island and she is a beauty too, while Namima is happy enough to live in her sister's shadow. However, on Kamikuu's sixth birthday, she is sent to train with their grandmother to become the next Oracle and this forces them apart. Namima is also requested not to see Kamikuu as she is proclaimed as the impure one. It is a tradition that there is always a yin and yang in the family so if the elder sister is yin, then the other will be yang. Yin represents light and yang is the darkness so it is no wonder that Namima would receive different treatment from the islanders. Not only that, she is also to serve the goddess of darkness.


Shocked by this discovery and the traditions that had laid so long ago, Namima decides to change her destiny and there begins her adventure in The Goddess Chronicle. Her journey is a rough one, but it allows her to experience the real meaning of love and kinship, as well as the dark side of bitterness and revenge. And most importantly, the difference between gods and men and how it is like to be a human being. Part fictional and part mythology, The Goddess Chronicle explores the humanity and the emotions of all beings.

I have to say I had a wonderful experience reading this novel because not only Natsuo Kirino has once again captured my attention through her great writing skill and her most unforgettable plot, but what most made this book such a satisfying read is the thought-provoking message behind the story. I couldn't put my feelings into words; this is one novel that you need to read it to experience it.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the actual hell did I just read?

I honestly don't really know how to summarize The Goddess Chronicle. Incredibly passive girl lives on super messed up island, theology is wild, plot is all over the place, I'm confused.

All right, where do I begin with this? How about the fact that it reads like a second draft. Seriously, where were the editors for this book? The amount of times I had something explained to me in almost verbatim terms, less than one hundred pages apart? Oh my god. I don't need you to remind me what Mahito did, I just finished reading it like, five chapters ago. Yes, I remember this dude is your apprentice/follower, you just told me two pages ago. Yes, I know the lore of this place, yes I know your backstory with your crazy goddess ex, I KNOW! Seriously, the amount of unnecessary reiteration is infuriating. In a first draft, that's totally fine, maybe you can't remember if this was already established... but then you go through and cut the repeats while revising. Was this just not revised? That actually wouldn't surprise me, seeing as though there are certain things that happen in this book that are foreshadowed as subtly as a slap to the face, and other events that come out of freaking nowhere! Where are the breadcrumbs? Also, so much of the dialogue felt awkward as hell, and character reactions were over explained to the max. Usually, that's a hallmark of middle school grade lit and below, with older target audiences needing less and less explanation as they get older... but I don't think this was a middle school grade book? Dude, I don't know.

Oh, also, there was instalove... TWICE! I. Hate. Instalove. It is the most unrealistic, anticlimactic form of romance out there. Also, the main character is annoying. Also, the ending? Makes no sense. Who the hell would react that way in that situation? Ten pages before, you certainly wouldn't have, protagonist. I just... I just can't with this.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was a exquisite retelling of the Japanese creation myth with focus upon the tale of Izanami and Izanagi. Despite my interest in world mythology I'm not that familiar with Japanese mythology apart from being aware that there was a female sun goddess, Amaterasu. In the course of this tale I learned that Amaterasu was one of the children of Izanagi, created after his Underworld confrontation with Izanami. One of the many strengths of the Canongate Myths series of presenting world myths penned by major authors in a highly accessible manner.

I had certainly enjoyed the dark crime thrillers by Natsuo Kirino that have been translated to date and while very different, set in a world somehow out of time, this proved as hypnotic as her other works. The writing itself is quite formal and once I had begun I found myself unable to stop reading. The novel includes a list of sources.

Reading this has inspired me to seek out more in the Canongate Myth series.

[Fri · Rating 3 out of 5]

kirino çok yetenekli bi rahatsız ama hikayesini mümkün olduğunca derinleştirmesi gereken bi yazar. bana göre yeteneği bu şekilde çalışıyor. tabii bu havada kalan ufak tefek kısımlar metnin görece kısalığının mı yoksa zahmet edip kitabı orijinal dilinden çevirtmeyen doğan kitap'ın mı mahareti bilmek asla mümkün olmayacak. umuyorum ki bir gün yayınevleri okurlarına, müşterilerine biraz saygı duyup 230 sayfalık bir kitabı orijinal dilinden çevirttikten sonra 23 tl talep eder.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

-buddy read with Maja-
3 words for this book: mythological feminine rage. This book was SO good and engaging, I literally couldn’t put it down without thinking about it constantly. The dialogue was really descriptive so you can feel the intensity of the narrative and emotions these characters went through.

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great, as in epic in construction, fantasy novel mixing Japanese mythology and fantasy to look at the relationships between men and women and gods! OK read, but too much rooted in Japanese mythology for me, with little background understanding of it, which the book seems to need. 4 out of 12

[Sasha]

Rec'd by new friend Rebecca for the Japan project.

[Trux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating & writing this >2 years after reading it:

A man, a boat, a starry sky, and wind. There's a moment in this book that's a sliver of painful beauty that only works itself in deeper every time I remember it, similar to that quality of light and feeling on that walk in The Sound and the Fury. I think of him on the deck of that boat and his freedom to feel and see all of the universe's fresh sensual beauty and I am so angry. So jealous. So furious at the unfairness.

Natsuo Kirino's Out is one of my favorite books. I probably wouldn't have read The Goddess Chronicle if it had someone else's name on it as the author. I can understand why a lot of people don't enjoy reading this book. But my heart is chained to it like a giant lump in the throat of resentment towards first tortured love betrayed, and after a couple of years I know that will never go away. Just dark, timeless, never-ending, earthquaking jealousy, grief and unfairness.

When someone writes about intense isolation -- feelings of being confined in the solitude of your own mind or unforgivable hurts or just fundamental separation from everyone else in the world and timeless injustices -- and you read it with recognition and feel your own differentness magnified and in comforting miserable companionship with a character representing that condition, it feels like that writer is omnipotent. Within terrible constraints, of course, like the goddesses here.

This is the kind of book you might gift to a woman you love (like I gave it to my little sister) feeling like you are giving them a gilded treasure of the world's most terrible unending truths but knowing they probably won't ever have the patience to finish it let alone understand why you gave it to them. Or if they do, it will be even worse, because look at this incredible harm we have been doomed to do to each other.

*****

Reading other people's complaints of it being boring and repetitive, imagining maybe the translation is to blame: I don't think that's it. I think Kirino writes a lot about repetition and boredom, and she does it on purpose, and it's part of what I enjoy about reading her books. In this book, I imagine it serves a lot of purposes, especially to provide contrasts with moments like the one on the deck of that boat. When you flip the page and come to a moment like that, I swear there's a physical sensation of openness and freedom so powerfully expansive and LUCKY that you will cry like you suddenly got to experience a moment of weightless thrilling beauty on at the peak of a roller coaster mountain. And be soooooooooooo mad that in actuality you are in a cold dark heavy lifeless grey hell.

I'd wager Kirino is more effective at summoning beasts of hatred and resentment in some of us (women) than anybody I've ever read. This book is magic. If you're bored by the work that goes into spellcrafting ... well ... poor boring you.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5
Recomendado para aquellas personas que, como yo, os gusta japón, su cultura, su mitología... Ya que este libro trata de símbolos mitológicos habituales en japón.
Yo he podido aprender un montón y he podido disfrutar mucho de la historia.
Resalto el gran poder femenino que hay en este libro, ya que solo las mujeres podían ejercer como sacerdotisas por ende el 90% de personajes que hay en esta historia, son mujeres.

No he podido parar de leer. Ha sido una historia que me ha mantenido enganchada en todo momento.


Pronto reseña más extensa en mi blog.