| Number | Call Number | Branch | Status | Volume |
| 1 |
YA F Friesner Esther |
CP |
In at CP (Corporate Parkway) |
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| 2 |
YA F Friesner Esther |
MK |
In at MK (Middendorf-Kredell) |
|
| 3 |
YA F Friesner Esther |
SP |
In at SP (Spencer Road) |
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| Friesner (Nobody's Princess, 2007) tells the story, set in third-century Japan, of chieftain's daughter Himiko, gifted with healing and spiritual powers and secretly apprenticed to the Matsu clan's shaman, Lady Yama. At age seven, Himiko climbs the sacred pine tree to attract her beloved big brother's attention, falls, and breaks her leg, developing a pronounced limp. But she conquers this as well as other setbacks, proving herself worthy of the title shaman at age 16. Unfortunately, her father refuses to let her assume this powerful position, so she leaves her family and finds another clan where she can use her powers to help others. While Friesner has clearly done extensive research that is reflected in cultural details, she portrays the Japanese as emotionally outspoken—a portrayal that may ring false with those familiar with Japanese culture. A sequel is bound to follow given the number of loose ends, and Friesner's fans will be delighted. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews. | | | |
| A fictionalized depiction of the youth of Japanese queen and shaman Himiko. Friesner's Himiko is a chieftain's only daughter struggling to be like her brothers despite an injured leg. She secretly becomes apprentice to her clan's shaman and helps save a neighboring clan from illness. Friesner smoothly combines ancient-Japan historical fiction and magical realism, contextualizing her story with an author's note. | | | |
| Himiko, pampered daughter of a clan chief, wants only to become a shaman. Friesner's previous Princesses of Myth duologies featured young women (Helen of Troy and Queen Nefertiti) about whom enough historical or mythological information exists to provide the framework of story. With far less source material for Queen Himiko, the third-century Japanese shaman ruler, Himiko's story is an original work overlaid on a historical framework. Himiko's chieftain father adores her, as do her older brother and her father's wives. Despite their love and affection, none of them takes Himiko seriously when she insists she is a shaman. Himiko herself isn't sure she can achieve her goal; with one leg lame since she was a child, she can't do a shaman's dances. Though the current shaman insists Himiko will be her heir, it can't happen until Himiko is ready to stand up to her father. As a nice twist, Himiko isn't fighting sexism (the current shaman is female, and a nearby clan has a female shaman chieftess), but family history. It's a somewhat plodding journey through Himiko's early childhood and adolescence, but fans of Helen and Nefertiti will take Himiko into their hearts as well. The slow-moving tale takes its readers on a journey through a tidily detailed historical setting, with a heroine not nearly as anachronistically progressive as is usual in such tales. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 11-13) Copyright Kirkus 2012 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. | | | |
| Part of the Princesses of Myth series, this book is the story of Himiko, a popular figure in Japanese mythology. According to the author, she could have been real or a character of folklore. Friesner uses many resources to make this historical fiction accurate in its depiction of feudal Japan. In her 7th year, Himiko climbed a sacred pine tree. She fell and her leg was never the same, which affected her dream of being a shaman. Many details of everyday life are used in the story, which add to readers' knowledge of the time. The ending is not detailed and less than satisfying, which leads to the possibility of a sequel. Himiko is a strong character who makes a positive role model for middle school readers. Ellen Spring, Librarian, Rockland District Middle School, St. George School, Thomaston Grammar School, Maine. RECOMMENDED Copyright 2012 Linworth Publishing, Inc. | | | |
Gr 8 Up—History meshes with mysticism and magic in this richly imagined account of the early life of Himiko, the legendary shaman queen who united and ruled over a vast number of clans in ancient Japan. First in a duology, this sprawling tale spans Himiko's childhood through her teen years as she discovers her calling and defies patriarchal rule to train in shamanistic magic. Positive feminist themes abound: Himiko is headstrong and brave, determined to pursue her goals and unwilling to accept the idea that a girl should settle for a quiet life. Readers will engage with the story's memorable cast of characters and strong sense of setting. Although the people of Japan's Yayoi era had no written language and many aspects of their culture have been lost to the ages, Friesner skillfully creates a vivid picture of life in third-century Japan based on information revealed by archaeological records. The pace of the episodic storytelling is perhaps too leisurely for some readers, and those seeking a strictly action-driven plot may need to look elsewhere, but this book has high appeal for those who enjoy immersing themselves in another time and place. Devoted readers of Friesner's "Princesses of Myth" series (Random) will welcome this newest heroine.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA [Page 162]. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. | | | |
| Even as a child, Himiko dreams of a different life than the one expected of the only daughter of the Matsu chieftain. Unable to become a hunter like her beloved older brother, Aki, Himiko tries to listen to the Spirits as she searches for her place as more than a dutiful daughter. She does not always understand the will of the Spirits with whom she shares a special connection, especially after falling from the mighty Grandfather Pine or finally finding a true friend in a neighboring village, only to be told by her distrusting father she may never see her again. Himiko does her best to remain a respectful daughter and understand the complicated history of her village, but despite her father's disapproval, she also comes to dream of serving as a shaman and protecting her people from an uncertain future Set in third-century Japan, Spirit's Princess chronicles Himiko's early years and her struggle to find her path. Beautifully written and heartfelt, Himiko's tale defines a new kind of princess, one for whom strength comes from believing in herself and trusting in the love she has for her people. Although the text's pacing occasionally feels labored, readers familiar with the Princesses of Myth series will know to expect that this is only the first volume of Himiko's story, the initial developing of a strong and unique protagonist. Filled with expertly crafted description and heartbreaking depth, the text weaves history and myth to create a truly memorable heroine.—Meghann Meeusen 4Q 3P M J S Copyright 2011 Voya Reviews. | | |
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