‘Across the Nightingale Floor’ is about a boy called Takeo, who comes home to his village one day to discover that he has lost his family in a massacre. He is the last survivor in his village. In this book, in every chapter the characters change. The first chapter is about Takeo, the second about a girl called Kaede, and then back to Takeo. Sometimes it becomes unclear which character the story is talking about. There are also Japanese names in the book that appear hard to pronounce, therefore it is hard to remember who is who. Having read only half of the book, and thinking it has been a bit hard to follow, I’m guessing that the two characters and their stories will meet up somehow in the end. I would recommend this book for students in older grades of high school. If I could ask the author, Lian Hearn, any question it would be “What inspiration did you get to write this book?”  It would be interesting to see how they got the idea for this fast-paced novel. http://www.lianhearn.com/ Ruby, Year 8

I have nearly finished the book “Across The Nightingale Floor” and it has been a very different story to what I was expecting. The chapters in this book are very long and can be quite confusing especially because in each chapter the main characters change. There are also a lot of other characters with confusing names in this book which can be hard to remember and also make it difficult to keep track of what is going on. This book is a heart felt novel with unexpected turns along the way. I felt upset for Takeo at the start of the book when he lost everyone he loved in a massive destruction by Lord Iida. I can’t wait to finish so I can see if Takeo ends up with his secret lover. If I could ask the author anything, I would ask him how he came up with the idea for this book. Because there are two different stories in the same book it becomes a fast-paced read which older students will enjoy.  Hayley, Year 8

Even though I love two worlds in a story, this one is just confusing. One part is about a boy, Tomasu, who is left without a family and home after his tribe and land are destroyed by the country’s leader, Iida. Tomasu, being the only survivor, is spotted and chased into the forest where Lord Otori Shigeru saves him. The other part is about a girl, Kaede, who is traded into slavery at the age of seven to secure an alliance between her family and the Noguchi’s. Kaede experiences many troubles but always seems to avoid consequence with the help of her friend Lord Arai. I believe these two characters will cross paths and the stories will link. This book is for slightly advanced readers, as it requires thinking skills and a very good memory.  Brodie, Year 8

This book is very confusing to read. There are two stories in the book and at some stage, they collide. Before the stories began to connect, I found it very complicated to understand which character the book was talking about. But as you get further into the book, it becomes much easier to know the story line. The first story is about a boy who loses his family and tries to begin his life again. The other story is about a girl who is troubled and having a hard time living her life. I have not yet completed reading this book but have absolutely no idea how it will end as there are many possible scenarios. At the end of each chapter you need to examine the hidden messages, e.g. what was the main part in the chapter, what helped you understand more about the book etc. This book is for quite mature readers as it uses a very descriptive writing technique. If you like challenges then this book is DEFINITELY for you! Ashlee, Year 8.

This book follows two people in ancient Japan. The first is a girl named Kaede, who has lived in the Noguchi castle for eight years, since she was seven. She only leaves the castle when Lady Maruyama takes her away. Takeo, the second person, is adopted; when he went back to his town he was shocked at what he saw. This book confuses me because it is constantly jumping between the two story lines without warning. This book is for more advanced readers because the traditional Japanese names can distract people from what they are actually reading. This book also talks about different clans and regions that can also perplex the reader. “Across the Nightingale Floor” is a well-written book but I tend to shy away from books when the narration swaps between characters. I thought this book was extremely eloquent and very descriptive but it didn’t really interest me. Susannah Year 8.