破戒

This novel sheds light on an aspect of Japanese history and culture that I was not aware of. Some may have heard the surprising fact that merchants were considered the lowest class in the hierarchy in Edo society. However, that is a technicality born from the fact that there was a rank considered as subhuman and therefore not part of society. As the effects of this system continue even to the present day, this book felt both excellent in literary style and important for cultural understanding. As for the difficulty, the first part of the book felt the slowest and most difficult to get through, but the story is pretty straightforward. There are many obscure kanji used throughout, but even if you choose not to look them up the furigana should make the meaning clear.