Rich imagery, mediocre writing.
The author does an excellent job of describing life in 17th century Japan. However, while the tapestry of the environment is rich, the writing is not. This is the author's first book, and it shows. The characters are engaging, if somewhat stilted and the plot is mediocre. Imagery is fine, but the author needlessly stoops to shocking the reader with perversions. The protagonist's internal conflict is at times believable, but there are instances where it really does not make sense. Overall, it could be better, but it is not a bad first attempt.