Beautifully Illustrated by Miyata Masayuki, one illustration from each chapter.

Lady Murasaki Shikibu is my kind of writer. With her narratives, she was able to transport me to an age in olden Japan that I am fascinated with. It was the time of lords, samurai and emperors. Each time I read a page, it was as if I was walking among the characters she created. In this novel, she gave us a beautiful work of prose that features one of the best kingdoms of ancient Asia. A very satisfying and educating read worth one's time.

Beautiful, entertaining, enlightening on Japanese court life and the copy I had had gorgeous pictures included. I cheated and read the abbreviated version but I would recommend!

I don’t get tired of watching the gorgeous pictures: how they get the sensuality right; how they take me in; how they tell the story anew.

The art work was fabulous. The story definitely left something to be desired. I suppose because it was only snippets from the actual it made for a choppy, directionless read.

One of Japan's first ever novels, in fact one of the first novels in the world - it's over 1000 years old.

The Tale of Genji is about court life of rich Japanese aristocracy from the time. It follows Genji's life from a young boy through adulthood, and after his death follows his 'legal' (ie someone else was the father) son, Karou. It's an interesting way into very old Japanese life and customs. Perhaps not the most exciting story for some people, it's about court life so there's a lot of poetry writing and swapping, chasing women and sleeping with other men's wives. They always seem to be falling in love. And rape seems to be quite acceptable and not presented as a bad act.

The pictures, one for every one of the 54 chapters are really beautiful and very important to the story. I think it said in the introduction that originally this would have been written on those big scrolls with the illustrations. In fact, one chapter is basically just an illustration. Which in some ways you can see as connecting through to what so many Japanese love reading these days - Manga.

2016 note - review from 2007 bookcrossing journal.

I always love classic, either in music or in writing. I read this book over and over and over ( you will sleep on it you bet!)sometimes it lamely bored and you will scream with boredom, sometimes you want to throw it away ( but will cancel it if you rememberit price LOL), but in the end you will back angain and want to sneak and peek it again.

In short? A tale about playboy Prince with the secret sex life in the Japanese Royal Kingdom (and wrote by a Princess whom disguise herself as a man, since at that era a woman was forbidden to read, write or learn man-style writing)

Not recommended to people who aren't already familiar with the story. It is more like a summary of each chapter.