I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

The writing is ok, but the topic was all over the place. There was nothing (and no one) to grasp on to.

Ugh. I couldn't get into this book and gave up at 20%. DNF. No rating.

The Samurai of Seville
A Novel

by John J. Healey

Skyhorse Publishing





Arcade Publishing

Historical Fiction

Pub Date 13 Jun 2017

Archive Date 22 May 2017
I am reviewing a copy of the Samurai of Seville through Skyhorse Publishing and Netgalley:
This book takes us back in time to 1614, where 40 Japanese Samurai Sail to Spain. The majority of the Samurai spend two years there, but six stay behind, settling and growing roots.
Julian finds company with a woman that is not his wife.
Guada is assigned a plain looking girl as her handmaiden.
Shiro is one of the ones chosen to go to Spain.
Guada is Julian's wife. Her son and law and husband share the same mistress.
The sixth Samurai who stay behind settle in Coria Del Rio.
I give the Samurai of Seville five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The book follows a delegation of 17th century Samurai to King Phillip III's Spain and their attempts to find some common ground between two very different cultures.

This was a fascinating premise for a novel; unfortunately I struggled with the execution. Immediately I noticed how little dialogue there was, specifically in the first half, and I think this contributed to me having a harder time following and remembering specific characters, because we don't really get to know their personalities. I spent much of the time trying re-orient - Which widow is this? Which duke is she having an affair with? And who is related to this duke? Wait, is this a NEW duke? - except for the main three characters: Julian, Guada, and Shiro, everyone else kind of blended together.

Then about 2/3 of the way through, the villain got very mustache twirly and in my opinion the book had a hard time recovering its grounding after that.

If you are interested in learning about a very specific and not much remarked upon time in Spanish as well as Japanese history, this book might be a good fit for you. I certainly seem to be in the minority regarding its ability to hold my interest.

In the year 1614. a Japanese delegation led by Hasekura Tsunenaga visited Spain. Instead of returning to Japan in 1617. six samurai remained. And this is the story of that journey.

This story presents a piece of history that most people have never heard of or generally aren't familiar with. And that includes me. But reading this story was a journey i won't soon forget.

At the beginning of the book we are introduced to Shiro. A fictional character that the author uses as the focal point of the story. Through him and his interactions and relationships​ we are introduced to differnces in two cultures​, the Renaissance Spain & warrior culture of Japan.

While the book takes a look at the Japanese delegations arrival to Spain, most of the story is following the 2 years delegation remained in Spain. We get introduced to a veriety of characters whose POV gives us an insight into how these two cultures interact, clash, and view each other. We see the influence Catholicism played in bringing the Japanese to Spain but also being what stops any trade developing between the two nations & ultimately being the reason the six Japanese decided to stay behind, fearing religious persecution back home.

While the story starts of slow, the narative is impeccable & the veriety of characters who provide their POV's make the overall story very hard to resist. Instead of being an observer to the story the author actually puts you in the story & that way makes it easier for the reader to follow. You will fall in love with some characters, and despise the others. Getting a first person view at the story will make you feel their pain, lust, resentment, hatred, sense of honor & justice, and ultimately love.

And while the story has a lot of fictional​elements in it, it is based on real events, and the characters you meet, for the most part existed in real life & interacted with the Japanese delegation.

If you are a fan of historic fiction, or just someone who wants to give the genre a try, i recommend you read this book.

In 1614, Date Masamune, Japanese feudal baron and great Lord of the Shogun authorized a diplomatic mission to visit Spain and the Vatican. Hasekura Tsunenaga, a retainer of Date Masamune was chosen to head the mission estimated to take approximately two years. The meeting of two distinct cultures would be put to the test.

Date Masamune had raised his illegitimate nephew Shiro in Sendai Castle. Shiro was exposed to a multicultural education. He became a samurai at 13 years old and followed the Way of the Warrior. He was apprenticed to seaman and navigator, William Adams, who taught the youngster astronomy, geometry, and the English language. Father Sotelo, a Franciscan monk, taught Shiro Spanish, Latin and Greek. To Hasekura Tsunenaga's dismay, Date Masamune insisted that Shiro accompany the delegation and act as his eyes and ears.

The ship called the Date Maru set sail with 21 samurai including 10 from the Shogun, 12 from the Lord and 120 merchants, sailors and seamen. Father Sotelo's goal was to distinguish himself by preaching in new territories, gaining new converts and eventually become an Archbishop. Lord Masamune's goal was to establish treaties of trade with the barbarians.

En route to New Spain, Shiro forged a friendship with Diego, a Spanish seaman. An altercation between Diego and a samurai had lasting repercussions for both Shiro and Diego.

Two different cultures with men who called each other barbarians. The Japanese thought their hosts were unpredictable. They had fearsome muskets, revolting eating habits, were adverse to cleanliness and were religiously intrusive. The Spaniards although entranced by the bolts of silk the Japanese brought to trade, questioned the use of chopsticks, constant bathing and the odd austere physical and spiritual regimens. The samurai warriors agreed to be baptized as an act of fealty and diplomacy. Across the cultural divide, Shiro made inroads with his worldly knowledge and calm demeanor. He was trusted by Philip III, the King of Spain and favored by the Duke of Medina-Sidonia much to Hasekura's unhappiness. The Duke's daughter, Guada and Shiro connected despite their differences. Would the tenderness between them evolve into something lasting? Will trade routes between east and west be established? Upon Father Sotelo's return to Sendai, Japan, will he have the necessary backing to start a Christian church?

"The Samurai of Seville" by John J. Healey is a richly detailed historical fiction read about attempts to create new trade routes and convert non-believers to Christianity. The learning experienced by each culture cannot be denied. An excellent novel of cultural assimilation.

Thank you Skyhorse Publishing, Arcade Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Samurai of Seville".

Trivial book. No grand theme, confuses love and sex with anything important. Reread Clavell.

This is a part of history I knew nothing about. It is an easy enjoyable read about lives, loves and cultures. The short chapters add to the book and I liked the fact that every chapter was titled and explained the next piece of the story.

I’m not interested in Samurai stories, but what sparked my interest was “the most intriguing cultural exchange in history.” The aspect of two drastically different cultures meeting in 1614.

Shiro, who is to become one of the Samurai sent to Spain, is apprenticed to the seaman and navigator William Adams. He is taught basics in science, carpentry, English, and even introduced to the strange religion of Jesuits.

While his story is being revealed, the simplicity of Japanese living in connection with nature is beautifully revealed as well.

As his story unravels and his journey to Spain begins, it alternates with the background of Spanish history where personal affairs and conquers are taking place. With the Spanish history come many very long names, making it hard to follow who is who. And the Spanish story is not as interesting as Shiro’s.

Once Samurai arrive in Spain, the story concentrates on Shiro and young Guado married to Julian.

At the beginning of 1615, Samurai are granted their first audience with King Philip III, recently widowed and heavily relying on a corrupt chief minister, Duke of Lerma. The so called Philip the Pious never raised a sword. He is not a warrior. It is a true contrast to the spirit of Samurai.

So some contrast is being presented, but not much and I kept waiting and waiting for more contrast and blending to come out to hook me to this story, but it never happened.

An unusual and very interesting piece of historical fiction that does a good job of blending east and west. Set in the 1600's it tells the story of a group of Japanese Samurai that travel to Spain on a trading mission and is inspired by real historical events. The refined and restrained Japanese culture contrasts vividly with the more close minded catholic sensibilities of the Spanish court at the time making for an intriguing tale.
The book is written as a series of alternating chapters, following characters from each of the two cultures, and at first this is a little difficult to follow as we are introduced to many characters from each culture in a very short space of time. Personally I think it would have been better to combine some of the very short chapters and allow us to get to know one set of characters better before introducing those on the other side of the tale.
The most interesting character in the book is it's hero, Shiro, who follows the Samurai way and lives by a strict code of honor, which has some horrifying consequences.
Overall I liked the book a lot, but felt that the very short chapters were distracting and made the storytelling quite choppy, and also that the book ended just a little too abruptly for my taste. It came very close to being a four star read for me, but for those reasons I just couldn't justify it.

Beautiful work of historical fiction, based on an actual emissary of samurai sent from Sendai, Japan to Spain in 1614. I'm so impressed by this author's ability to embellish a chapter of history involving such wildly diametrically opposed cultures, so smoothly and convincingly. John J Healey's lived half his life in Spain, clearly he writes about it with great love and knowledge, and The Samurai of Seville is not his first book about early Japanese visitors to that particular region. Excellently written and researched; with its love story, convincing characters, gorgeous descriptions of surroundings and family intrigue, it's no surprise to learn the novel's already being adapted for film.

I will definitely be looking to read more of John J Healey's work. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-copy!

I found this book boring and difficult to read. There is too much focus on sex and the author is putting a modern spin on historic events. I did not like that. I am not going to put this review online because there is nothing I enjoyed about this book.

Perfect blend of history into a novel.

The contrasting cultures and religions are carefully handled, maybe slightly stereotyped to the Japanese being more "elegant", but with the story being mostly from the perspective of Shiro that fits with the narrative.

The characters are suitably colourful, the scandals deliciously outrageous.

Great ending too.

An absorbing read. Healey has woven a marvellous story around the few facts known of a trade mission sent from Japan to Spain in the early 17th century. Those interested in either or both cultures and their history will find much to enjoy here. However, this is not some dry period piece, but a fully realised novel full of action and romance, featuring strongly-depicted characters and backgrounds.. Highly recommended.

Until I read this book, I'd never heard of the extraordinary Japanese embassy that arrived at the court of King Philip III of Spain in 1615. Its members had come halfway round the world, encouraged by the need to seek new trading markets and made curious by the stories of Christian missionaries. Led by the ambassador Hasekura Tsunenaga and escorted by a party of samurai, this remarkable entourage arrived in Europe to be feted and gawped at by peasants and nobles alike. Healey's readable novel spins a tale around this encounter between two great empires and, even if the writing isn't always the most gripping, it's well worth seeking out for its fascinating and very unusual subject.

Read more…

Shiro is the illegitimate nephew of the lord Date Masamune, raised with all the skills of a noble Japanese warrior, and with an extra layer of exposure to the foreigners resident in the Emperor's realm. He has learned Spanish, Latin and Greek from Father Luis Sotelo, the Franciscan missionary at his uncle's court, and cultivates a broader interest in the Western world than many of his countrymen. With this in mind, it's hardly surprising when his uncle singles him out for a great honour: to join an unprecedented embassy from Japan to the great King of Spain, Philip III. Shiro is to be his uncle's eyes and ears, protected by his portion of royal blood even if his illegitimacy rankles with Hasekura Tsunenaga, the noble vassal of Date Masamune. This shipload of men sets off on a journey that, even in these relatively recent times, must have been dauntingly unfamiliar: eastward across the Pacific from Shiro's native Sendai, through Indonesia, to the western coast of the Americas and across the isthmus by land; then onto another ship for Cuba, and from there across the Caribbean and the Atlantic to the coast of Spain.

And for what gain? Hasekura comes with gifts and fine words for King Philip, angling for a trade treaty. He and his men undergo baptism as a sign of their good faith, though the sincerity of the conversion varies from man to man. And they hope to understand more of this strange country in which they find themselves. But, like all visitors, they wander into a network of relationships and feuds to which they are blind and yet, in Shiro's case at least, will come to define the rest of their lives. His grace and good manners bring him favour in the eyes of the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, who takes on Shiro as a protege and brings him unwittingly into the emotional trials of his family, and most especially those of his niece Guada. Newly married to her beloved Julian, Guada is beginning to realise that a woman has limited say in her own future: a bitter epiphany, and one made harder by her parents' tacit acceptance of her misery. What little comfort she has comes from her unconventional aunt, Doña Soledad Medina, her uncle the Duke and with the strange young foreigner whose quiet attentions are so very different from those of her husband.

Around this gentle love story, Healey coveys the way in which two very different cultures seek to honour and understand each other: the confusions over their respective social hierarchies, and the fascination which the exotic Japanese evoked in their Spanish hosts. There is drama, betrayal and courage, and I certainly found the story compelling even if the writing itself wasn't always as rich as I'd have liked. But the pace is well done, taking us from Shiro to Guada and back again, allowing us to see how two young people can find a connection despite the cultural and social customs that set them apart. It would make a good film. One can't help wondering if Healey, a filmaker, has that in mind.

The story is well and good, but the truly interesting thing is the fact behind it. I knew about the role of missionaries in Japan (and, of course, China), but I had no idea that the eastern nations had returned the interest and gone so far as to send this distinguished party of visitors. I'm not sure whether this is a spoiler or not, as any internet search will tell you this, but not all the samurai returned home to Japan. Six stayed, married local women and settled down in Spain, where their ancestors still live nowadays. It's a little-known, fascinating period of cultural assimilation.

For the review, please see my blog, where it will be published on 24 April 2017:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/24/the-samurai-of-seville-john-j-healey