Cover of The tale of Genji

The tale of Genji

    The tale of Genji is a classic romance novel by Murasaki Shikibu. Key subjects include man-woman relationships and Hikaru Genji.

    On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 3,170 times in the last 30 days.

    It is in the public domain in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg.

    About The tale of Genji

    "The tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century. Often considered the world's first novel, it depicts the lives of high courtiers during the Heian period. The story follows Hikaru Genji, the emperor's son demoted to commoner status, through his romantic encounters and later years. The narrative continues with his descendants, weaving together hundreds of characters across multiple generations in this monumental work of court life and forbidden love.
    Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

    Themes, setting & tropes

    Genres

    Subjects

    • Psychological fiction
    • Man-woman relationships
    • Romance fiction
    • Japan, Court and courtiers
    • Japan, Social life and customs, To 1600
    • Aristocracy, Social class, Japan
    • Princes, Japan
    • Hikaru Genji

    Quick answers

    Who wrote The tale of Genji?

    The tale of Genji was written by Murasaki Shikibu.

    What genre is The tale of Genji?

    It is usually shelved as Classic Love Stories.

    Is The tale of Genji free to read?

    Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

    What books are similar to The tale of Genji?

    Readers who like it often enjoy Le fantôme de l'opéra, Eloisa and The Blue Castle: a novel.

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