This book was recommended to me some time ago by Michele Brody while I was attending A Gift of Tea’s White Spring Tea. I finally got around to reading it and I am so glad that I did. While not necessarily about tea, Chado is woven artfully throughout the story. It tells the story of an orphaned American girl who is taken in by the daughter of an important tea master. The story is very compelling, especially if you have a passion for tea. How often do you see Rikyu discussed in a fictional novel?
It was accurate both concerning history and tea. I loved all of the descriptions of tea houses, ceremonies and tools. Everything is described so vividly and in such detail you almost believe that you almost believe this family did exist at one point in time. My one qualm is that there are few adult scenes that seemed a bit too contrived and out of place from the rest of the story. Otherwise, this might have been a wonderful book to share with a budding tea lover. Nevertheless, it was a great read and I would definitely recommend if have an interest in tea and Japanese culture.
You can find out more about this book here.