The second book of the Tales of the Otori is not quite as good as the first one. Hardly anything is actually happening. We still have the two different PoVs, Lady Shirakawa Kaede in 3rd person and Lord Otori Taeko as our 1st person narrator. The whole book is pretty much a set-up for upcoming major conflict between the two lovers, the clanlords and the Tribe. It covers the winter and the coming of spring after the events of the first book

I preferred the Taeko chapters because I sort of can't stand Kaede. I find it absolutely over the top that Kaede falls into a fever or gets the shakes whenever Taeko is mentioned. I am sorry, that does not scream powerful female character to me.

I hope the plot will pick up in the next book of the series.