Helen DeWitt’s debut novel The Last Samurai published in 2000 is an excellent unique novel combining multiple languages in a flawless manner, portraying the story of the eccentric mother and her prodigy son. The Last Samurai washes you with its fascinating tale into a different world. The characters are smart, perhaps let’s admit so is Helen Dewitt. This book is one of the thought-provoking novels I have read to date. Thanks to those good The Last Samurai Book Review in amazon.com that encouraged me to read the book.
The plot has been narrated into two parts; firstly by the mother Sibylla and later by her son Ludo. Sibylla Newman is a single mother dropped out of Oxford and turned typist, taking care of her son, who is the product of a one-night stand. Her attempts to guide her son’s education lead him to learn piano at the age of 3, Greek at 4, Hebrew, Arabic Japanese at the age of 5. Her son turned out to be very talented and curious that leads him to be learning complex things at an early age. Moreover, Sibylla familiarizes Ludo with the film; Seven Samurai to makeshift guide for her son’s desire to know who is his father.
However, as Ludo gets mature, he takes over the story and begins his journey to figure out the identity of his father. With just a hint that his father is a travel writer, he begins to search through numerous adventurous stories. Unfortunately, he becomes unsuccessful but, one day he gets an envelope with a folder containing his father’s name. Now the question is; whether the person he gets the name in folder is really his father or not? It is really addictive to find Ludo enlightened from his journey.
Not only The Last Samurai book is addictive and entertaining, it also holds a great message of the importance of education and learning in a child’s life. Painting the significance of self-leaning, self-discovery, one’s responsibility towards family and better ambition; this novel is stuffed with full of knowledgeable ingredients. If you are interested in reading this fascinating tale, you can purchase it from amazon.com. Although it needs some investment but trust me it will turn out to be a page-turner for you;
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Samurai-Helen-DeWitt/dp/081122550X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8