7.2 /10 1 Votes
Language English Media type Paperback ISBN 0-8095-6230-8 Country United States of America | 3.6/5 Goodreads Publication date December 1, 2006 Pages 127 pp Originally published 1 December 2006 Publisher Prime Books OCLC 71827154 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genres Speculative fiction, Novella, Postmodern literature Similar Yume No Hon: The Book of D, A Guide to Folktales in Fragile Di, Myths of Origin: Four Shor, The Orphan's Tales: In t, The Labyrinth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Grass-Cutting Sword is a novella by Catherynne M. Valente. It was published by Prime Books in 2006.
Plot summary
The tale is a postmodern interpretation of the Japanese folk-tale of Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi ("Heaven's Cloud-Gathering Sword"), which is taken from the collection of folk-lore in the Kojiki. The action shifts between the journey of the storm-god Susanoo who has been banished to earth in human form by his sister, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, as he attempts to slay the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. Valente also portrays the serpent's side of the story with a twist; the tale told by Orochi is intercut or added to by the seven maidens who have been sacrificed to the monster.
References
The Grass-Cutting Sword Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA