David Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet is an enchanting novel. The first of his that I've read--I have a lot of catching up to do--it stands out from too many other contemporary novels in the breadth of its reach. Set in an outpost of the Dutch East Indies Company in Japan at the beginning of the 19th century, it is both a compelling love story and a portrait of a society in transition. The Jacob of the title is lowly clerk employed on Dejima, an artificial island connected to the Japanese mainland by a single stone bridge--the better to protect the Japanese from the potential pollution of the alien race that seeks to trade with them.
The narrative moves back and forth between Jacob's story and that of a Japanese midwife, Orito Aibagawa, who is famed for her skill. Unpredictably, Jacob falls in love with her and thus begins the story of a relationship that in time involves not just them, but others in both of the worlds in which they live. Although I have no way of knowing how accurate it is, Mitchell's depiction of Miss Aibagawa's world, especially the shrine in which she is an unwilling resident for a while, is totally convincing. Moreover, almost every character in the story is worth getting to know, especially Jacob. I won't give away the ending, except to say that while not exactly happy, it is deeply satisfying. Please read, and find out for yourself.