The commoner - John Burnham Schwartz

The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz is a historical novel that tells the story of a remarkable and tumultuous marriage between two very different people: a young Japanese woman named Hiroko, and the Japanese crown prince, Hatsuhito. The novel explores the tension between personal desires, duty, and the rigid expectations of royal life.

Set in post-World War II Japan, The Commoner is a fictionalized account inspired by the true story of the marriage between Prince Akihito (the future emperor of Japan) and Michiko Shōda, a commoner who was not of aristocratic lineage. The novel begins with Hiroko’s early life, focusing on her humble upbringing, her education, and her personal struggles. She grows up in a traditional Japanese family but is drawn to modernity, as well as to the idea of marrying for love.

When Hiroko meets Prince Hatsuhito, their relationship is one of intense attraction, but it is also fraught with challenges due to the deep cultural and societal divides between them. Hiroko is thrust into the world of the Japanese imperial family, where she is expected to conform to strict rituals and protocol. Her transformation from an ordinary woman to the future empress involves sacrifice, both personal and emotional. The novel follows the personal toll of this transition, as well as the public scrutiny and political pressures the couple faces.