The true story of Chinese princess and spy Yoshiko Kawashima

It’s easy to get caught up between fact and fiction in The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel, a dramatised take on the life of Yoshiko Kawashima. Although this book is not written as a biography, it is based on the true story of a Chinese princess and her spectacular adventures, ultimately leading to her execution as a traitor to the country during World War II.

The story begins in Yoshiko’s childhood, while she is still known by her birth name of Eastern Jewel- the daughter of Prince Su’s fourth concubine. From the beginning it is evident that Eastern Jewel is poised to lead a risky and exciting lifestyle. She is caught spying on her father making love to a young girl, and is subsequently shipped off to live with the powerful Kawashima family in Tokyo. From there, Yoshiko’s adventures lead her to Mongolia, China, Japan then back again to China as her final resting place.

While true historical events and politics leading up to World War II create the framework of this novel, the emphasis of Private Papers is placed on Yoshiko’s tumultuous love life and her sexual encounters with the majority of male characters mentioned in the story. Here is where truth becomes comparable to a harlequin romance: as Yoshiko’s sexcapades grow and grow, the author finds new, inventive and cringe-worthy ways to describe the dirty deed, a favourite being the ‘various and delightful ways of welcoming his snake into her pit’.

Private Papers begins as an exciting read and one can quickly catch on to the erratic nature of the story- not to worry if you bore of the current setting or love interest as Yoshiko is sure to seek a new adventure within a few flips of the page. But eventually, the adventure-seeking grows tiring as so many characters pass in and out of the story that it’s hard to keep track of who’s who. And who’s sleeping with whom.

Although it’s difficult to know which characters and events were fact and which were fiction in the true life of Yoshiko Kawashima, Private Papers can be an entertaining read due in part to Yoshiko’s romantic and sexual journeys and in part to the unintentionally cheesy sex jargon. Your literary snake is welcomed into the pit of this novel.

Andrea Yu

Published by Bloomsbury