I somehow powered through this but will need to take a break before the second volume. I will likely read the essays in the Norton Critical edition and delve into other resources before continuing.

At some point, things expanded in scope and I had a hard time grasping the changes. There's politics and state management but we're also dealing with Genji's descendants. I have no idea what the rest of the tale has in store, even after peaking ahead.

I am not sure that the author worked entirely in a vacuum to create what many think is the world's first proper novel. However, I accept the possibility that the forms and techniques she was working with can't be neatly categorized. I suspect that the work has been adapted over time and through translation to make it more coherent to some identifiable literary standard. In the end, I doubt whether one can view Genji as a protagonist. Instead, it may be a look at how the actions of a person who is an idealized representation of a court player, tragic flaws and all, affects the lives of those around him. Or if that isn't the case, it is a way for me to connect to the story.