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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mi verdadero favorito de Osamu Dazai, con todo el respeto a la fama que merece Indigno de Ser Humano.
"La revolución y el amor son lo mejor de este mundo; tan buenos que los adultos, sin duda, quieren engañarnos con las mentiras de las uvas verdes. Quiero creer que el ser humano ha nacido para el amor y la revolución".
El ocaso. Sin la posibilidad de encontrar luz cuando la noche inunde todo, pero aferrándose a la supervivencia. Porque nuestra especie, animal de instinto, dotada de consciencia, es capaz de vislumbrar incluso al final de la guerra la posibilidad de que el mundo siga siendo un lugar habitable. Hábitad. ¿Es acaso el ocaso una oportunidad o una condena? Japón viendo el ocaso de la aristocracia que hizo de Japón lo que fue hasta que dos bombas y miles de muertos les llevó a vislumbrar el fin. Aristócratas humanos, con el orgullo y respeto suficiente para sostener su calidad de clase social acomodada. Lo que no se sostiene en esa situación de supervivencia se extingue. Todo se extingue. Todo perece. Todo llega a su ocaso. Una tierra labrada donde se mezcla la superstición (la venganza de la serpeinte) con la razón (la teoría marxista de Rosa Luxemburgo). El patetismo de la vida en el olor a sake, a fuego, a libros en una sala china y a las flores en un jardín.
Osamu Dazai terminó con su vida mediante el suicidio y me es ineludible pensar que su trágico final está denotado en cada palabra de esta y varias de sus demás obras. En Kazuko encuentro ese aguante y perseverancia semi aristocrática y sedienta de amor, al igual que Naoji denota su peor lado, el de las adicciones como escape y el entendimiento pesimista del mundo. Pero es singular su concepción del fin de la aristocracia producto del fin de la segunda guerra mundial. Para Dazai equiparar a esta aristocracia con el campesinado era una operación terrible que produjo una fuerte crisis post-guerra. Mediante estos tópicos se permite una exploración mucho más precisa de la psiquis de sus personajes. Y es que el peso se vuelve tan denso y fuerte, que asfixi sin compasión.
Obra maestra. Inmediata favorita.
Acompañaron en la lectura:
Endlesness (Nala Sinephro)
Wall Of Eyes (The Smile)
Impossible Light (Uboa)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicide, Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse
Pretty good book and story, the book focuses on building the character of Kazuko whom is a middle age woman that lives with her mother, she faces many disgraceful events that leads to the decision of freeing herself. Overall the book has a melancholic and hopeless tone.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Dazai low-key popped off with this one. I don't think anything can compare to "No Longer Human" (that book broke me), but I ended up loving "The Setting Sun" more than I thought I would. While the plot doesn't seem to be very linear, clear or, so to say, stereotypically interesting (for me, it's my personal opinion), I found the exploration of the family dynamics, the mother-daughter relationship, mental health and illness to be fantastic. The strained, yet endearing relationships between Kazuko, her mother and her brother Naoji... Oh, my mommy issues were suffering in the corner. Trembling, even. The plot, slowly but surely, moved from calm and uneventful to "so much drama and inner turmoil is happening at the same time." And, of course, the occasional philosophical pondering with questions about society is a classic Dazai move, which I greatly appreciated.
However, when it comes to men writing women, especially main characters (Kazuko)... And men like Dazai... I did not find Kazuko infuriating or poorly written, necessarily. No, however, there were several questionable aspects. First, her sudden love for Mr Uehara. Where did that come from?because he kissed her once and then went no contact for 6 years? Questionable fixation on a questionable man. Then, her letters to him, where she has stated multiple times that (SPOILER)she wanted to become pregnant with his child . I don't deny that such feelings can arise in a person, and that they might think having a random man's child will fix their life . But, again, when it comes to men writing women, especially in the era when this book was written... Questionable choices were made.
However, when it comes to men writing women, especially main characters (Kazuko)... And men like Dazai... I did not find Kazuko infuriating or poorly written, necessarily. No, however, there were several questionable aspects. First, her sudden love for Mr Uehara. Where did that come from?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
Minor: War
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
fast-paced
rip naoji, u would’ve loved jeff buckley
sad
tense
fast-paced
Post war Japan and the end of aristocracy. The decline of decadence for the aristocrats, and the start for a new class of artists.
Depression, loneliness, empty purpose, alienation in a changing world, similarly to Bell Jar, written uniquely in a capturing and honest way.
Depression, loneliness, empty purpose, alienation in a changing world, similarly to Bell Jar, written uniquely in a capturing and honest way.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A magnificently, crazily beautiful story. I think reading it in my language (a much closer language to Japanese than English) makes it even better. Really the novel that makes me say “Ah, I really like this author.”
reflective
medium-paced
Set in early postwar Japan, The Setting Sun explores the devastating effects of war and the challenges of adapting to a changing society. Kazuko, a young aristocrat, and her mother must navigate a world that has lost its sense of direction.
The novel centers on Kazuko, a character grappling with intense emotional conflict as she struggles to find her identity and purpose. Dazai’s portrayal of her inner turmoil is deeply personal and tragic, capturing themes of isolation, despair, and the search for meaning in a world that feels increasingly uncertain. Through Kazuko’s eyes, the book becomes a powerful reflection on human frailty, loneliness, and the passage of time.
The story also highlights the broader social and cultural disintegration of post-war Japan. The fall of Kazuko's aristocratic family represents the decline of the old order, and the characters’ sense of disillusionment mirrors that of the country itself. Dazai’s writing is simple yet emotionally rich, creating a world that feels both bare and moving.
Additionally, the novel delves into themes of death and self-destruction, reflecting Dazai's own struggles. This dark existentialism runs through the narrative, lending the book a somber and reflective tone.
The Setting Sun is a powerful meditation on life’s fragility, the loss of identity, and the deep wounds left by war. It’s a thought-provoking and emotionally raw novel, and while undeniably bleak, it stands as a masterpiece of existential literature.
The novel centers on Kazuko, a character grappling with intense emotional conflict as she struggles to find her identity and purpose. Dazai’s portrayal of her inner turmoil is deeply personal and tragic, capturing themes of isolation, despair, and the search for meaning in a world that feels increasingly uncertain. Through Kazuko’s eyes, the book becomes a powerful reflection on human frailty, loneliness, and the passage of time.
The story also highlights the broader social and cultural disintegration of post-war Japan. The fall of Kazuko's aristocratic family represents the decline of the old order, and the characters’ sense of disillusionment mirrors that of the country itself. Dazai’s writing is simple yet emotionally rich, creating a world that feels both bare and moving.
Additionally, the novel delves into themes of death and self-destruction, reflecting Dazai's own struggles. This dark existentialism runs through the narrative, lending the book a somber and reflective tone.
The Setting Sun is a powerful meditation on life’s fragility, the loss of identity, and the deep wounds left by war. It’s a thought-provoking and emotionally raw novel, and while undeniably bleak, it stands as a masterpiece of existential literature.