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ed_da_bomb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
4.25
'I've known supreme happiness, and I'm not greedy enough to want what I have to go on forever. Every dream ends. Wouldn't it be foolish, knowing that nothing lasts forever, to insist that one has a right to do something that does?'
thokamaer's review against another edition
2.0
An imperial Japanese version of #richkidsoninstagram. Pretentious, empty and boring ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
mxmlln's review against another edition
4.0
Story: 6.5 / 10
Characters: 9.5
Setting: 8.5
Prose: 10
The highest prose I can recall reading. Nevertheless, the story is not as good as the first read through 20 years ago, when I was a teenager. Could be because I haven't read much literary fiction since then though. Still my preferred Mishima book.
Characters: 9.5
Setting: 8.5
Prose: 10
The highest prose I can recall reading. Nevertheless, the story is not as good as the first read through 20 years ago, when I was a teenager. Could be because I haven't read much literary fiction since then though. Still my preferred Mishima book.
thatsnotoli's review against another edition
4.0
I really couldn't get into it and have been reading the first 130 pages for literal months, so it was quite a surprise when I picked it up a few days ago and just got so into the story that I couldn't put it down. Love me some drama, and there's a lot.
morosoph's review against another edition
3.0
Spring Snow, written by Yukio Mishima, is set in early 20th century Japan and follows the lives of the aristocratic Matsugae (松枝) and Ayakura (绫仓) families as they navigate through the changing societal norms of the time.
I would have loved this novel for its depiction of Japanese aesthetics (wabi, transient beauty) and exploration of inner emotions if I read it a year ago. Reading it after my feminist awakening, I do not find myself enjoying it. From the very beginning, I was troubled by Kiyoaki, the main character's excessive infatuation with himself (and how he stresses endlessly how much Satoko loves and admires him), and the work as a whole has a strong sense of male gaze. I found the characters to be lacking in charm and their "beauty" and "fantasy" to be superficial. As a result, the death of Kiyoaki did not evoke any sense of beauty at the end.
“Since early childhood, all that he had been taught to revere as honorable and beautiful was to be found, as far as the Matsugaes were concerned, in the proximity of death.” This foreshadows the fate of all the characters.
Overall, while Mishima is adroit at creating subtleties and exploring the depths of human emotion, the misogyny well-showcased throughout the novel prevents me from liking it in a slightest sense.
I would have loved this novel for its depiction of Japanese aesthetics (wabi, transient beauty) and exploration of inner emotions if I read it a year ago. Reading it after my feminist awakening, I do not find myself enjoying it. From the very beginning, I was troubled by Kiyoaki, the main character's excessive infatuation with himself (and how he stresses endlessly how much Satoko loves and admires him), and the work as a whole has a strong sense of male gaze. I found the characters to be lacking in charm and their "beauty" and "fantasy" to be superficial. As a result, the death of Kiyoaki did not evoke any sense of beauty at the end.
“Since early childhood, all that he had been taught to revere as honorable and beautiful was to be found, as far as the Matsugaes were concerned, in the proximity of death.” This foreshadows the fate of all the characters.
Overall, while Mishima is adroit at creating subtleties and exploring the depths of human emotion, the misogyny well-showcased throughout the novel prevents me from liking it in a slightest sense.
unojaden's review against another edition
did not finish and I prob never will. Beautiful writing most of the time, but just wasn’t really interested in the plot or compelled by the characters even half way through
joannaz's review against another edition
5.0
There is truly nothing more rejuvenating than losing yourself in a book, not just with a beautiful plot, but one that urges you to think deeper and contemplate many things you otherwise might have left "untouched" by your mind. From the very first page I was captivated by Yukio Mishima's writing. The way he presents his settings, his characters, the way he narrates and describes everything is enough to completely take over you.
This book boasts a cast of vastly different characters with most prominent Honda (perhaps a representation of Mishima himself), Kiyoaki (perhaps the representation of the rocky transition from "Old" to "New" Japan, and constant attempts to discover oneself and find balance in an ever changing world) and Satoko (perhaps the representation of "Old"/Traditional Japan). Delving into each of these characters' psyche was an experience in itself, but seeing their relationships evolve and transform throughout the story was what truly kept me entranced.
It is one of those books where you constantly find yourself revisiting previous pages just to read passages again and again. This is a masterpiece and I feel grateful to have experienced it. I am truly glad that there are more books and more time to spend in Mishima's world.
This book boasts a cast of vastly different characters with most prominent Honda (perhaps a representation of Mishima himself), Kiyoaki (perhaps the representation of the rocky transition from "Old" to "New" Japan, and constant attempts to discover oneself and find balance in an ever changing world) and Satoko (perhaps the representation of "Old"/Traditional Japan). Delving into each of these characters' psyche was an experience in itself, but seeing their relationships evolve and transform throughout the story was what truly kept me entranced.
It is one of those books where you constantly find yourself revisiting previous pages just to read passages again and again. This is a masterpiece and I feel grateful to have experienced it. I am truly glad that there are more books and more time to spend in Mishima's world.
scotsedley's review against another edition
5.0
This in in a handful of maybe 2-3 books which I would consider for my favorite book ever. A tragedy/love story, set in early 20th century japan. Beyond that it includes my favorite three paragraphs of any book around page 198.
kiri_johnston's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0