Reviews

Like Star, I can see why this novel was only translated just recently. Its pulp magazine style and Kafka resemblances are unlike Mishima. Moreover, this was published when Mishima was preparing The Sea of Fertility tetralogy. When Life for Sale was published, his last published fictional novel was Silk and Insight, four years prior (which i>Silk and Insight was already a strange novel as it was but I will not digress further).

It's hard to rate this novel. I am pulled to a one and two star-rating equally. The later half and especially the final quarter begin to delve into one star-rating territory. Hanio’s running, reversal of desire to live, and confrontation with previous customers amounts to nothing. It is a lousy ending and the buildup is pointless. The frequent references to cockroaches was humorous and the mediocre encounter with clients was alright. This book is closest to being between a 1.5 star-rating and a two star-rating.

Notes

Inside cover: It states that there are vampires and a pulpy tale. This introductions leads me to believe that I’ll enjoy at least these parts.

I am trough chapter two and I have found the exposition to be quick for a work by Mishima. It seems like a novella, like Star.

Starting chapter five and I am confused on how Ruriko decided to go to bed with Hanio when her life was at stake.

On page 28, Ruriko is announced dead. Suddenly my liking for this novel shifted towards a dislike for its Kafka similarities, then further dipped into an equally disagreeable genre: mystery.

On page 35, Hanio is getting angry at an inanimate rat doll after it didn't eat the meal Hanio prepared. Oh boy. This scene and development to Hanio appears amateurish.

On page 58, I have enjoyed how the old ugly women kills herself in place of Hanio. A strange love.

I liked the vampire woman's description on page 73. The story has otherwise been mediocre.

I like Reiko, the heiress junkie's description on page 118 and her personality on pages 123 and 124.

I found this humorous: “Hanio listened with a growing sense of horror to these vignettes of an imagined life that Reiko was sketching. This was nothing other than a cockroach existence! It was the embodiment of all those bugs scurrying around on a sheet of newspaper. Hadn’t he opted for suicide precisely to avoid ending up like this?” (Mishima 147).

Hani's change of heart and desire to live on page 149 disgruntled my general liking of his nonchalant manner. Reiko's ensuing madness in the next three pages was to my liking. A drugged woman behaving outlandishly and yelling at her lover while with him dancing to disco, while the lover takes it compliantly.

Disappointing ending.

January 18, 2020
Update
I have just realized that my first paragraphs explanation of his bibliography dates is incorrect since my knowledge only extends to Mishima's English translated works.

January 25, 2020
Update
I have thought of lowering the book to one star, because I did not like the plot and found the ending and the entire buildup of the book to be pointless. However, there is four and three star-rated sprinkled about enough allow this book to retain a 1.5 star-rating.

edddiful's review against another edition

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dark funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this approach to nihilism and apathy. The slope Hanio goes on (upwards or downwards, i’m not quite sure which yet) was so fascinating to have unfold.