Reviews

After the Banquet by Yukio Mishima

dorota33's review against another edition

4.0

"I suoi sforzi si erano dimostrati completamente irrisori, ma lei metteva da parte gli elementi effimeri e si abbandonava interamente alla propria fede nel miracolo, forse l'impossibile sarebbe diventato possibile, e la politica le sarebbe di nuovo venuta in aiuto. Forse la fede luminosa nel miracolo che i suoi ideali avevano acceso e gli sforzi per realizzare i miracoli che il senso pratico aveva compiuto erano, nel regno della politica, la stessa cosa.(...) Kazu si avvicinava all'essenza della politica, il tradimento."

sfgarnish's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

mimyexplore's review

dark reflective relaxing sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Es un libro muy bien escrito, super detallado.
Toda la historia está muy bien narrada, mantiene siempre un tono melancólico, que envuelve muy bien la trama.

caitsidhe's review

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

ryohorii's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

losthitsu's review against another edition

4.0

Don't you want to be like Kazu when you grow up?

spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition

3.0

「宴のあと」 par Mishima Yukio (三島 由紀夫). Paru en 1960. Traduction en français de Gaston Renondeau, publié en France en 1965.

febrfebrfebr's review

3.0

Kazu and Noguchi is really a mismatched couple. I’m not sure how can Kazu fall in love with such a person after all the past affairs of hers did not make it. Both main protagonists are not very likeable, which perhaps is not very important in literary works. However, I found myself sympathize with Noguchi more with his stern disposition and aversion to vulgar and flashy gestures Kazu indulges to sport. At the same time, I feel a bit appalled by how Noguchi treats Kazu, especially when he was upset. I also did not like it when Kazu had to kneel and hold the basin for Noguchi’s gargle waste. I guess this really displays the dominating patriarchal values in Japanese society, especially during the time setting of this book. Despite Kazu’s successful business as a proprietress of a luxurious restaurant, she still has to do that to display her devotion to her husband.

I had difficulty on reading the Omizutori ceremony part because I had no idea how the ceremony was like, and the entire chapter was all descriptive of the ceremony’s process. If anything, I finally get why political campaigns are such expensive projects. Mere posters and gimmicks featuring the campaigning candidate may look tacky, cheap, not to mention ugly, but they have to print hundreds of thousands of those and it is certainly not cheap. With the assumption that such campaign would appeal to the mass, each candidate’s aspiration and idealism do not seem to matter much compared to how much their budget is. Such society we have been living in!

kaetha's review

reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.25

boxcar's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.25