Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
I'm dithering between a 3 and a 4 for this book. Its disturbing but beautifully written, overall lacks plot but the character arcs are interesting and compelling. Borderline poetic and I will be thinking about the meaning of this book for days to come.
I'm dithering between a 3 and a 4 for this book. Its disturbing but beautifully written, overall lacks plot but the character arcs are interesting and compelling. Borderline poetic and I will be thinking about the meaning of this book for days to come.
It definitely reads like a book written by a gay fascist who committed ritual suicide. It could be interesting as a study of his character, but the book doesnt stand by itself.
A little hard to read because of all the misogyny and the male delusions of grandeur - which I hoped would be addressed in the end but they never were.
A little hard to read because of all the misogyny and the male delusions of grandeur - which I hoped would be addressed in the end but they never were.
Yet again a book I know I would've enjoyed more if I read it earlier in life. There is something entrancing about this read with the move from viewpoint to viewpoint. Kinda reminded me of the secret history.
I liked it, I didn't really like the sexual and perversion undertones(?) and that was the reason why I put off reading it and read it so slow for a 180 so page book.
I liked it, I didn't really like the sexual and perversion undertones(?) and that was the reason why I put off reading it and read it so slow for a 180 so page book.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An already dark and disturbing story made downright creepy when contextualised with Mishima's views and actions. Beautifully and lyrically descriptive language, if somewhat drawn-out at times. Overall, really interesting, but I sometimes felt the plot seemed slightly shallow?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Self harm, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder
Reading mishima is a challenge.
Its a call out for your directory instincts that spew a visionary cinematic fabrication at the back of your head as you read the words confined between the punctuations of sentences and the dispense of paragraphs. Halfway through the book I had already planned reading it again because I didnt feel my concentration served the book justice. The way he writes is enchanting: he romanticizes the delicacy of the curtains by the window, the horizon’s daily theft and the beauty of fidelity.
A love story is placed strategically under the mercy of three characters: the sailor, the mother (his girlfriend) and her son. Once hailed by a group of 13 year-olds (one of which is the son), the sailor loses his throne at the mere crime of marriage (thus becoming a father of his girlfriend’s son) and is slanted as a fore-coming disappointment. The way fathers are portrayed in this book creates my assumption of subtle yet strong daddy issues on Mishima’s end.
In order not to spoil further, this is all I can say. The story is a rather simple one, the characters are average people with average where-abouts. The storyline isn’t particularly striking per-se and carries disturbing twists; however, the lyrical expressions encompassing said twists are immaculate. Had the actions been presented plainly, this storyline would be rather concerning (the peeking) and tragic (the minds of 13 year-old boys).
I’d give it a 3.5/5.
Its a call out for your directory instincts that spew a visionary cinematic fabrication at the back of your head as you read the words confined between the punctuations of sentences and the dispense of paragraphs. Halfway through the book I had already planned reading it again because I didnt feel my concentration served the book justice. The way he writes is enchanting: he romanticizes the delicacy of the curtains by the window, the horizon’s daily theft and the beauty of fidelity.
A love story is placed strategically under the mercy of three characters: the sailor, the mother (his girlfriend) and her son. Once hailed by a group of 13 year-olds (one of which is the son), the sailor loses his throne at the mere crime of marriage (thus becoming a father of his girlfriend’s son) and is slanted as a fore-coming disappointment. The way fathers are portrayed in this book creates my assumption of subtle yet strong daddy issues on Mishima’s end.
In order not to spoil further, this is all I can say. The story is a rather simple one, the characters are average people with average where-abouts. The storyline isn’t particularly striking per-se and carries disturbing twists; however, the lyrical expressions encompassing said twists are immaculate. Had the actions been presented plainly, this storyline would be rather concerning (the peeking) and tragic (the minds of 13 year-old boys).
I’d give it a 3.5/5.
This was a provocative read, with punchy and evocative writing. The book has some really interesting reflections on fatherhood, meaning, death, and interpersonal communication. In Noboru and his friends, I think Mishima perfectly captures a kind of adolescent asexual arrogance that can lead to (essentially) nihilism. His ability to describe certain feelings - resentment and longing in particular - is incredibly skilful and the long passages describing the sea and its symbolism are particularly moving.
I was close to giving this 5 stars (it's probably a 4/4.5 in the end) but the ending (no spoilers) did leave me a bit dissatisfied. Also, a warning to potential future readers: the sailor's jargon was kinda hard to follow at times. But I'll definitely be reading more of Mishima's work in future and I'm excited about that - The Sound of Waves and Spring Snow have been on my TBR for a while.
I was close to giving this 5 stars (it's probably a 4/4.5 in the end) but the ending (no spoilers) did leave me a bit dissatisfied. Also, a warning to potential future readers: the sailor's jargon was kinda hard to follow at times. But I'll definitely be reading more of Mishima's work in future and I'm excited about that - The Sound of Waves and Spring Snow have been on my TBR for a while.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character