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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Heartbreaking, Melancholic yet so elegantly composed, Spring Snow is a work of art and an intense passion.
Yukio Mishima was an ardent advocate of the bushido, the samurai code which was the cornerstone of Japan's glorious rising. He felt that the old honorable days of Japan are changing, slowly fading in the shadow of a new generation. Through Kiyoaki Matsugae and Satoko Ayakura, Mishima brought forth this historical fiction in which shown the inevitable cultural shift that Japan experienced but in the veil of a tragically beautiful romantic story.
If you intend to learn Japanese literature, Yukio Mishima is an undoubted addition to your author list.
Yukio Mishima was an ardent advocate of the bushido, the samurai code which was the cornerstone of Japan's glorious rising. He felt that the old honorable days of Japan are changing, slowly fading in the shadow of a new generation. Through Kiyoaki Matsugae and Satoko Ayakura, Mishima brought forth this historical fiction in which shown the inevitable cultural shift that Japan experienced but in the veil of a tragically beautiful romantic story.
If you intend to learn Japanese literature, Yukio Mishima is an undoubted addition to your author list.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
i started this book in like 2020, haven’t touched it since like 2022, and i still haven’t admitted to myself that i’m not actually currently reading it. some of the most beautiful writing i’ve ever read and for some reason i never want to read it
I have a complicated opinion of Spring Snow. I thought the first two-thirds were excellent; devastating portraits of people I didn’t necessarily like or relate to (especially Kiyoaki, who was so selfish he bordered on being a sociopath) but so finely written that I couldn’t help but being drawn in. And then Big Plot Things happen in the final third of the book, and it all started feeling like a story I’ve read a thousand times before (no spoilers, but it is the typical fall out from a love affair, with the woman of course bearing the brunt of the consequences). SNORE. The ending was a foregone conclusion and I was just counting time until it happened. That being said, Mishima hints at the progress of the series with frequent discussions of transmutation of the soul and karma, so I’m interested to see what he does with this. I also really enjoyed the setting (1912 Japan) and the details of imperial life. Finally, I wish Satoko had been depicted as more than just a beautiful woman and object of desire (but to be fair, I think this is how Kiyoaki sees her, not the author); hopefully as the series progresses, will see more of the interior lives of women? Anyway, I mostly enjoyed Spring Snow and will continue with the series at some point.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read. Makes me wonder about the role of the translator... This book is the first ofr four parts. I shall plan to read the rest! Add this to the love-sex-obsession book shelf. You knowthey're my favorites.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced