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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I eventually got bored and it was hard to finish. I got half way through and was like this HAS to be the end and it wasn’t even close. I loved the characters though.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
It has been a very long time, or perhaps ever since I have been so moved by a book. Mishima's prose is languid, gorgeous, flowing, like honey. Each sentence had the breath of life, a piece of art in its own right. I found myself pausing every so often to reflect on the beauty of the language.
The Shinto influence was very prominent, each description of the world around showed a true reverence and belief in the divinity of all things.
Each page simply dripped with style, ambiguity, and passion. I am stunned by this accomplishment.
And then the story - I was completely floored by the doomed romance and just the drama of it all. Utter masterpiece.
The Shinto influence was very prominent, each description of the world around showed a true reverence and belief in the divinity of all things.
Each page simply dripped with style, ambiguity, and passion. I am stunned by this accomplishment.
And then the story - I was completely floored by the doomed romance and just the drama of it all. Utter masterpiece.
Would recommend: Not really
While I appreciate the Japanese style of this book, it was a bear to read. I figured out the plot two-thirds of the way through, so the last third couldn't have been over soon enough. It was one of those character-building books, at least for me.
While I appreciate the Japanese style of this book, it was a bear to read. I figured out the plot two-thirds of the way through, so the last third couldn't have been over soon enough. It was one of those character-building books, at least for me.
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mishima writes such beautiful, gentle prose that inspire this feeling when reading that interactions between the characters feel like iridescent moments—like photographs taken at the perfect milisecond.
There’s discussions about will, reincarnation and most predominantly ideas prevalent within Buddhism, which gives plenty of food for thought.
My greatest issue with Spring Snow—and Mishima’s work in general—is the way he caricaturises his female characters and aggressively objectifies the female body. I understand that these opinions towards women exist due to the context of his time, but there are sections that are obviously written to arouse a male reader, and instead come off as vulgar and dehumanising as a female reader.
Favourite Quote:
Here in Japan, we think of the spirit of snow as a woman—the snow fairy. But I remember that in Western fairy tales I read it’s always a handsome young man. And so I think of Kiyo as the spirit of snow, so masculine in your uniform. I think of you as overwhelming me. To feel myself dissolve into your beauty and freeze to death in the snow—no fate could be sweeter.
There’s discussions about will, reincarnation and most predominantly ideas prevalent within Buddhism, which gives plenty of food for thought.
My greatest issue with Spring Snow—and Mishima’s work in general—is the way he caricaturises his female characters and aggressively objectifies the female body. I understand that these opinions towards women exist due to the context of his time, but there are sections that are obviously written to arouse a male reader, and instead come off as vulgar and dehumanising as a female reader.
Favourite Quote:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated