Reviews

When I Whistle by Shūsaku Endō

breeperscreepers's review

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I was hoping this would be like Sea and Poison, and in a few ways it was but in many ways it was worse. The hospital takes a backseat to an old man's memories of his boyhood, and his sons ambition as a doctor. While the old man was endearing, I found his memories boring and almost pointless, they're all about his school friend pursuing his crush to the point of absurdity. Didn't really care about the deeper message behind that storyline. The son was simply repulsive. He seems to detest everything about his life (especially his father) and uses everyone badly, all to climb a social ladder that he could probably climb anyway without being a whiny, selfish, arrogant POS. The writing was good but the story and characters fell somewhat short for me. 

hem's review

4.0

Not nearly as good as Silence, but very different. It felt modern, yet it was not repulsive. It deals with problems and brokenness head-on, but doesn't justify them. Nice rhythm... I liked it.

gonza_basta's review against another edition

4.0

Un libro lento, que lleva en paralelo dos historias, las de un padre y un hijo. La Segunda Guerra Mundial como punto de ruptura entre un periodo en el que aún era permisible tener sueños e ideales, y otro en el que la supervivencia a cualquier precio se convirtió en un imperativo. Resulta extraño, sin embargo, porque el segundo periodo, la posguerra de los años setenta más o menos, con un milagro económico produciéndose en Japón y ninguna guerra en el horizonte, debería haber sido el momento más adecuado para convertirse en mejores personas, y en su lugar.... Muy triste y muy hermoso.

Un libro lento, che porta avanti parallelamente due storie, quelle di un padre e di un figlio. La seconda guerra mondiale come spartiacque tra un periodo in cui era ancora permesso avere dei sogni e degli ideali, e quello in cui la sopravvivenza ad ogni costo é diventata un imperativo. Strano peró perché il secondo periodo, un dopoguerra degli anni '70 piú o meno, con un miracolo economico in atto in Giappone e nessuna guerra all'orizzonte, sarebbe dovuto essere il tempo piú adatto per diventare persone migliori, e invece....
Molto triste e molto bello.

theunwelcometagalongs's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

lshered's review against another edition

4.0

When I Whistle has one of the most original plots I have read in a long time. This novel explores a loss of youth, war, medical malpractice, and ultimately the human connections made under these circumstances. Endō thrives in his character development. Characters like Flatfish and Ozu were immensely interesting to unravel.

Early on in the book when each chapter switched between Ozu and Eiichi’s perspectives, I did find myself caring more about one plot line compared to the other. However, the way the plots diverged and developed into something so cohesive (and rather devastating) was nothing short of incredibly satisfying. I find myself filled with emotion upon finishing this book, and it will certainly be on my mind for a while.

rasmussimmermann's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

booksofmeandyou's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

ben_smitty's review

4.0

This novel of nostalgia has elements in it that are different from Endo's other works, especially since the Christian element is missing. Still, the contrast Endo creates between the pre- and post-war generation is intriguing; it seems that Endo captures the spirit of modernity well through the characters' psychological scarcity and Machiavellian attitude. He also writes about the dread of old age and the nostalgia that accompanies it, which is another major theme in many of his later novels.

Did I enjoy the novel? I appreciated Endo's attempt to write about something different, but the book lacks the passion and life inherent in his other works. Catholicism runs deep in his blood, and it's almost awkward to read a work that's missing something so dear to him.

emmkayt's review

4.0

Earlier this year, I read Silence, and when I came across another Endo I was eager to check it out. When I Whistle alternates between the stories of a man and his son. Ozu is now a middle-aged under-achiever in post-war Japan. He is prompted to reminisce about a friendship in his youth just before and during the Second World War. Ozu's son Eiichi is a ruthlessly self-promoting young physician, resentful of his father's inability to assist him in fulfilling his ambitions. The translation is periodically a bit awkward (e.g. the occasional attempts at a colloquial 'ain't'). The novel, however, was well worth reading.

heat_her's review

4.0

The story in When I Whistle alternates between the present–in which Ozu and his son are constantly at odds because of the differences in their values–and Ozu’s past. While Ozu’s son is busy working and scheming about ways to make himself a name in the hospital where he works, Ozu has been reminded of his past and can’t stop thinking about Flatfish, his best childhood friend. By telling the story using two different threads, Endo is able to highlight the chasm that exists between two generations in Japan: that of Ozu, which was largely shaped by World War II; and that of Ozu’s son, a generation that doesn’t seem to take seriously the values of integrity, close relationships, or looking out for one another.

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