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A review by xiaxia
Comrade Loves of the Samurai by Ihara Saikaku, Terence Barrow, E. Powys Mathers
4.0
An important historical gem.
Published in 1687 in Japan, "Comrade Loves of the Samurai" is a collection of thirteen stories centered around the theme of homosexual love among samurai, or among pages or court boys on their way of becoming a samurai and another samurai. In medieval Japan it was permitted and quite encouraged for the sons of samurai families to form homosexual alliances while youth lasted. These alliances ranged from highly platonic to sensual, passionate love.
However, don't come here expecting happy-go-lucky gay samurai love stories. I have rarely read a Japanese story that did not end in some kind of tragedy. This is the nation that raised suicide via hara-kiri/seppuku to the level of art, after all.
And speaking about hara-kiri, here is the total body count at the end of the 13 stories:
- Death of an MC by heartbreak: 1
- Death of an MC by hara-kiri or suicide: 7
- Death of an MC by murder: 2
Stories that end in HEA: 3
Enjoy :)
Published in 1687 in Japan, "Comrade Loves of the Samurai" is a collection of thirteen stories centered around the theme of homosexual love among samurai, or among pages or court boys on their way of becoming a samurai and another samurai. In medieval Japan it was permitted and quite encouraged for the sons of samurai families to form homosexual alliances while youth lasted. These alliances ranged from highly platonic to sensual, passionate love.
However, don't come here expecting happy-go-lucky gay samurai love stories. I have rarely read a Japanese story that did not end in some kind of tragedy. This is the nation that raised suicide via hara-kiri/seppuku to the level of art, after all.
And speaking about hara-kiri, here is the total body count at the end of the 13 stories:
- Death of an MC by heartbreak: 1
- Death of an MC by hara-kiri or suicide: 7
- Death of an MC by murder: 2
Stories that end in HEA: 3
Enjoy :)