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wildcherryblossoms 's review for:
Spring Snow
by Yukio Mishima
Enjoyed it, but not that impressed.
Kiyoaki seems to be the Japanese variation of Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, in which a genteel young man is driven to death from his own infatuation. Like other love stories of this era, Kiyoaki and Satoko's romance is pitted against waning Imperial traditions, and is representative of a lost generation in the emerging tide of modernity. Their passions are inevitable, and faced with notions of bygone morality and loyalty that no longer seem relevant, but still constrain them, their existence seems rootless and misguided. I thought Mishima was heavy-handed in expressing his commentary about societal change in Japan, though. Often, he'd explain to us how a character feels (especially the Marquis and the Count) instead of having it play out through his actions or subconscious thoughts. I also thought the plot was silly and predictable, and many of the characters difficult to like. I did really develop sympathy for Kiyo and Satoki as they became aware of the consequences of their passion, and at some points - such as at the beach - their dilemma is illustrated poignantly.
i really like some of Mishima's other works - for instance the short story "Patriotism" - but I thought the ideas in this novel could have been expressed with a more concise, less melodramatic plot.
Kiyoaki seems to be the Japanese variation of Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, in which a genteel young man is driven to death from his own infatuation. Like other love stories of this era, Kiyoaki and Satoko's romance is pitted against waning Imperial traditions, and is representative of a lost generation in the emerging tide of modernity. Their passions are inevitable, and faced with notions of bygone morality and loyalty that no longer seem relevant, but still constrain them, their existence seems rootless and misguided. I thought Mishima was heavy-handed in expressing his commentary about societal change in Japan, though. Often, he'd explain to us how a character feels (especially the Marquis and the Count) instead of having it play out through his actions or subconscious thoughts. I also thought the plot was silly and predictable, and many of the characters difficult to like. I did really develop sympathy for Kiyo and Satoki as they became aware of the consequences of their passion, and at some points - such as at the beach - their dilemma is illustrated poignantly.
i really like some of Mishima's other works - for instance the short story "Patriotism" - but I thought the ideas in this novel could have been expressed with a more concise, less melodramatic plot.