Review by arj_51 - The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea

arj_51 's review for:

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima

3.75

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I still don't know what to make of this book. On the one hand it's a beautifully written and a really fascinating study of masculinity, as a boy idolises a sailor who embodies his ideal of rugged cold-hearted masculinity, and the sailor who has felt disappointed with that life and wants to leave it behind. On the other hand, it is insanely fucked up and a heavy read. It's also hard to know what to make of it knowing Mishima has his own very complex political leanings so I can't quite tell if this is a critique or an endorsement of the toxic masculinity present in the book.

Regardless, it's really stuck with me and I think I gained some insight into the nebulous concept of masculinity from it, so I'm glad I've read it.

Content Warnings