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alexisparade 's review for:
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
by Yukio Mishima
medium-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
Sure, Mishima writes like he hated women so much that his misogyny made him gay(…/bisexual?? i guess?? we stan a bi fascist icon etc etc), but he’s just SO good at capturing the full spectrum of impotent, masculine, Men Going Their Own Way, Freudian rage - from the 13yo watching his mom undress and thinking about how all dads are evil because they get in the way of a son and his sexy mother, and how it’s every boy’s right to watch his dad die- to the 34yo thinking about how no woman could really understand his deep, unknowable warrior’s heart and how he can’t wait to die a glorious death in battle, even as he’s crying and stammering out loud to her about how much money he has in his bank account, and the moment he sees her boobs he’s like hmmmm I guess it’s fine actually.
The entire book is also an extremely obvious criticism on Mishima’s part regarding the western domination of post-WWII Japan, culminating in the 34yo’s emasculation through marriage, which causes him to lose all respect in the 13yo’s eyes. Mishima wasn’t exactly subtle, but I do just genuinely have fun reading his work.
The entire book is also an extremely obvious criticism on Mishima’s part regarding the western domination of post-WWII Japan, culminating in the 34yo’s emasculation through marriage, which causes him to lose all respect in the 13yo’s eyes. Mishima wasn’t exactly subtle, but I do just genuinely have fun reading his work.