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A review by theravenkingx
The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai
2.0
This book was incredibly bizarre. I went in expecting a story about the struggles of post-war Japan, but instead, I encountered a narrative filled with illicit affairs, suicides, and snakes. While there were a few heartbreaking scenes, I felt completely disconnected from them due to the lack of character development. We never got to understand the motivations behind the choices the characters were making because there was no character development at all. One chapter was dedicated solely to flaunt the philosophical ideologies of the author.
I should have heeded the warning signs early on when the daughter's described her mother's soup-drinking as "erotic"—a moment that made me cringe. Even the scene of when an old man kissing a young girl without consent didn't stop me from reading. Ultimately, I only have myself to blame for finishing this weird book.
The book has left me in a foul mood, not because of sadness, but because of its sheer strangeness.
The writing style felt overly ornate and vague, leaving me uninterested in deciphering any symbolism or metaphors. In short, this book was truly awful.
Spoilers:
I think the mother and father represented the old ideals, and the main character's infatuation with the older man symbolized her clinging to traditional morality and values. However, Japan was changing, and those old ideas were dying. In the end, the main character took control of her life and said goodbye to them. Her brother couldn't do it and ended up taking his own life.
I should have heeded the warning signs early on when the daughter's described her mother's soup-drinking as "erotic"—a moment that made me cringe. Even the scene of when an old man kissing a young girl without consent didn't stop me from reading. Ultimately, I only have myself to blame for finishing this weird book.
The book has left me in a foul mood, not because of sadness, but because of its sheer strangeness.
The writing style felt overly ornate and vague, leaving me uninterested in deciphering any symbolism or metaphors. In short, this book was truly awful.
Spoilers:
I think the mother and father represented the old ideals, and the main character's infatuation with the older man symbolized her clinging to traditional morality and values. However, Japan was changing, and those old ideas were dying. In the end, the main character took control of her life and said goodbye to them. Her brother couldn't do it and ended up taking his own life.