Forbidden Colors
by Yukio Mishima
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Forbidden Colors (禁色, Kinjiki?) is a novel by Yukio Mishima, translated in 1968. The name kinjiki is a euphemism for homosexuality. The kanji 禁 means "forbidden" and 色 in this case means "erotic love", although it can also mean "color". The word "kinjiki" also means colors which were forbidden to be worn by people of various ranks in the Chinese court.
[edit] Major themes
The novel, by Yukio Mishima, describes a marriage of a gay man to a you
[edit] Major themes
The novel, by Yukio Mishima, describes a marriage of a gay man to a you
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Read in January, 2000
This novel is about gay life/issues in mid-20th century Japan. It's interesting as a period piece. Some people say it's one of his best but maybe something got lost in the translation because I kind of lost interest about two thirds into the book. I think Mishima is a more interesting essayist. But maybe this isn't his best. I think maybe I'll read The Sailor Who Fell to compare.
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Rumored to be about Mishima's relationship with the great Japanese author Kawabata, but nevertheless it's a wonderful relationship novel. The Mishima mystique is incredibly layered and all his works are sort of clues to the performer that he is. Writer, actor, playwright, filmmaker, and truly an erotic politician.
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3 comments
Read in May, 2007
A bleak, hateful book by a misathropic lunatic. There are some lyrical passages, but for the most part this was just too cynical for me. Surprisingly dissimilar to The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea, which was soft and beautiful. Also the only available translation is just atrocious.
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Read in January, 2005
A typical Japanese post war book with a slow development of the plot, but marvelous skertches of situations and emotions.
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Short-story writing that causes the reader to display emotional reactions out loud in public.
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Read in September, 2000
Never got into this book. In fact I think I let go of it not too long after purchasing it.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 3.77 (86 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 3.83 (82 ratings) number of reviews: 8popular shelves
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"I promise, i will never take it away."
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