Runaway Horses (The Sea of Fertility)
by Yukio Mishima
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Read in September, 2007
Terrific follow-up to Spring Snow, all part of the Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Especially considering Mishima's mindset at the time, this story goes into the fanaticism of a young man as he sees Japan sink away into corruption. Some characters from the previous novel re-appear, not least of which Honda, the voice of reason type and the character who we follow through all four of the books.
The main character goes overboard trying to be pure and serving the emperor and it's that out of control...more
The main character goes overboard trying to be pure and serving the emperor and it's that out of control...more
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Read in September, 2007
Second book of Mishima's Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Centered on the themes of westernization and loss of traditional society in 1930s Japan, and the resulting dissent amongst right wing, traditionalist factions. Also, disturbingly focussed on the manliness and honor of seppaku, the ritual act of suicide. Very much a foreshadowing of Mishima's own suicide in 1970, almost a script of the future event.
Although the main character, Isao, is a reincarnation of the the protagonist in ...more
Although the main character, Isao, is a reincarnation of the the protagonist in ...more
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Read in August, 2007
Fascinating to compare and contrast against Spring Snow.
Crazy love is reincarnated as crazy ultranationalism: aren't they the same, anyway? What does it mean to save someone's life? What is devotion and trust? How do you make/keep yourself pure? How do you deal with your illusions coming crashing down? What about when the World tries to assert itself against your stubborn beliefs? These are all Big Problems!
For some sections I felt like I was staring at the world through the eyes of a t...more
Crazy love is reincarnated as crazy ultranationalism: aren't they the same, anyway? What does it mean to save someone's life? What is devotion and trust? How do you make/keep yourself pure? How do you deal with your illusions coming crashing down? What about when the World tries to assert itself against your stubborn beliefs? These are all Big Problems!
For some sections I felt like I was staring at the world through the eyes of a t...more
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Read in August, 2003
I actually liked this much more than Spring Snow. Kiyoaki from the first book is reborn as Isao Iinuma, son of Kiyoaki’s tutor in the first book. Inspired by a book about an uprising, Isao wants to bring down some of the capitalist leaders he sees as corrupting Japan, and he also has a serious death wish. It was fascinating to see how revolutionaries or fanatics might view the world.
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My dean gave me this book as a prize of winning writing competition. This book is about the Japanese people and the Samurai who was under the power of the shoguns..
A good story but a bit unreadable, so you have to often use your knowledge and logic
A good story but a bit unreadable, so you have to often use your knowledge and logic
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This book doesn't have that much intrinsic merit, but insofar as it mainly serves as a lens to refract "Spring Snow," its predecessor, it's great. The main guy from the last book gets reincarnated in this one, which sounds so stupid but really is not.
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I know there are many like Henry Miller, who adore Mishima. Seems my taste of novel stands long away from Mishima ...
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Read in December, 2004
recommends it for:
everyone
not as good as Spring snow.. but still recommended.
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