Questions About Spring Snow (The Sea of Fertility, #1)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Spring Snow, please sign up.

Answered Questions (6)

Hey everyone. I heard great things about Yukio Mishima and was wondering if someone could let me know which one of his books would be the best to start with. Would it be this? 'Spring Snow'? Also, I am a huge Murakami...are there any similarities?

bermudianabroad Murakami and Mishima are very different style-wise. Mishima is more of a what I suppose you could term a classical internalist; he writes dramas that …moreMurakami and Mishima are very different style-wise. Mishima is more of a what I suppose you could term a classical internalist; he writes dramas that follow a tried and tested trope. He is heavy and lofty.
Murakami is lighter. Aside from being more modern, he's far more direct I think. The emotions are still there but explicit. His stories are surreal and mundane. Mishima is more tortutured. I'd start with Spring Snow for Mishima , just as it's a good launch pad to his wider work. (less)

flag

Mishima is very clear that Kiyoaki is both beautiful, and essentially dumb. Not interested in study, intellectual discourse, but very beautiful. This is something reiterated. So is Satoko (though not dumb). Why does this quality make a powerful, universal etc love-story? The Calvin Klein school of romance. Romeo & Juliet are young and hot, but not expressly stupid.

Tijl Vandersteene I don't think he's dumb. He's not interested or motivated, but that's something else. Because his social background he can afford to be lazy in school…moreI don't think he's dumb. He's not interested or motivated, but that's something else. Because his social background he can afford to be lazy in school, he will have a good life anyway. This leaves him time to dream and fool around and be romantic, too romantic. I think this is an important line of thought, an important issue in the story of Kiyoaki. He has an unrealistic view on life and love, which causes a lot of the problems. He struggles with his own way of life, he does not really see a meaning to life. Only when it's too late (for his child, Satoko and himself) he realizes there was something to live for. (less)

flag

What do you all think the title means? I thought it was terrifically evocative. Spring snow can be disastrous, an unexpected frost that means death for spring flowers. It can also be beautiful, as a light dusting over cherry blossoms. It could refer to the characters, or to Japan’s culture’s dying gasps. Goodreads, what do you think?

Sarah Low

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

As a queer guy with a taste for manly violence, I love Yukio Mishima but am tentative to pick up this series. Am I going to enjoy this as someone on the far-left? I know Mishima was a total fascist and if things get too political I'm guessing I probably won't want to waste my time. That said, I'm trying to wring as much worth out of the author as I can.

Eddie Rhodes Just go for it, it was an incredible read, and I’m a lefty myself (although not one with an aversion to right wing media)

flag

Hey, I was wondering if it is recommended to read 'The Sea of Fertility' in chronological order? I am interested in 'Runaway Horses' the most and would like to read that first. But I don't mind starting with this if it is recommend to do so! Thanks.

Valerio Amanti Hello, I would reccomend to start from this one if you have the intention to read all the four books as the relationship between Honda and Matsugae is…moreHello, I would reccomend to start from this one if you have the intention to read all the four books as the relationship between Honda and Matsugae is told in this book and this what connects all the books. Otherwise I think you can read 'Runaway Horses' alone.(less)

flag

Load 1 more question