Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Penguin Books (1995), Paperback, 160 pages
Description
After the early death of her philandering husband, Etsuko moves into her father-in-law's house, where she numbly submits to the old man's advances. But soon she finds herself in love with the young servant Saburo. Tormented by his indifference, yet invigorated by her desire, she makes her move, with catastrophic consequences.
User reviews
LibraryThing member MeditationesMartini
This early work by Mishima has passion aplenty, a narrative sweep with an amazing sense of inevitability where you're like "yes, it's exactly that kind of emotional torrent that makes it seem natural and/or liberatingly unreal to SPOILER ALERT totally mattock a dude." It also has crystalline
The most interesting thing about it to me, though, is the way it's illuminated by a personality - the strength with which, in other words, the author's selfhood shines through. Mishima-in-popular culture is so twisted, septic, tragic at very best and fascist at worst - but this is a quiet person, a serious person, a person who is heartbroken at the brokenness of this old world and yearns to bursting after something purer and full beyond belief with moral clarity; frantic, if the world doesn't allow for snowflake bishonen clarity, that it at least incorporate katana-like acts of self-destruction, that it allows the self to be cleaner than the universe. So much of what was appealing and awful about old Japan, so desired and so impossible. He didn't use the "snow" kanji in "Yukio," but he feels like the kind of person who might have. Carry a mirror next to your heart; take it out often, look in your eyes and gauge the state of your soul. That's what it feels like to read this book, a little.
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moments, a deep and abiding sorrow, and at least one transcendent jewel of an observation, when Etsuko wakes up in the middle of the night: "an extended period of sleep was a duty she still owed the coming day."The most interesting thing about it to me, though, is the way it's illuminated by a personality - the strength with which, in other words, the author's selfhood shines through. Mishima-in-popular culture is so twisted, septic, tragic at very best and fascist at worst - but this is a quiet person, a serious person, a person who is heartbroken at the brokenness of this old world and yearns to bursting after something purer and full beyond belief with moral clarity; frantic, if the world doesn't allow for snowflake bishonen clarity, that it at least incorporate katana-like acts of self-destruction, that it allows the self to be cleaner than the universe. So much of what was appealing and awful about old Japan, so desired and so impossible. He didn't use the "snow" kanji in "Yukio," but he feels like the kind of person who might have. Carry a mirror next to your heart; take it out often, look in your eyes and gauge the state of your soul. That's what it feels like to read this book, a little.
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LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
This is an interesting love triangle! Etsuko is a woman whose husband has died so she is invited to and moves to the home of Yakichi, her father-in-law, where she resides as a mistress while secretly being in love with Saburo, the young household man-servant.
I found this story very intriguing as I
I liked the tone of the story and its gentle flow as well. I could not guess what would happen so it kept up my interest to the end. This is the second book by this author I've read, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
I found this story very intriguing as I
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was trying to piece together the relationship of the various individuals living within the household. The story seemed very Japanese in the way in which it was told (for instance, the hierarchy within the household and the festival observance), but the feelings were universal. Etsuko tried to deal with what she thought was a secret love, but, more importantly, both she and Yakichi were trying to deal with their individual jealousy. I liked the tone of the story and its gentle flow as well. I could not guess what would happen so it kept up my interest to the end. This is the second book by this author I've read, and I look forward to reading more of his work.
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LibraryThing member kougogo
Mishima's only female protagonist comes alive with startling clarity. Thirst for Love is one of the quieter, less twisted, of his early novels that I've read, though it is still very dark and uncompromising. Mishima returns to the themes of obsessive love, of a futile search for salvation, or
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desperate acts. Show Less
Language
Original language
Japanese
Original publication date
1950-06-30 (original Japanese)
1969 (English: Marks)
Physical description
160 p.; 7.64 inches
ISBN
0140181628 / 9780140181623