Status
Available
Call number
Genres
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Publication
Amsterdam Meulenhoff 2000
Library's review
Man en vrouw houden een dagboek bij over hun seksleven. De oudere man gaat er van uit dat de vrouw zijn dagboeken leest, de vrouw weet dat de man haar dagboeken leest. Beiden ontkennen in hun dagboek het dagboek van de andere te lezen. We zijn getuige van een onvermogen tot communiceren, van
Een intrigerend boek, over ouder worden, over het huwelijk, ... dat boordevol zit met subtiele, Shakespeareiaanse intriges.
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manipulatie, bedrog en schaamte, en tegelijkertijd ook van hun gehechtheid aan elkaar en van hun heroplevende seksualiteit. De vrouw bloeit open, met haar man, maar ook met de huwelijkskandidaat voor haar dochter. De man beleeft zijn wildste fantasieën, en wel zodanig dat zijn gezondheid er aan ten onder gaat.Een intrigerend boek, over ouder worden, over het huwelijk, ... dat boordevol zit met subtiele, Shakespeareiaanse intriges.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member poetontheone
So captivating it was difficult to put down. I read it in a matter of hours. Illustrates a web of erotic obsession that ultimately leads to destruction, fragmentation, and loss. I plan to read much more of Tanizaki's work.
LibraryThing member lethalmauve
A muted psychosexual thriller in its midst, Tanizaki's The Key is a strangely gripping story of a middle-aged couple who decide to write their sexual shortcomings and fantasies on their respective diaries. Bound by suspicions of adultery and deceit, what develops is a sexual manipulation each, to
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an extent, enjoys and inflicts/receives upon the other intentionally. And indeed this novelette would have been nothing but a real bore if only for the repetitive (inexplicit) sexual acts girded by the unconsciousness of a nightly drunken stupor but it ultimately becomes interesting once jealousy and kinks taint not only a marriage but the whole family with a future son-in-law in tow. But none of this is without dire and deathly consequences; love and lust mutate into hate and disgust. Sadly The Key fizzles out into a tiring set of diary entries to analyse the has-beens and what-ifs without any concrete message but a disappointing ménage à trois. At times, it seems done in sarcastic humour. And whilst its sexual acts provoke the question of consent's blurry role in a marriage, there is also the frustration and annoyance of the inability to fully communicate issues within the relationship; even the appalling degree people will voluntarily go through to save face is vaguely alluded to. And this may root from the submissiveness/modesty expected of women and the priority given to so-called family reputations. In the end, it's just a continuous perpetual mind game without the much needed mental gymnastics. Fantasies are not as good as our realities. Most often than not they're likely better off kept within the confines of our skulls. The key is perhaps to communicate and compromise. And don't be surprised that women are sexual beings. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
Japanese
Original publication date
1956
1956 (original Japanese)
Physical description
161 p.; 20 cm
ISBN
9029066075 / 9789029066075