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Joel Palma's Reviews > Spring Snow
Spring Snow (The Sea of Fertility, #1)
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Hands down, my favorite Japanese novel to date!!!
I can only but sigh finishing reading this masterpiece by Yukio Mishima. I am much overwhelmed by this beautifully poignant book that will surely tugs the heart of any reader.
So gorgeously written that demands to be read slow (not because one is intimidated to do so but it is such a beauty to relish every word written, I call it the "Mishima magic") and, indeed, Proustian in its rendition- as universal and constant as the waves of the sea, the introspection of the protagonist have much gone deep, lyrical, profound. Some of the chapters are as allusive, meditative and poetic like a kōan.
I particularly love the dialogues from Prince Pattanadid about everything sacred has the substance of dreams and memories, and so we experience the miracle of what is separated from us by time or distance suddenly being made tangible. For once the dreams and memories are beyond our grasp, the object is sanctified, once touched, we easily desecrates it. How strange man is! His touch defiles and yet he contains the source of miracles!
The book has the intimacy of Akutagawa's "Rashōmon" yet at an epic proportion. The subtleties only the Japanese can write is suffused within the pages of this book.
The characters of Kiyoake and Satoko will live with me forever...Such youthful vivacity, love and promise... The book is also philosophical and ironically comic at some of the most critical parts of the story which greatly balanced the book to veer away from being melodramatic, such as Honda's musings and Tadeshina, who reminds me of Mrs. Rupa Mehra, one of the most enduring characters in the literary world from Vikram Seth's "A Suitable Boy".
Just as one may think that this book is only a youthful, budding love story, no... Mishima, the master storyteller, weaves a tough and timeless basketwork- with complex twistings and braids made of wood, it holds the basket in form, as a whole. Seemingly simple, this book serves as the torii gate that will open the epic "Runaway Horses", the second book in the series "The Sea of Fertility" with such vast, sheer work of genius!
The most beautiful, melancholic and touching love story I've ever read and devoured with such heartache and will remain so for a very long time.
I can only but sigh finishing reading this masterpiece by Yukio Mishima. I am much overwhelmed by this beautifully poignant book that will surely tugs the heart of any reader.
So gorgeously written that demands to be read slow (not because one is intimidated to do so but it is such a beauty to relish every word written, I call it the "Mishima magic") and, indeed, Proustian in its rendition- as universal and constant as the waves of the sea, the introspection of the protagonist have much gone deep, lyrical, profound. Some of the chapters are as allusive, meditative and poetic like a kōan.
I particularly love the dialogues from Prince Pattanadid about everything sacred has the substance of dreams and memories, and so we experience the miracle of what is separated from us by time or distance suddenly being made tangible. For once the dreams and memories are beyond our grasp, the object is sanctified, once touched, we easily desecrates it. How strange man is! His touch defiles and yet he contains the source of miracles!
The book has the intimacy of Akutagawa's "Rashōmon" yet at an epic proportion. The subtleties only the Japanese can write is suffused within the pages of this book.
The characters of Kiyoake and Satoko will live with me forever...Such youthful vivacity, love and promise... The book is also philosophical and ironically comic at some of the most critical parts of the story which greatly balanced the book to veer away from being melodramatic, such as Honda's musings and Tadeshina, who reminds me of Mrs. Rupa Mehra, one of the most enduring characters in the literary world from Vikram Seth's "A Suitable Boy".
Just as one may think that this book is only a youthful, budding love story, no... Mishima, the master storyteller, weaves a tough and timeless basketwork- with complex twistings and braids made of wood, it holds the basket in form, as a whole. Seemingly simple, this book serves as the torii gate that will open the epic "Runaway Horses", the second book in the series "The Sea of Fertility" with such vast, sheer work of genius!
The most beautiful, melancholic and touching love story I've ever read and devoured with such heartache and will remain so for a very long time.
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Quotes Joel Liked
“For everything sacred has the substance of dreams and memories, and so we experience the miracle of what is separated from us by time or distance suddenly being made tangible. Dreams, memories, the sacred—they are all alike in that they are beyond our grasp. Once we are even marginally separated from what we can touch, the object is sanctified; it acquires the beauty of the unattainable, the quality of the miraculous. Everything, really, has this quality of sacredness, but we can desecrate it at a touch. How strange man is! His touch defiles and yet he contains the source of miracles.”
― Spring Snow
― Spring Snow
Reading Progress
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Giulia
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May 08, 2016 03:07AM
Really insightful review, Joel! Adding this to my TBR :) It seems it's going to be very helpful in my ongoing quest to know more about Japanese literature.
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Giulia (Jun) wrote: "Really insightful review, Joel! Adding this to my TBR :) It seems it's going to be very helpful in my ongoing quest to know more about Japanese literature."I'll bet my heart on it Giulia!!! Highly recommended!!!
Excellent review, Joel. One for me to think about - I'm tempted...
Pls do so!!! Then we can make fruitful and profound book discussion! Better yet, grab a copy of the book series "The Sea of Fertility"!
Wonderful review, Joel. You make me curious when you say you found this book the most touching love story you ever read!
It is!!! Thank goodness to The Book Exchange Hanneke!!!
Joel wrote: "Pls do so!!! Then we can make fruitful and profound book discussion! Better yet, grab a copy of the book series "The Sea of Fertility"!"Ok, thanks - good tip!
Oh, allright, Joel, I sent your picture to the Book Exchange as I told Jeff you had such a nice picture of a corner in the back room and he asked to see it. So you know! Well, pehaps see you there!
Dankjewel Hanneke!!! I go there to check out new arrivals every Wednesday or Thursday
Good to know! Perfect days to look at books!
Great review, Joel! I've been eyeing this book for a while. Are you going to read the rest of the Sea of Fertility novels?
Hi Glenn! Yes I will!!! I've found one secondhand copy of the series in good condition! Just got lucky! :-)
well put out. I read this in Spanish- only my second reading from Mishima, and from Japanese literature as a whole- and I wonder what I'm losing from the beauty of his original prose in Japanese. Because a great author is never fully "himself" in translation, I try to read most authors in the original, but with a language like Japanese I can't afford this luxury. anyway, a good review which does justice to the beauty of this book.
