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Quicksand

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( 4,249 ratings, 574 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Quicksand by Junichiro Tanizaki explores the entangled relationships and psychological tensions within a love triangle involving a young woman, her husband, and her female lover. Set in 1920s Osaka, this tale delves into themes of obsession and deception, as the characters find themselves trapped in a web of emotional and social complications. The novel brilliantly captures the complexities of desire and the turbulent impacts of forbidden love.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by stories of complex human relationships and the exploration of desire and deception in early 20th-century Japan. The narrative weaves an intricate web of love and betrayal, offering a psychological and cultural insight into its characters. This may appeal to you if you appreciate character-driven novels with rich, atmospheric storytelling.

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A seductive psychological thriller about obsession, jealousy and deceit, and a Japanese classic

Sonoko Kakiuchi is a cultured Osaka lady in an uninspiring marriage. They begin a passionate affair and Sonoko soon finds herself infatuated by Mitsuko, and ensnared in a web of sex, humiliation and deceit.

A seductive psychological thriller about of obsession and jealousy, and a Japanese classic - now with an introduction by Kristen Roupenian, author of 'Cat Person'

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Quicksand is a seductive psychological thriller about obsession, jealousy, and deceit, and is considered a Japanese classic. Now featuring an introduction by Kristen Roupenian, author of 'Cat Person'.

Sonoko Kakiuchi is a cultured Osaka lady trapped in an uninspiring marriage. Seeking something more, she enrols in an art class in town where she encounters the extraordinary Mitsuko, a woman as beautiful and charismatic as she is cunning. They embark on a passionate affair, with Sonoko quickly becoming infatuated with Mitsuko, finding herself ensnared in a complex web of sex, humiliation, and deceit.

With an introduction by Kristen Roupenian, author of 'Cat Person'.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Quicksand is a riveting exploration of malevolent corruption set in 1920s Japan. It blends elements reminiscent of James Cain and Vladimir Nabokov, teasing readers with notions of forbidden pleasures. The narrative is described as a harrowing black comedy of love and death, beautifully and mysteriously contrived.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099485612

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 November 1994

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Kristen Roupenian

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 142g

Pages: 192

About the Author

Junichiro Tanizaki was one of Japan's greatest twentienth century novelists. Born in 1886 in Tokyo, his first published work - a one-act play - appeared in 1910 in a literary magazine he helped to found. Tanizaki lived in the cosmopolitan Tokyo area until the earthquake of 1923, when he moved to the Kyoto-Osaka region and became absorbed in Japan's past. All his most important works were written after 1923, among them Some Prefer Nettles (1929), The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi (1935), several modern versions of The Tale of Genji (1941, 1954 and 1965), The Makioka Sisters, The Key (1956) and Diary of a Mad Old Man (1961). He was awarded an Imperial Award for Cultural Merit in 1949 and in 1965 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the first Japanese writer to receive this honour. Tanizaki died later that same year.

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