120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Don't forget today is Father's Day! Our Auckland Bookstore is open 8:30am-5:00pm 📚🎉

Forbidden Colours

By Yukio Mishima
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.92 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 4,754 ratings, 482 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
Forbidden Colours by Yukio Mishima is a profound exploration of beauty, desire, and the human condition. The novel delves into a complex relationship between a young, beautiful man and an older, disillusioned writer. As they navigate Tokyo's vibrant post-war society, themes of love, betrayal, and the pursuit of identity unfold, revealing darker sides of human passion.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2900
Elsewhere:
$3200
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

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 complex explorations of human relationships and society. It delves into themes of beauty, obsession, and sexuality within post-war Japan, offering profound insights into the human condition through its vivid characters and ornate prose. If you appreciate literary fiction that challenges and provokes thought, this may be a captivating read for you.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Depicts a male homosexual relationship, in which a rich older man buys the love of a young man who is stunningly handsome but who lacks the ability to love.

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

A Japanese masterpiece, reissued in Modern Classics.

Written when Mishima was only twenty-six, Forbidden Colours is a depiction of a male homosexual relationship, in which a rich older man buys the love of a young man who is stunningly handsome but lacks the ability to love. As in Mann's Death in Venice, the older man's longing for the beauty of youth is associated with aestheticism and death.

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

View all
  • East of Eden
    Set against the backdrop of the fertile Salinas Valley in California, East of Eden is a profound and compelling novel by John Steinbeck, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. This masterful narrative charts the intertwining destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—across multiple generations. Steinbeck's intricate portrayal of human nature and enduring exploration of moral themes...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    14% off
    The Origins of Totalitarianism
    The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt is a seminal examination of the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century. Through a profound and thorough analysis, Arendt explores the complex mechanisms and underpinnings that facilitated the emergence of totalitarian regimes, specifically delving into the horrors of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Soviet Union. Arendt masterfully dissects the various elements that contribute...
    By Hannah Arendt
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Grapes of Wrath
    The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a profound and evocative tale that captures the journey of the Joad family as they traverse the harsh landscapes of America during the Great Depression. As drought and economic hardship ravage their farming homeland in Oklahoma, the resilient Joads are driven from their beloved home and journey westward in a desperate bid...
    By John Steinbeck
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Month in the Country
    A sensitive portrayal of the healing process that took place in the aftermath of the First World War, J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country includes an introduction by Penelope Fitzgerald, author of Offshore, in Penguin Modern Classics. A damaged survivor of the First World War, Tom Birkin finds refuge in the quiet village church of Oxgodby where he is...
    By J L Carr
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Trouble With Being Born
    The Trouble With Being Born by E. M. Cioran is a deeply introspective and profoundly philosophical exploration of the human condition. The book navigates the bleak and often darkly comic territories of existence, examining fundamental questions such as birth, death, the concept of God, the relentless passage of time, the complexity of human relationships, and the daily struggle to find...
    By E. M. Cioran
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Fountainhead
    The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a gripping narrative that revolves around the unwavering and fiercely independent architect, Howard Roark. Roark’s vision and uncompromising integrity lead him to clash with a conformist society that resists innovation and creativity. The novel intricately explores Roark's journey as he battles against traditional norms, challenges mediocrity, and strives to preserve his unique artistic vision...
    By Ayn Rand
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Storm of Steel
    Storm of Steel chronicles the harrowing experiences of Ernst Jünger, a German officer during the First World War. From the moment he enters the trenches on the Western Front, Jünger immerses readers in the brutal, relentless combat that defined an era. His narrative is a visceral journey through the realities of war: the brief moments of camaraderie, the relentless artillery...
    By Ernst Junger
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On the Road
    "The most beautifully executed, the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named years ago as 'beat.'" - The New York Times On the Road swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns, and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveller and mystic, the living epitome...
    By Jack Kerouac
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Haunting of Hill House
    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is an unparalleled classic in the genre of horror literature, weaving an atmosphere of dread and suspense that continues to captivate readers. The story follows four distinct characters brought together by a shared curiosity about the supernatural phenomena reported at the infamous Hill House. Dr. Montague, a determined and scholarly investigator of...
    By Shirley Jackson
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Myth of Sisyphus
    The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus explores one of the most profound philosophical questions: Is life worth living? Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Second World War, Camus delves into the existential crisis faced by humanity, particularly the struggle to find meaning in a world devoid of higher purpose. Through a captivating blend of philosophical discourse and literary...
    By Albert Camus
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Fire Next Time
    The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is a seminal work that offers a profound and personal exploration of race relations in America. Structured as two poignant letters, Baldwin addresses his 14-year-old nephew on the one hand, and on the other, an open letter to his fellow countrymen. Through these missives, Baldwin intimately reflects on his experiences growing up in...
    By James Baldwin
    Paperback
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Steppenwolf
    A new translation of this counterculture classic by David Horrocks. At first sight, Harry Haller seems like a respectable, educated man. In reality, he is the Steppenwolf—wild, strange, alienated from society, and repulsed by the modern age. But as he is drawn into a series of dreamlike and sometimes savage encounters—accompanied by, among others, Mozart, Goethe, and the bewitching Hermione—the...
    By Hermann Hesse
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

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?

Forbidden Colours by Yukio Mishima has been praised for its intricate exploration of themes such as beauty, obsession, and the complexity of human relationships. The novel delves into the dualities of love and hatred, capturing readers with its profound psychological depth and elegant prose. Some reviewers note the book’s intensity and the way Mishima crafts a vivid narrative that is both engaging and provocative.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141189567

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 October 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Alfred H. Marks

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 317g

Pages: 432

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics Yukio Mishima

About the Author

Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) is considered by many critics as the most important Japanese novelist of the 20th century. Mishima's works include 40 novels, poetry, essays, and modern Kabuki and Noh dramas. He was three times nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature. Among his masterpieces is The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (1956). The tetralogy The Sea of Fertility (1965-70) is regarded by many as Mishima's most lasting achievement.

Also by Yukio Mishima

View all
  • The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea
    The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima explores the dark and complex psyches of a group of disillusioned adolescents and the tragic consequences of their discontent. This haunting novel delves into the tension between idealism and reality, revealing the often brutal nature of human desires. The story centres around Noboru, a thirteen-year-old boy who, along...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Confessions of a Mask
    Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima is an introspective and vividly descriptive exploration of a young man's struggle with his concealed identity in post-war Japan. The protagonist, Kochan, a Japanese teenager, grapples with the awakening of his homosexual and sadistic desires in an acutely homophobic and conservative society. Each night, Kochan is haunted by intense fantasies in which he...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Death in Midsummer
    Ten tales of loss and longing, from one of Japan's greatest writers. Bringing together Yukio Mishima's finest stories, this selection showcases his extraordinary ability to depict a wide variety of human beings in moments of significance. A moonlit journey to fulfil a wish; a mother lost in mourning; a night of infidelity; and a young lieutenant who ends his life....
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Spring Snow
    Spring Snow is the first novel in Mishima's masterful Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Set in Tokyo, 1912, the closed world of the ancient aristocracy is being breached for the first time by outsiders—rich provincial families, a new and powerful elite. Kiyoaki has been raised among the elegant Ayakura family—members of the waning aristocracy—but he is not one of them. Coming...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea (Vintage Classics Japanese Series)
    The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea by Yukio Mishima delves into the intersecting lives of a disenchanted adolescent and a weather-beaten sailor, set against the backdrop of post-war Japan. The novel explores themes of innocence corrupted by disillusionment and the brutal clash between youthful idealism and adult sentimentality. The story follows a group of thirteen-year-old boys who...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Frolic of the Beasts
    New in Penguin Japanese Classics - a gripping novel about a love affair gone wrong. Introducing Penguin Japanese Classics - a collection of some of Japan's most celebrated and ground-breaking 20th-century writers, with covers inspired by Japanese art and design. Taking us from a sun-drenched affair in a seaside town to an underground 'ark' full of shadows and eccentrics, with...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Death in Midsummer
    Death in Midsummer by Yukio Mishima presents nine of Mishima's finest stories, handpicked by the author himself for translation in this compilation. These stories showcase his extraordinary ability to depict a wide variety of human beings in moments of significance. Often, Mishima's characters are sophisticated modern Japanese who discover they are not as liberated from the past as they had...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Decay of the Angel
    The fourth and final book in Mishima's landmark tetralogy, The Sea of Fertility. The dramatic climax of The Sea of Fertility tetralogy. It is the 1960s, and Honda, now an aged and wealthy man, discovers and adopts a sixteen-year-old orphan, Toru. Honda believes that the boy is the reincarnation of the tragic protagonists of the three previous novels, each of...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Runaway Horses
    The second novel in Mishima's masterful Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Runaway Horses is the second book in Mishima's Sea of Fertility tetralogy. It is a story of political violence, traditional samurai values, and nihilism. Isao is a young, engaging patriot and a fanatical believer in the ancient samurai ethos. He turns terrorist, organising a violent plot against the new industrialists,...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Death in Midsummer
    Little Clothbound Classics - irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Filled with rich description and luxurious beauty, these ten tales of loss and longing from one of Japan's greatest writers show the pull between duty and desire, ecstasy and death. Experience stories of a mother lost...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Sound of Waves
    The Sound of Waves is a classic, elegant romance set in a Japanese fishing village. In a remote fishing village in Japan, two very different young people fall in love. Shinji is a hard-working fisherman, while Hatsue is the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man in the village. She is also a diver for pearls and seaweed alongside the other...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea
    VINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS- Bound to be beautiful A beautiful hardback edition of the great Japanese classic. 'Mishima's greatest novel, and one of the greatest of the past century' - The Times A band of savage thirteen-year-old boys reject the adult world as illusory, hypocritical, and sentimental, and train themselves in a brutal callousness they call 'objectivity'. When the mother of...
    By Yukio Mishima
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Backorder
    Ships mid September

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Fourth Wing
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Iron Flame
    The instant number one Sunday Times bestseller and thrilling sequel to the global phenomenon, Fourth Wing! DON'T BE THE LAST TO DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'Yarros is the true inheritor of Harry Potter and inspires Hunger Games levels of devotion' Guardian 'Fear not, levels of fighting, rebelliousness and all-round sexiness are still sky-high' Daily Mail...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses
    The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan – Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism – The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    New Release
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series—now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Silver Flames
    The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    20% off
    New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $4800
    Usually:
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight - Night Court Edition
    Limited Edition
    A Court of Frost and Starlight - Night Court Edition
    The magic and beauty of the Night Court is captured in these LIMITED EDITIONS of the Court of Thorns and Roses series! This Night Court Edition features the Night Court symbol on a striking black and silver foiled cover and includes black sprayed edges. An unmissable companion tale to the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Fourth Wing New ANZ Limited Edition
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Hardback
    $4200
    Elsewhere:
    $5499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight
    In A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas, readers are invited to revisit the enchanting world of Prythian in a heartwarming and introspective narrative. Set against the backdrop of the Winter Solstice, Feyre Archeron and her mate Rhysand return to centre stage as they strive to restore the Night Court after the devastating conflicts of A Court...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all