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Spring Snow
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Check link for latest rating. ( 22,573 ratings, 2,114 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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The closed world of the ancient aristocracy is being breached for the first time by outsiders - rich provincial families, a new and powerful political and social elite.
Kiyoaki has been raised among the elegant Ayakura family - members of the waning aristocracy - but he is not one of them.
The first novel in Mishima's masterful Sea of Fertility tetraology
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
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 of age, he is caught up in the tensions between old and new, and his feelings for the exquisite, spirited Satoko. His devoted friend Honda watches from the sidelines. It is only when Satoko is engaged to a royal prince that Kiyoaki realises the magnitude of his passion.
'An austere love story, probably my favourite of his novels' - David Mitchell, Independent on Sunday
'Mishima's best work, unnerving as it may be, still casts a spell; and I suspect it will retain its dark radiance' - Guardian
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?
Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima is highly regarded for its exploration of romantic obsession and sexual intrigue within the backdrop of historical melodrama. The novel is part of a tetralogy that delves into themes of death, sexuality, and the samurai ethic, set against the transformation of Japan from the early 20th century to the 1960s. The work is praised for its compelling narrative and considered a classic in Japanese literature.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780099282990
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 11 March 1999
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Vintage Classics
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 199.0mm
Weight: 283g
Pages: 400
About the Author
Yukio Mishima was born into a samurai family and imbued with the code of complete control over mind and body, and loyalty to the Emperor - the same code that produced the austerity and self-sacrifice of Zen. He wrote countless stories and thirty-three plays, in some of which he performed. Several films have been made from his novels, including The Sound of Waves, Enjo which was based on The Temple of the Golden Pavilion and The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea. Among his other works are the novels Confessions of a Mask and Thirst for Love and the short story collections Death in Midsummer and Acts of Worship. The Sea of Fertility tetralogy, however, is his masterpiece. After Mishima conceived the idea of The Sea of Fertility in 1964, he frequently said he would die when it was completed. On 25 November 1970, the day he completed The Decay of the Angel, the last novel of the cycle, Mishima committed seppuku (ritual suicide) at the age of forty-five.
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