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Thirst for Love

By Yukio Mishima
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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
Thirst for Love by Yukio Mishima explores the complexities of loneliness and obsession in the post-war Japanese setting. The novel centres around Etsuko, a widowed woman who finds herself entangled in a toxic and unfulfilled relationship with her father-in-law. Her unreciprocated desires lead her into an emotionally tumultuous affair, revealing the nuances of love, desire, and desperation.
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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?

If you appreciate exploring intense psychological landscapes and intricate emotional conflicts, this beautifully crafted story by Yukio Mishima may resonate with you. It delves deeply into themes of passion, obsession, and despair, offering a compelling narrative set against a backdrop of restrained elegance.

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After the early death of her philandering husband, Etsuko moves into her father-in-law's house, where she numbly submits to the old man's advances. But soon she finds herself in love with the young servant Saburo. Tormented by his indifference, yet invigorated by her desire, she makes her move, with catastrophic consequences.

One of the outstanding writers of the world' New York Times

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 story of a frustrated, confined woman who becomes lost in a psychological maze of her own creation—a labyrinth of jealousy, loneliness, and longing.

Etsuko is a trapped woman who lays traps for others...

After the early death of her philandering husband, Etsuko moves into her father-in-law's house, where she numbly submits to the old man's advances. Meanwhile, she develops feelings for the handsome eighteen-year-old servant Saburo. Tormented by his indifference, yet invigorated by her desire, she makes one last, catastrophic bid for his attention.

Thirst for Love is described as "a sensuous, absorbing study of overriding obsession" by Kirkus and hailed as by the New York Times as the work of "one of the outstanding writers of the world."

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?

Thirst for Love is hailed as a testament to Yukio Mishima's status as a celebrated author, showcasing his compelling and unsettling writing style. Reviewers note that the novel encapsulates Mishima's masterful storytelling, solidifying his reputation as one of Japan's leading literary figures.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099530275

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 December 2009

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 199.0mm

Weight: 153g

Pages: 208

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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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