The Frolics of the Breasts by Yukio Mishima
Japanese fiction
Original title – Kemono no Tawamure
Translator Andrew Clare
Source – Personal copy
I’ve struggled with the books by Yukio Mishima over the time I have blogged. In that time I have read two books by him, the first is The Sailor Fell into the Sea, I really didn’t get on with the other, The Sound of the Waves I enjoyed slightly more, I have several books by him and could read another, but this is a shorter book by him, and also I do like the new penguin cover of the book it is pretty eye-catching. But I struggled with the structure of this book, which seemed very disjointed. I want to love it, and I like the cover of this book. But found it just a book I never felt fully connected to I see it was initially a part work when it came out I can see this as each chapter tens to be a little world in itself but also jumps from time to time. both of which in other books I have read I haven;t mind but just for me as a reader didn;t work in this book.
That summer’s day, which had begun with the assignation at the hospital – Yüko carrying her sky-blue parasol – and which had culminated in the incident at nine o’clock in the evening, took place some six months after Koji had first met Yüko. That is to say, it occurred after he had taken a shop delivery around to Ippei’s residence in Shibashirogane, where he first made her acquaintance.
The more frequent their meetings, the more Koji felt driven to despair, right from the start of the days they were scheduled to meet. It was as if a cold torrent was beginning to flow clamor-ously in his innermost heart, and he hated himself more than he had done on any other morning. The request for a date would always come from him, and he would importune her before approval was eventually obtained. Moreover, Yuko would take him along only on shopping excursions, trips out for lunch, or else to a dance if he was lucky, and then she would promptly leave whenever it suited her.
Yuko time with Koji
The book takes. Noh play as the books origin. The book follows a trio of characters Yauko a woman that has captured the heart of two men and this is ahwat the book rdeals with is the outfalling of this the two men Koji he had attacked Yuko older husband Ippei and this lead to him going to prison, So when Koji goes to live with the couple after his release too me just didn’t make sense and how Ippei a violent man that mistreats his wife is as a character. I get the fact the characters in a way have to be this as part of the Noh tradition the extreme nature of the characters. But for me it is a book with lots of violence that jumps around a bit and I just wasn’t grabbed by this book at all
Yüko was wearing a Java calico blouse and yellow slacks and, because of the rocky mountain paths ahead, had on a pair of flat-heeled Moroccan leather walking shoes. Ippei was in a state of disarray. He was attired in a white open-collared shirt and knickerbockers, checkered socks and slip-ons and a large straw hat. At his side he carried a stout stick. Naturally Köji, who wore jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, carried the camera and the basket containing their lunch boxes and tea flasks. At normal walking speed, it ought to have taken them about thirty minutes to the waterfall, but going at Ippei’s pace, Koji estimated it would take at least an hour. In the end, it took some two hours.
Some of the decriptions I d like but that was about it
I think it rare I really don’t get on with a book some of this may be my view of the writer himself he was a character that had a very colourful life but was also very right wing and a number of his views are very against my own personal ideas. He wrote on his admiration of Hitler so I do wonder how many of his other books I may be bothered to read. I feel I had to read him as given the current state of the world with Nationaalist politics and right wing values and views seemingly taking over the world. Makes me a Leftist with my views of how we should all help one another and try make our world a little better. I will always struggle like other writers Celine etc , I will try from time to time but II do wonder without some telling me what is so great about his toerh books this will be my last Mishima for a good while. Have you a writer you struggle with due to them as a person and there views in there life ?
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