Rewarding Yet Demanding

”My nature, which already tended to be dreamy, became all the more so, and thanks to the war, ordinary life receded even farther from me. For us boys, war was a dreamlike sort of experience lacking any real substance, something like an isolation ward in which one is cut off from the meaning of life.”

”The Temple of the Golden Pavillion” is many things, but above all I was surprised how deeply and, as becomes Mishima, succinctly it described the war, not through presence but absence: for our narrator, Mizoguchi, the war is about staying behind, being pushed into a kind of surreal state of alternate existence.

Naturally, this sense of otherness and not belonging pervades the whole narrative on all levels, and it most certainly is Mishima's forte, something Murakami has, as well. The anxiety of existential meaninglessness, the strong feeling of guilt, freedom through an act of violence, either literal or metaphorical, and life, ultimately, a never-ending, alternating movement of these dark themes.

I have now embarked on a journey through the French invasion of Russia with Leo, so it might take a while, but I'm somewhat glad to keep "Spring Snow" in the queue for the time being. Not that "The Golden Pavillion" isn't good, it's like Mishima, in general: rewarding yet demanding, making one poor before making one abundantly rich. I did like the previous two works a bit more, though, perhaps thanks to their modest length. Here Mishima can be a tad too daunting when he’s in the mood, or when I’m in the mood, or… not in the mood?

Brian Nishii is perfect again. I think it’s a great service for us listening to Mishima and Kawabata that he’s the one doing the narration.

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7 people found this helpful

A great work of literature, mediocre performance

I felt that the narrator was inattentive to the material; there were multiple moments where this was distracting and pulled me out of the story. I hope there will be a new recording made.

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Must Read!!!

highly recommend this book. complex, riveting and full of literary vitamins. feel like you grow an inch taller after reading it

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2 people found this helpful

Beauty, alienation and destruction

When the obsession with beauty consumes someone….
A classic novel by one of Japan’s most famous authors

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Powerful, subtle and beautiful Japanese prose

Kinkaku-ji, or The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a magnificent example of XXth century Japanese literature, a must for anyone interested in the mysterious country that is Japan, in its history and culture.
I do not want to disclose any spoilers, so I’ll just say that The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is primarily a study of the meaning and power of Beauty. Mishima’s masterpiece is a marvelous example of a first-person confessional narrative. I highly recommend that you listen to this book before taking a trip to Japan, and especially to Kyoto.
The audiobook is very well performed, too.

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