Confessions of a Mask (1948)

Egyszeri esemény ez a könyv az önéletrajzi írások között, azt hiszem. Tele van kibékíthetetlennek tűnő minőségekkel, amelyek itt mégis harmonikus egésszé állnak össze. Egyik oldalon a szenvedély, a vér és a férfitest iránti elfojtott vágy, a másik oldalon pedig az önelemzés mélysége és megrázó őszintesége. Egyik oldalon a hideg tárgyilagosság, a másik oldalon a már-már haiku-számba menő, tökéletességig csiszolt képek. Leginkább egy lenyűgöző borostyán ékkőre emlékeztet, aminek a közepében valami rettentő, rút ősrovart rejt a zárvány. ( )

Essa anatomia da homossexualidade é mais reveladora como um comentário sobre o clima literário do Japão moderno do que como uma representação ficcional do desenvolvimento emocional de um homem. Passo a passo, o herói refaz sua evolução como homossexual, sua primeira gratificação sensual no seio de sua mãe, sua preocupação mórbida com a morte sangrenta dos belos jovens heróis da ficção infantil, seu doloroso apego a um viril jovem amigo de escola. Atraído pelo solitário, o único, o herói atinge a maturidade e, apesar da máscara de normalidade que usa e de sua ligação não erótica com uma jovem, ele é, em todos os sentidos, o desviante partidário, totalmente absorvido por sua própria peculiaridade. Existem sombras de Sade aqui, de Oscar Wilde e de Proust. Com o apetite pela perversão refinada, o herói delicado de Yukio Mishima faz um ritual de auto exposição de uma maneira que ao leitor ocidental parece um pouco ingênua e certamente familiar. Este doloroso relato da sexualidade retardada, faz uma impressão sombria e forte ( )

Very interesting perspective of a misunderstood effeminate boy growing up in WWII Japan ( )

I've had this book on my TBR for about a year but after reading The Temple of the Golden Pavilion I had my doubts as to whether or not I would like it. I found that book to be slow and plodding and the writing never grabbed me at any point. At the start of the year I decided that I would tackle some of the books that I have been putting off so this seemed to be a good place to start. The subject matter is probably more suited to me than The Golden Pavilion.

The story follows Kochan through his adolescent years while he is coming to terms with that fact that he is gay. In the younger years of the story he just sees this as getting on with his male friends better than the females he knows. As this progresses he realises that he doesn't have the same interest in girls as his friends and this inevitably leads of quite a lot of soul searching. As a survival mechanism he develops a kind of mask to show the rest of the world that he is 'normal'. This even goes so far as to develop a relationship with the sister of one of his friends. He starts to feel that he could love this girls and is hopeful for the relationship until they kiss.

The writing is similar to The Golden Pavilion but this time I felt far more involved and interested in the book. Mishima portrays the pain and mental anguish really well and I found myself reading the book in big chunks. I did need quiet to read it though as there is a lot involved on each page. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this masterpiece. ( )