Spring Snow

If you're into melancholy and a way of storytelling that's more implied rather than directly stated, this book is for you. It’s deliberately elliptical, which initially does seem a bit daunting and honestly tiring, but once the story actually starts going, 400 pages go by in a jiffy.

Mishima's "Spring Snow", the first book in the Sea of Fertility tetralogy, is an absorbing, luxuriant tale of love, friendship, power, jealousy, and betrayal in the post-Meiji era Japan. While Kiyoaki, the tragic, melancholy hero, heedless in his pursuit of beauty, and obsessed with the power of dreams and fantasies, represents the consuming darkness of passion; his friend, Honda, calm and sensible and rational, wary of the trappings of emotions and sentiments, represents the guiding light of reason. The clash between the two conflicting values is also symbolic of Death and regeneration, of the dying of the old, traditional Japanese values reminiscent of the Meji era, and welcoming the new, Western outlook of the Taishō period.

The book is definitely a slow read But it never loses its pace and the mind shift of Kiyoaki(protagonist) is well written. At one point he loves Satoko the other he despises her. (Mild Spoilers) In the later half Kiyoaki finds himself in a very difficult position to even live his life forward without Satoko. Its weird cause you share a bond with Kiyoaki which you dont realize until you end the book But a slow read

Was glad to recieve it, but it should have been packed better. The paperback and cover quality does not seem to match the price. Overall i'm just glad to recieve it.

It starts slow but is never boring. Every single page advances the story. Till the last word the story doesn’t end. It’s a must read!