Review- The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima

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 BOOK SUMMARY:

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea tells the tale of a band of savage thirteen-year-old boys who reject the adult world as illusory, hypocritical and sentimental, and train themselves in a brutal callousness they call "objectivity." When the mother of one of them begins an affair with a ship's officer, he and his friends idealize the man at first; but it is not long before they conclude that he is in fact soft and romantic. They regard their disappointment in him as an act of betrayal on his part, and react violently.

Release date: May 31st 1994

Published by: Vintage 

Page numbers: 181

REVIEW: 

I have previously read and thoroughly appreciated Yukio Mishima's absolutely meticulous and profound play, Madame de Sade. Ever since then, I'd been looking forward to reading more of the author's works. So when a student of mine and I were discussing Mishima, we decided to exchange our books and that's how I happened to borrow a damaged but oh so precious copy of The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea.

A very thought-provoking read (which is no surprise whatsoever, coming from Mishima), The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea is the story of Noboru, a thirteen year old who is different, yes, but also in an odd way, very relatable and true. When his mother Fusako decides to marry Ryuji; Noboru, number three in a group of invincible, explicative and dangerous young men, takes the information to the Chief of his group, who then decides Ryuji's destiny. Together, these young men make a plan so detailed and alarming that it's hard to believe yet easy to appreciate.

The various themes explored in this book come together to form a web of complexity. For a story that focuses on the life of a thirteen year old, it's a very mature, dark and deep read, but at the same time, there's something so true and raw about it that's it's difficult to not accept even the most unimaginable circumstances in it. As always, Mishima's incredible writing and mind-blowing story-telling make it an even better read.

I would definitely recommend The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea because it's full of simple complexities or complex simplicities, depending on perspective.

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