The frolic of the beasts

Book Cover
Average Rating
Publisher
Vintage International, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
Publication Date
2018.
Language
English

Description

Set in rural Japan shortly after World War II, this gripping novel tells the story of a strange and utterly absorbing love triangle that leads to psychological self-entrapment, seduction, and murder. • “A compelling tale of love and violence.” —The Washington Post“Mishima is a giant.... One of the most acclaimed writers of the 20th century.” —The New York Times Book ReviewTranslated into English for the first time, this novel is about an affair gone wrong between a former university student, Koji; his would-be mentor, the eminent literary critic Ippei Kusakado; and Ippei's beautiful, enigmatic wife, Yuko. When brought face-to-face with one of Ippei's many marital indiscretions, Koji finds his growing desire for Yuko compels him to action in a way that changes all three of their lives profoundly. Originally published in 1961 and now available in English for the first time, The Frolic of the Beasts is a haunting examination of the various guises we assume throughout our lives.

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ISBN
9780525434153

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Carolina de Robertis employs magical realism in her fiction, while Yukio Mishima's work is realistic, but both portray challenges of LGBTQIA characters in traditional cultures. Their psychological fiction emphasizes coming-of-age themes and aspects of social and political conflict. -- Katherine Johnson
Drawing out psychological conflicts that arise from social and political issues, questions of personal identity, and coming-of-age challenges. Yukio Mishima, a Japanese author from an earlier generation, and Achy Obejas, a contemporary Cuban-American, write richly detailed, evocative, character-driven fiction. These are own voices LGBTQIA authors representing diverse cultures. -- Katherine Johnson
Readers looking for acclaimed Japanese authors may appreciate Yukio Mishima and Haruki Murakami for their evocative, richly descriptive writing, compelling storylines, and implicit commentary on their culture. Mishima explores LGBTQIA concerns through realism, while Murakami portrays heterosexual relationships in magical realist narrative frames; both often include coming-of-age themes. -- Katherine Johnson
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Published Reviews

Publisher's Weekly Review

Originally published in 1961, this luridly propulsive novel from Mishima (Confessions of a Mask) centers on a depraved love triangle between "a miserable, despairing woman"; "a self-indulgent, heartless husband"; and "a hot-blooded sympathetic young man." University student Koji takes a job at a shop selling Western ceramics and learns that his new boss, Ippei-a "worthless, boring, well-to-do playboy"-has been cheating on his wife, Yuko. As Koji begins to fall for Yuko, she reveals to him that she has been tracking Ippei's infidelity. One night, the two barge in on Ippei during a tryst and, in a fit of rage, Koji crushes Ippei's head with a wrench. The shocking act lands him in prison for nearly two years and leaves Ippei paralyzed on his right side. After Koji is released, Yuko becomes his guarantor and Koji begins to work in the greenhouse she has established in the coastal town of Iro. What follows is an ominous reunion that slowly builds to more violence, with Mishima's baroque, beautiful prose hinting at depravity on every page: "the light streaming down through that window was divine favor, truly pure; dismembered, like the white body of a slain infant." This disturbing book is a masterful look into the "very instant when the truth of perverse human nature begins to shine." (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Library Journal Reviews

Originally published in 1961 and translated into English for the first time, this brief but potent novel by Japanese master Mishima features a love story among former university student Koji, literary critic Ippei Kusakado, and Ippei's mysterious wife. The publisher has had great success with its Mishima backlist.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

Originally published in 1961, this luridly propulsive novel from Mishima (Confessions of a Mask) centers on a depraved love triangle between "a miserable, despairing woman"; "a self-indulgent, heartless husband"; and "a hot-blooded sympathetic young man." University student Koji takes a job at a shop selling Western ceramics and learns that his new boss, Ippei—a "worthless, boring, well-to-do playboy"—has been cheating on his wife, Yuko. As Koji begins to fall for Yuko, she reveals to him that she has been tracking Ippei's infidelity. One night, the two barge in on Ippei during a tryst and, in a fit of rage, Koji crushes Ippei's head with a wrench. The shocking act lands him in prison for nearly two years and leaves Ippei paralyzed on his right side. After Koji is released, Yuko becomes his guarantor and Koji begins to work in the greenhouse she has established in the coastal town of Iro. What follows is an ominous reunion that slowly builds to more violence, with Mishima's baroque, beautiful prose hinting at depravity on every page: "the light streaming down through that window was divine favor, truly pure; dismembered, like the white body of a slain infant." This disturbing book is a masterful look into the "very instant when the truth of perverse human nature begins to shine." (Nov.)

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Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly.
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