Product Description

The first book of Mishima's landmark "The Sea of Fertility" sequence, this novel is set in Tokyo in 1912, when the hermetic world of the ancient aristocracy is being breached for the first time by outsiders.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31663 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03-11
• Original language: Japanese
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Customer Reviews

Mishima's most perfect novel
While the last three books of Mishima's Sea of Fertility cycle tend to get bogged down in somewhat convoluted philosophical arguments, which may hold interest for some (Temple of Dawn), or by uninspired writing (Runaway Horses), Spring Snow, the first, displays no such weakness. It is a novel of immensely beautiful imagery and lyricism and overall perfection. What's more, this translation truly does justice to the beauty of the original Japanese.

Unbelievably moving and haunting
Figuratively speaking it is a literary crime that any of Mishima's books are ever allowed to go out of print. He is truly one of the greatest authors of this century and this novel is proof alone of his brilliant philosophical statements and extraordinary insight into human character. As a writer, this is one of the top five books that have influenced me. No one can describe people, their faults and weaknesesses like Mishima.

Astounding, if distrurbing, story of a spiritual journey.
Briefly, the Sea of Fertility tetrology has much in common with Dostoevsky. Mishima's characters act within the tight confines of aristoocratic Japan in the early to mid 20th Century. However, the real story underneath the cultural one involves a brilliant and sustained discussion of the Budhist conceptions of samsara, karma and reincarnation. Mishima's investigation of this subject covers Hindu, ancient Greek, 19th Century German and countless schools of Budhism.