“Whether left or right, I am for violence.” – Mishima
Anyone who knows mishima will most likely not be so familiar with this one: “The Sound Of Waves”, I’m sure a million reviews for such books as “confessions of a mask” or “the sailor who fell from grace with the sea”, exist and are out there, so i wanted to hone in on a book that has actually turned out to be one of my absolute favourites.
The most immediate anxiety i had when rolling through this book, were, having previously read “the sailor…” I was expecting at any turn some extreme violence or horrific sexual encounter. Is this a grounded anxiety? Surely. Was it fulfilled? This review will go relatively into the books material compared with other reviews I’ve done, so there’s fair warning now.
Before I go on, If you like japanese old-world culture enough, i say with clarity here, that i fully reccomend this relatively short, sharp read. Now, though, I explain myself…
…the setting for this novel is on an idyllic, peaceful fishing village on a japanese island. The date is the fifties, when it was written. Our protagonist is a young boy called Shinji, and the focus is on his relationship with the lighthouse keeper’s daughter, Hatsue. Much is made of each one of the main characters, with regards to a healthy dose of backstory and senses of character among many prominent villagers.
And here’s going back to how I started this review: my panic, after the scene had just been set, til near the end of the novel, (oh the tension…) Anyone at all who has encountered Mishima should have well grounded fear and anxiety with regards to his character base. From the man who said that life would be most “perfect” if it were “a line of poetry, written with a splash of blood” (see below), we have what appears to me as an absolutely spine-tinglingly delicate piece of work, highly fragile, yet aware of this fragility. Each scene is so very, as i say, aware of how very delicate it is, how precious the moments it portrays.
I do not know another writer who could ever pull off a “sound of waves”, because you need to realise, Mishima does not give a damn about making something palatable or floral, and in no ways whatsoever are rose tinted glasses, tuned toward oldschool japan, even, a feature in this man’s work. If Mishima wants to “ruin your life” with one of his novels he wil do so without second regard. Of course, one would have to be extremely unfamiliar with his style and etiquette …not to say he hasnt ruined some peoples appetites, but perhaps not their entire life, let’s say, ok?
This is literally like a razors edge book. Its movements, like that of a spider, weaving a delicate web of silk between the characters and all forces at work, spinning the story together. Intricate, articulate, accurate, and at moments i was found holding my breath, as well.
“This is idealism!” one section of my thoughts repeated. And you know what? That could BE the case, but Mishima his head bolted on correctly until the end, and so did he have heart. Things didnt have to turn out this way for ANY of the characters. But sometimes its alright for things to go well, to go ideally! Really, too much can be made of situations any less than delightful and blow it out of all proportion. Thats what makes this work so bitter and yet so delicately-sweet.
I wont go into too much detail regarding the storyline nor the characters. I could also labour over specific scenes, but I shall decide not to do that either. I am not going to give away major plotlines, because that’s what the book is for itself, truly.
However, I will break my silence with regards to, a specific emotional trigger i recieved upon my first read: that of tears. Happy or sad tears? Well it was the ending of the novel that provoked them, and I promise that that has NEVER happened before with ANY piece of literature. So happy or sad?? It is not be being obtuse or awkward, but, both! Neither! I’m not even sure; I do however feel fit to describe it as, somewhat perfectly cathartic!
All for now,
Rick (Humble Rockdove)
The Humble Rock Dove 