Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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100 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Shades of Friendship, Shadows of Sacrifice, April 17, 2001
Classic Western novels usually concentrate on plot and some action which delineates it, though there are many exceptions to the rule. Japanese novels, however, often focus on human feelings first of all, with plot taking a distant second place. Natsume Soseki's novels fit very well into this framework and KOKORO is a strong example. ['Kokoro' means "heart" or "feelings".] The book is divided into three parts. The first explores the relationship between the narrator and Sensei, a lonely intellectual who maintains few contacts with the world, but explains life to the innocent narrator, a student, who bears a passing relationship to Carlos Castaneda in "The Teachings of Don Juan" because he steadfastly fails "to get it". The second part portrays the relationship of the narrator to his parents, while the third and longest part is a testament by Sensei explaining to the young narrator why he became the type of man he is, i.e. he tells his life story. Though the relationships between narrator, Sensei, a young girl, and a fellow-student named only K are explored in depth, there is little of what might be termed plot. Despite there being a love triangle and two suicides, the author prefers to concentrate on the characters' thoughts instead of details of action. Soseki's skill is such that he fascinates the reader with the exploration of personality. There is no florid pyschoanalysis, no sex, no wall-banging despair and certain aspects are never explained---for example, why the narrator liked Sensei to begin with. Yet, by the end of the novel, the reader has a strong picture of the narrator, Sensei, and the unfortunate K. You understand their motivations and feel, as in so much great literature of all countries, the helplessness of Man, the vanity of Life.We may say that in KOKORO, Soseki wrote about the different shades of friendship that exist between people and asks if it is really possible to have a true friend. The corollary is then, are we not all alone ? Are not friendship and love cosmetics to cover basic loneliness ? People speak of sacrifice, but more often than not, they sacrifice not themselves, but others, at the shrine of their own desolation. These are universal themes and so KOKORO is an interesting novel which I recently re-read. If you are looking for a good introduction into modern Japanese literature, this is definitely an excellent choice---mature, thought-provoking, and well-written.
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39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love and Loyalty and Loss, August 28, 2003
All of these are themes found in Japanese art, and all have a home in "Kokoro." Kokoro translates to heart or soul or spirit, and this book does justice to its title. Inside this slim volume is a testament of spirit, of youth and age, of man and woman, of ancient and modern juxtapositions of kokoro. What is love? What is friendship? What is responsibility?The writing style is slow and delicate, with a precise economy of ideas and words. The translation is excellent, lending credible authenticity to the language. The Ideas, of course, need little interpretation as they are human in nature, and can be understood by all. Small cultural notes, such as the important suicide of General Nogi, are wisely footnoted and explained to deepen understanding of the narrative. The simple story of Sensei, his wife, the young man and his family lay a basic framework upon which to weave the emotions that are the true focus. Overall, while a book with an extremely Japanese flavor, it does transcend the barriers and gets at the inner life, the kokoro.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning, June 15, 2006
In Kokoro, Soseki simultaneously amazes the reader with his simplicity of style, though never lacking in gorgeous and visually stunning language. Beautifully written, Kokoro evokes the most fundamental of human desires--the need for companionship and the results of having it snatched from you.
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