Kokoro (1914)

Delicate in addressing issues such as the indignity of death, sin and redemption, existentialism, self-recrimination and misanthropy, it is a narrative of tragedy that unfolds against the backdrop of the Meiji era. An obsolete way of life rigidly handcuffed by years of self-imposed isolation, a hesitant Japan embraces the welcoming embrace of the modern while waging an inner war with itself.

A mysterious middle-aged man, Sensei, meets the protagonist casually and maintains a protected mentoring bond. Sensei confesses the mistakes of the past in a letter to the young man, his protégé learns to look beyond the horror of delaying bodily death and accepting the natural order of things. A spiritual investigation into the corruption of the human soul. ( )

This book left a somewhat bad aftertaste. Different time, culture, and belief system, yes. However, all characters either keep to themselves (our storyteller, K, and Sensei), or kept in the dark in a sad excuse of preservation of their happiness (Ojōsan and Okusan, two women). Deeply affected by their own choices- to keep all the feelings to themselves, - K and Sensei lead themselves down the "inevitable" path of ending their lives. Frustrated and struggling for years, unable to share their feelings even with those who they consider their friends, or, in case of Sensei, his wife, they suffer. I was disturbed by the sheer amount of assumptions and inner thoughts they deliberately trap themselves in. But again, I cannot judge a different culture, but it was hard for me to understand it. ( )

Late Henry James is Soseki's "Kokoro" in a different time and place, and in vastly less pleasant (but also more interesting!) prose. Therefore, I loved this novel. But many people will not. ( )

Rich, bored, and morose
odd choice for a new mentor
dude's kind of a dick. ( )

“I believe that words uttered in passion contain a greater living truth than do those words which express thoughts rationally conceived. It is blood that moves the body. Words are not meant to stir the air only: they are capable of moving greater things.”
¡Gracias era Meiji por habernos dado escritores como Soseki!
Anteriormente había leído su [b:Kusamakura. Almohada de hierbas|13590354|Kusamakura. Almohada de hierbas|Sōseki Natsume|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1333996083s/13590354.jpg|2379310]. Me había caído bien, pero no lo encontré particularmente memorable. No obstante, el estilo me gustó, y decidí darle otra oportunidad con Kokoro.
El libro está dividido en dos partes, cada una con predominio de alguno de los dos protagonistas principales. La primera trata sobre las peripecias y vicisitudes del narrador, un muchacho a punto de finalizar sus estudios universitarios. Pero más interesante aún es el bosquejo de la figura de Sensei, una especie de ídolo a ojos de nuestro joven relator. Un mentor, role model si se quiere, bastante taciturno y nihilista.
En la segunda parte, la figura de Sensei toma más preponderancia, y es donde el libro explota. No voy a dar detalles al respecto, solo diré que en cierta escena sentí en carne propia las sensaciones que describe el autor. Piel de gallina automática.
Soseki es un titán, realmente no tengo palabras. Super merecida la inclusión de su efigie en el billete de ¥1000.

Una mención especial al traductor de esta edición, [a:Edwin McClellan|185004|Edwin McClellan|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Muy buen trabajo, con un resultado muy natural y fluido, nada fácil de lograr en obras de este calibre. ( )