Listened to it via Audible. Intro by Murakami (it's his favorite Japanese novel he says). Good, but rather plodding coming of age story of Sanshiro, the boy from the hicks (Kyushu) getting acclimated, making friends and falling in love at Tokyo U. in early 1900s. Rather loved the cautious nature of the protagonist: when he stumbles into an accidental bed (literally) with an appealing older woman on the way to tokyo for his 1st trip away from home, he freezes up and can't say (or do) a thing. The next morning she tells him: "you're a bit of a coward, aren't you?". And so it goes.... later, after falling in love, he can't really do anything about that either, giving her up to another. Would he have had a chance? maybe not, but the whole point is: who knows- he doesn't even try. His operator friend Yojiro is an interesting case- practical and generally shallow... He is... what? in the new Japan. Lots of intimation of the new japan, but i suppose i can't really pick up on that too much. Subtle, finely told and felt - still, a bit slow- i think compared to Same old story / common story by Goncharov that i read recently - at least that character does develop, though in the early parts there is much common ground. ( )

Beautiful prose, even in translation. Reminded me of Murakami with its atmosphere. I suppose it's more appropriate to say Murakami sometimes feels like Soseki, no doubt an influence. ( )

Beautiful prose, even in translation. Reminded me of Murakami with its atmosphere. I suppose it's more appropriate to say Murakami sometimes feels like Soseki, no doubt an influence. ( )

26

Commonly referred to as a coming-of-age novel, this is a story about Sanshiro Ogawa, who at 22 is a young man caught between two very different worlds. Fresh from the country and a very traditional culture he enters Tokyo University at a time of change in Japan, with Western influences and cultural modernisation.

His conventional upbringing and inexperience result in his self-confidence being very fragile, he is referred to as a coward and a stray lamb, which he is initially as it is all very new and intimidating. He observes the new world around him and begins to adapt to it. It is a fairly typical transition, from being known at home, to being one of many in a new place.

Although this is set in Japan, I felt many of the feelings experienced by Sanshiro are experienced by many students as they leave school and enter University.

There is a calmness and distance to the writing, which I find appealing and different. The writer does not judge Sanshiro, merely states what he experiences. In a similar way Sanshiro observes what is happening but doesn’t react, just absorbs it.

The story is very mundane, nothing much happens. Sanshiro is let down by a new friend, he falls in love, but he does nothing, merely feeling uncomfortable and doesn’t know how he is expected to react. ( )