Description:
"To this haunting novel of wasted love, Kawabata brings the brushstroke suggestiveness and astonishing grasp of motive that earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature. As he chronicles the affair between a wealthy dilettante and the mountain geisha who gives herself to him without illusions or regrets, one of Japan's greatest writers creates a work that is dense in implication and exalting in its sadness."


This is a pretty old (1971 edition), well read, and battered paperback, ex-library copy which has already travelled across the world via BookMooch. It requires some serious TLC.

I'm afraid I just did not "get" this book as much as others obviously did. Yasunari Kawabata was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, and this is purported to be his "masterpiece". I was disappointed. Perhaps it's because I don't have a very deep understanding of Japanese culture and language.

Snow Country has been described as haiku in prose. I understand that, and I appreciate haiku. It's also been described as "lyrically beautiful", "gorgeous and poetic". I did enjoy the changing of the seasons on the mountainside (although the descriptions themselves were pretty sparse and somewhat repetitive) and appreciate the juxtaposition of this and the changing relationship. Yes it is sad, and the feelings of isolation, melancholy and detachment come across well, but I found the characters to be too bland, the dialogue stilted and unrealistic, Komako's behaviour often overblown, and the relationship itself distant and hardly developed. I know, I'm meant to "fill in the brush strokes" and all that, but you've got to have something to go on! I didn't care less what happened to any of them.

I also thought the translation was not a particularly good one and perhaps that's the main problem. It's probably a lyrical masterpiece in Japanese. I found the English clunky and annoying. Bad syntax and often a poor choice of words which were far from lyrical.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posting off today from Balingup to Veganmedusa in New Zealand, as she is the June recipient for the Southern Cross Exchange on BookObsessed.

Sorry it's such an old and crappy copy Vegan. It's part I of II though, so I hope that makes up for it. Keep your eye on your post box, as part II is coming separately!

Ooh, how exciting. Thanks!

Reading this, I knew that there were things that I was missing because of cultural differences. Komako seemed a bit odd and Shimamura too reserved to know him and I didn't quite understand the relationship between Yoko and Komako. But it's beautifully written, in a sparse kind of way.

This is on its way to Nepal for the Holiday Gift Giving thread. Wish I could go along with it.

This arrived today, safe and sound from far-off New Zealand (one of the places I'd like to visit in my life someday!) Thank you for sending it--a wishlist book! It looks interesting--I'll let you know what I think after I've read it. --It really made my day to find a package in my post box :) means so much to me, thank you for your generosity in sending it so far!

When first got this, I started reading it, but didn't get very far. Yesterday I picked it up again, and finished it today.
I find it hard to describe this book. The writing is beautiful, deep, with strong imagery and nuance. A lot of the characters' history was, however, quite veiled or mysterious. Unless this was because of a cultural divide and therefore attitudes I'm not aware of, I think it was intentional. Unlike books where everything is spelled out in black and white, I felt it was like a mystery or sort of up to me what I want to read into it. Overall, it was like a small, beautiful glimpse of a world viewed through a prism or kaleidoscope; you only see a little and don't understand it all, but what you see is beautiful and stays with you.
Note: I would recommend reading the introduction AFTER you read the book. As with many classics, these translator's intro seem to give far too much away for my liking.

I posted this out today to Lamilla in Belarus, along with a manga requested in the Reverse Tag Game. I'm glad this well-loved little book is going to someone that want to read it.

Arrived today with my choice for the reverse tag game. Thank you! Who thought that the mail from Nepal and Europe travels the same time!

Small old edition, former library book. The cover is different from the picture above.
ETA: The right cover is in the first comment ))

Taking this with me to read while travelling

You've found a travelling book. Hurray!
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!

Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.