dakrone's review against another edition
4.0
Intense and will definitely stick with me for a while. 4.5 stars.
ngominh's review
3.0
Đọc dưới bản chuyển ngữ của bác Nguyễn Văn Thực, ấn tượng nhất vẫn là phông nền lịch sử nửa đầu thế kỷ 17 trong sự sự xung đột văn hóa Nhật Bản. Bản thân là người vô thần, có lẽ ít chịu tác động nên phần nào đánh giá không quá khách quan. Nhưng dẫu sao những liên tưởng của Endo Shusaku vẫn rất thú vị.
tsenteme's review against another edition
5.0
Πρώτο βιβλίο ιαπωνικής λογοτεχνίας που διαβάζω. Θέμα του η θρησκεία και συγκεκριμένα η διάδοση του χριστιανισμού στην Ιαπωνία τον 17ο αιώνα. Αν και άθρησκος, άθεος, με εντυπωσίασε. Θίγει πολύ ενδιαφέροντα θέματα και θέτει ορισμένα διλήμματα.
Έως που μπορεί να φτάσει ένας άνθρωπος που θεωρεί τις ιδέες του σωστές, όταν προκαλούν το βασανισμό και τον θάνατο, σε μια κοινωνία που δεν μπορεί να τις αποδεχτεί. Συνάδει η ηθική με την θρησκεία; κτλ. Αξίζει να διαβαστεί από όλους, για να βγάλει ο καθένας τα συμπεράσματα, από την προσωπική του οπτική γωνία.
Ανυπομονώ να δω και την ταινία, που σκηνοθέτησε ο Scorcese.
Έως που μπορεί να φτάσει ένας άνθρωπος που θεωρεί τις ιδέες του σωστές, όταν προκαλούν το βασανισμό και τον θάνατο, σε μια κοινωνία που δεν μπορεί να τις αποδεχτεί. Συνάδει η ηθική με την θρησκεία; κτλ. Αξίζει να διαβαστεί από όλους, για να βγάλει ο καθένας τα συμπεράσματα, από την προσωπική του οπτική γωνία.
Ανυπομονώ να δω και την ταινία, που σκηνοθέτησε ο Scorcese.
joshuanovalis's review against another edition
“You are now going to perform the most painful act of love that has ever been performed.”
It’s been 24 hours since I closed Silence, and I’m still undone each time I think of it. One of the most theologically challenging stories I have ever read, with unnerving thoughts on faith, the insufficiencies of Western evangelistic triumphalism, and what it means to suffer for the sake of God. I won’t soon forget it, and I’ll be returning to it often.
It’s been 24 hours since I closed Silence, and I’m still undone each time I think of it. One of the most theologically challenging stories I have ever read, with unnerving thoughts on faith, the insufficiencies of Western evangelistic triumphalism, and what it means to suffer for the sake of God. I won’t soon forget it, and I’ll be returning to it often.
cantordustbunnies's review
4.0
Just like how a character within the story compares Japan to a kind of swamp that absorbs and changes the ideas that come into it, I found that reading this book was a little bit like trudging through a swamp that absorbs, transforms, and ultimately nullifies the reader's sense of morality. Although it is a historical fiction about a particular time and place, I feel as though the broader message is one of how life itself has a way of stamping upon one's most cherished ideals and forces the average person into complacency. An even worse question is...what if one's most cherished ideals aren't even real or worth fighting for? The whole story is steeped in a sense of pessimistic pre-destination and doom. It also came across at times that perhaps the author has some degree of resentment towards his own culture and is overly critical in portraying it in as menacing a light as he does. The author implies there is something uniquely immoral or unsalvageable about the Japanese, which is a somewhat melodramatic and angry critique of any society. That being said, I think there are valuable historical and cultural insights to be had within this book and that it will leave you pondering it and trying to make sense out of how you feel about it long after you have completed it.
brideshead's review against another edition
5.0
I'm going to need a lifetime to emotionally and spiritually process this book.
rugiagele's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
davehershey's review
5.0
“From the deepest core of my being yet another voice made itself heard in a whisper. Supposing God does not exist. . . This was a frightening fancy. If he does not exist, how absurd the whole thing becomes” (72)
Why is God silent?
The world is filled with injustice and brokenness, pain and suffering. The question of evil and suffering has always been the biggest question for any Christian, or for any person of any faith. Those of us who persist in faith, if we are honest, are frequently haunted with this question. I would argue if you are not haunted by it, you have not yet taken it seriously.
This book tells the story of a priest in Japan, wrestling with this question. There is a lot of background here, and my copy had a helpful introduction to set the historical context. Also, there is a 2016 movie based on the book. I remember that movie being released but I never saw it. I may have to now.
Along with the theme of silence, another theme that runs throughout is the dichotomy between strong and weak. Early on one of the characters says men are born into two categories, strong and weak. One character who frequently shows up is weak by his own admission. He is a Japanese Christian who apostatizes, seeks forgiveness and then betrays the priests again.
Rodrigues is the priest at the center of the story. He is searching for his teacher who, rumor has it, denied faith in Christ to avoid martyrdom. Rodrigues desires to be strong yet wrestles with God’s silence. He wonders if he is weak. His faith is shaken when he sees Christians get martyred and it is not as glamorous or honorable as he expected. It is just death:
“A man died. Yet the outside world went on as if nothing happened” (130)
When he finally meets his teacher he learns why the man apostatized:
“The reason I apostatized . . . Are you ready? Listen! I was put in here and heard the voices of those people for whom God did nothing. God did not do a single thing. I prayed with all my strength; but God did nothing” (179)
“Christ would certainly have apostatized to help men” (181)
It is one thing to suffer yourself. It is another to allow others to suffer. Take the question of nonviolence. I believe to follow the teaching of Jesus is to act nonviolently. When I imagine hypothetical situations, I imagine it would be easier to resist using violence to save myself than it would be to save others. Would I use violence to save my child, or any child? That would be a much greater test than if it was merely my own life in danger. This is the genius of the book: Rodrigues is most challenged when it is others, not himself, who suffer.
By the end of the book then, Rodrigues realizes there are neither strong nor weak. The idea that the strong (or those who appear strong) will be challenged while the weak are not is upside down. He realizes the weak are made to suffer. He realizes to apostatize is not the worst thing. He actually sees a vision of Christ, telling him to apostatize:
“And then the Christ in bronze speaks to the priest: ‘Trample! Trample! I more than anyone know of the pain in your foot. Trample! It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men’s pain that I carried my cross” (183)
Why is God silent? The best answer we might give is that God suffers with us; this is the truth of the incarnation:
“ ‘Lord, I resented your silence.’
‘I was not silent. I suffered beside you.’” (203)
Of course, while Rodrigues has this revelation in the book, we still struggle with God’s silence in the real world. Its truly a brilliant, thought provoking book.
Why is God silent?
The world is filled with injustice and brokenness, pain and suffering. The question of evil and suffering has always been the biggest question for any Christian, or for any person of any faith. Those of us who persist in faith, if we are honest, are frequently haunted with this question. I would argue if you are not haunted by it, you have not yet taken it seriously.
This book tells the story of a priest in Japan, wrestling with this question. There is a lot of background here, and my copy had a helpful introduction to set the historical context. Also, there is a 2016 movie based on the book. I remember that movie being released but I never saw it. I may have to now.
Along with the theme of silence, another theme that runs throughout is the dichotomy between strong and weak. Early on one of the characters says men are born into two categories, strong and weak. One character who frequently shows up is weak by his own admission. He is a Japanese Christian who apostatizes, seeks forgiveness and then betrays the priests again.
Rodrigues is the priest at the center of the story. He is searching for his teacher who, rumor has it, denied faith in Christ to avoid martyrdom. Rodrigues desires to be strong yet wrestles with God’s silence. He wonders if he is weak. His faith is shaken when he sees Christians get martyred and it is not as glamorous or honorable as he expected. It is just death:
“A man died. Yet the outside world went on as if nothing happened” (130)
When he finally meets his teacher he learns why the man apostatized:
“The reason I apostatized . . . Are you ready? Listen! I was put in here and heard the voices of those people for whom God did nothing. God did not do a single thing. I prayed with all my strength; but God did nothing” (179)
“Christ would certainly have apostatized to help men” (181)
It is one thing to suffer yourself. It is another to allow others to suffer. Take the question of nonviolence. I believe to follow the teaching of Jesus is to act nonviolently. When I imagine hypothetical situations, I imagine it would be easier to resist using violence to save myself than it would be to save others. Would I use violence to save my child, or any child? That would be a much greater test than if it was merely my own life in danger. This is the genius of the book: Rodrigues is most challenged when it is others, not himself, who suffer.
By the end of the book then, Rodrigues realizes there are neither strong nor weak. The idea that the strong (or those who appear strong) will be challenged while the weak are not is upside down. He realizes the weak are made to suffer. He realizes to apostatize is not the worst thing. He actually sees a vision of Christ, telling him to apostatize:
“And then the Christ in bronze speaks to the priest: ‘Trample! Trample! I more than anyone know of the pain in your foot. Trample! It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men’s pain that I carried my cross” (183)
Why is God silent? The best answer we might give is that God suffers with us; this is the truth of the incarnation:
“ ‘Lord, I resented your silence.’
‘I was not silent. I suffered beside you.’” (203)
Of course, while Rodrigues has this revelation in the book, we still struggle with God’s silence in the real world. Its truly a brilliant, thought provoking book.
jacobsite's review
3.0
3/5 Stars
This is probably the most mixed I've been on a book so far. In terms of positives, this book is incredibly written and William Johnston's translation is top notch. The general writing and structure is easily the best part about this book, despite this not being an easy read. It is tense, it is graphic, and some scenes are not for the faint of heart. The characters are well written too, especially Rodrigues. He's incredibly sympathetic as a character, and his evolving thoughts on God and Gods silence was really interesting to read throughout the story, especially in the second half.
When it comes to any negative feelings I have on the novel, I would say that it's just extremely hard for me to sympathize for the overall goal of spreading Roman Catholicism, knowing the atrocities that were committed by Catholics on similar expeditions. To me the representation of the Catholic faith in Silence, while grounded and realistic, is painted in a light that completely disregards any reason why Catholicism has been unwelcomed in Japan. It's a very two dimensional view and something that I really couldn't embrace while reading this. The first half of the book also started extremely slowly, it wasn't until about page 100 that I got really into the story, and that is a problem when the story is only 190 pages long.
Overall, this is a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed the structure and writing of the book, but the message just isn't something that resonated with me which really took away from my enjoyment of the story. I definitely don't regret reading this though, and I'd say it was an overall positive experience.
This is probably the most mixed I've been on a book so far. In terms of positives, this book is incredibly written and William Johnston's translation is top notch. The general writing and structure is easily the best part about this book, despite this not being an easy read. It is tense, it is graphic, and some scenes are not for the faint of heart. The characters are well written too, especially Rodrigues. He's incredibly sympathetic as a character, and his evolving thoughts on God and Gods silence was really interesting to read throughout the story, especially in the second half.
When it comes to any negative feelings I have on the novel, I would say that it's just extremely hard for me to sympathize for the overall goal of spreading Roman Catholicism, knowing the atrocities that were committed by Catholics on similar expeditions. To me the representation of the Catholic faith in Silence, while grounded and realistic, is painted in a light that completely disregards any reason why Catholicism has been unwelcomed in Japan. It's a very two dimensional view and something that I really couldn't embrace while reading this. The first half of the book also started extremely slowly, it wasn't until about page 100 that I got really into the story, and that is a problem when the story is only 190 pages long.
Overall, this is a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed the structure and writing of the book, but the message just isn't something that resonated with me which really took away from my enjoyment of the story. I definitely don't regret reading this though, and I'd say it was an overall positive experience.
emeraldisle's review against another edition
3.0
I had to read this book for my intro to theology class this semester. It’s a historical fiction novel about a group of Catholic missionaries visiting Japan. Unfortunately, it was a DNF. I think I would have enjoyed it more and been more willing to read and finish the book if I wasn’t required to read it. It seems like an interesting book, like one that I would want to read… later on when I’m not required to read it… just not right now.