Reviews with content warning for Torture - Silêncio

This book book was recommended to me by Suhas from the 20-Something book club at the merc.

The book follows the journey of a Portuguese Jesuit priest that goes to Japan after he hears word that a mentor of his has apostatized.

I am struggling to write much about this book only because I am still trying to digest it. I expected a lot of the elements of torture and psychological distress. I don’t think I would’ve guessed the ending.

**I did write more once I had some time to process.

This book is really brutal. I did read the translator’s note that helped with understand the history at the time. I probably would not have been able to approach this book without the historical context.

Idk how this book made me feel. I feel like the ending was a bit ambiguous. I guess I interpret the ending as proof of the delusions of evangelical sects of Christianity. I found myself feeling both empathy and frustration towards the priest, Rodrigues. I was relieved when he did finally apostatize, but then as he reflects on the decision and credits the action as the direction spoken to him by Jesus… idk!! It just reads as delusion but maybe that is the point?

The book would often times feel bogged down. Kichijiro seemed to always pop up to add a sense of absurdity to the story. Kichijiro was fascinating. I think by the end Kichijiro was a mirror to Rodrigues. They both renounced their faith, though an argument could be made that Rodrigues was more compelled.

The descriptions of the torture techniques were harrowing. The descriptions of the sounds of Christians hanging in the pits (even after apostatizing) were so unsettling. I think at this point I started to really question, who is wrong here? I really think the author did an excellent job of forcing the reader to examine their own beliefs about what is evil.

Inoue made very clear the idea that Christianity to Japan is a foreign plant that cannot take root, its root always rotting where it is planted. He made a similar point when he started that an infertile woman cannot be a wife. I thought this was interesting (especially as someone that grew up in the Christian faith). Something I always struggled with was why god would let people of non-Christian nations be tortured in hell even if they lived peacefully on earth. When I started to learn about spiritual beliefs outside of Christianity (and the western world), it was a turning point in my own spirituality. It was a step towards unlearning. So though I agreed with Inoue with his interpretations, I didn’t agree with his means of eradication. I think because of this, Inoue was the most complex character of the novel to me.

I have seen Christians and non-Christians alike praise this book albeit for different reasons. I think maybe that is the most captivating fact about this book. Your life experiences and your own beliefs will frame how you relate to this book. Because of this, very different people can come away with their own interpretations and will have their beliefs challenged differently. Despite these different interpretations, I think most people can find a new idea to explore and can find the book compelling.

As far as how it reads, at times the introspection elements reminded me of Frankenstein. Kichijiro’s caricature-like presence and irritatingly frequent pop-ups leant a sense of absurdity reminiscent of the characters in Catch-22. The tone of the book was mostly dark and sometimes the book could drag on. It did have challenging moments, but over all was easier to read than I first anticipated.

I will absolutely recommend this book to others, but I will preface that it’s something you need to be in the right headspace for.

I want to watch the film. I saw the trailer and it appears to stick closely to the book.

Content Warnings

wordyanchorite's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

philosopher_kj's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

willowbiblio's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt- this is the realization that came home to me acutely at that time."
-------------------
This was definitely a troubling read. Throughout, the main character struggled with the apparent silence of God, and that rocked his faith. Endo did leave signs- birds chirping or the recurrent character asking for forgiveness, failing, and trying again anyways.

Our main character had a rude awakening. The glory he had envisioned for himself never existed. The definition of martyrdom also shifted for him as he was forced to witness the brutal murders of Japanese Catholics. This, more than his own potential suffering, was what led him to apostatize. The suffering of others was so opposite to Jesus' suffering, which he undertook on behalf of all humanity. This suffering was undertaken by so many on behalf of one person.

Despite all of this, our main character held onto his faith and we are led to understand that what he renounced was glory and notoriety. I think it was just not my favorite ever, but not at all a bad book.

Content Warnings