dragonsickle's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.5
Endo with this book produces a most dark and quite unexpected tale which puts its lens firsthand upon deep philosophical question of human nature in general and of human depravity and evil in particular.
Endo is a good writer, and not once is it possible for one to forget his stories. The characters are developed well, scenes are painted vividly with masterful Strokes and emotional moments are conveyed in the best way. At times, the book leaves one feeling shocked, sad, disgusted and reflective, and this is by conscious choice of the writer.
I would reccomend this book to people who have read Shusaku Endo's other works. I would not recommend it to those easily disturbed by challenging emotional themes, especially those which deal with depravity and evil. The book will make you feel horrible, and can send you spiralling with emotions and questions, yet in such a way in which you are engaged in the story.
Yet again, by the delivery of his prose Shusaku Endo shows why he is one of the best authors of all time.
Endo is a good writer, and not once is it possible for one to forget his stories. The characters are developed well, scenes are painted vividly with masterful Strokes and emotional moments are conveyed in the best way. At times, the book leaves one feeling shocked, sad, disgusted and reflective, and this is by conscious choice of the writer.
I would reccomend this book to people who have read Shusaku Endo's other works. I would not recommend it to those easily disturbed by challenging emotional themes, especially those which deal with depravity and evil. The book will make you feel horrible, and can send you spiralling with emotions and questions, yet in such a way in which you are engaged in the story.
Yet again, by the delivery of his prose Shusaku Endo shows why he is one of the best authors of all time.
mateusjobim's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
matalh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
rifow1's review against another edition
5.0
I have never been more disgusted at a book in my entire life. This book explores the revolusion at the heart of humans to the degree that I have never before been able to understand. Endo is incredible at seducing you into exploring what Suguro is exploring, which means that the depth of darkness found is not just found in Suguro but also found within oneself.
mayanabrumatte's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
irrene97's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hollysvaughan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ben_smitty's review against another edition
4.0
Scandal is one of Endo's later works, which I believe was written as a reply to Freudian psychoanalysis as the ultimate answer to humanity's sexual urges. Endo seems to be playing with the idea of the "unconscious" as a space which makes sin and salvation possible; however, Endo also seems to be questioning the validity of the unconscious' origin as simply an Oedipal desire to be with the mother. He digs deeper into the darkness of masochism and sadism as it plays out in his characters and questions whether these can originate from biological desire. Yes, all animals have a desire to procreate, but only humans seem to long for something greater, and this longing twists the act of sex into something much filthier.
The book is a little sloppy compared to Endo's other works, especially since Endo is forcing himself into the protagonist a little too much, and his Christian message is a little heavy-handed. Still, Scandal raised some interesting questions in my mind, and I applaud Endo's attempt to break off from his usual narrative techniques.
The book is a little sloppy compared to Endo's other works, especially since Endo is forcing himself into the protagonist a little too much, and his Christian message is a little heavy-handed. Still, Scandal raised some interesting questions in my mind, and I applaud Endo's attempt to break off from his usual narrative techniques.
fp25's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
febrfebrfebr's review against another edition
4.0
Suguro, tokoh utama buku ini, mengingatkanku sosok Shusaku Endo sendiri. Ia adalah seorang penulis buku sastra berlatar agama Katolik yang karya-karyanya bernuansa kelam. Berpembawaan serius dan lumayan kaku, tidak disangka-sangka ia dihampiri seorang perempuan yang mengaku mengetahui kegiatan cabulnya di distrik lampu merah. Lebih jauh lagi, perempuan itu menarik perhatian seorang wartawan tabloid sensasional yang berambisi menjatuhkan Suguro melalui liputan skandalnya. Beberapa saat setelah kejadian dihampiri perempuan tersebut, Suguro mengetahui bahwa ada seseorang yang mengaku sebagai dirinya dan sering melakukan kegiatan mesum di distrik lampu merah pilihannya. Kegiatan Suguro gadungan ini mulai mencemaskan Suguro asli dan orang-orang yang bekerja dengannya, dan menciptakan pandangan miring dari orang-orang yang berinteraksi dengan Suguro gadungan tersebut.
Sementara menelusuri jejak Suguro gadungan, ia berkenalan dengan Nyonya Naruse yang banyak berinteraksi dengan Suguro gadungan serta perempuan-perempuan yang terlibat dengannya dalam kegiatan-kegiatan berbau BDSM. Pribadi Nyonya Naruse yang penuh kontradiksi menggelitik jiwa kepengarangan Suguro yang ingin menggali sisi-sisi tersembunyi manusia. Di satu sisi, Nyonya Naruse adalah pribadi yang penuh kasih sayang terhadap anak-anak berpenyakit kronis yang dijaganya dalam kegiatan sukarela di rumah sakit. Di sisi lain, ia juga adalah seorang perempuan yang memiliki kecenderungan sadisme dan dapat terangsang oleh ide-ide yang keji.
Misteri Suguro gadungan makin lama semakin membuat merinding seperti membaca cerita hantu. Di sisi lain, buku ini memaparkan berbagai sisi manusia yang meskipun kontradiktif namun mungkin saja termuat bersamaan dalam satu tubuh. Buku ini juga mengeksplorasi beberapa hal lainnya seperti rasa bersalah yang dirasakan Suguro karena reaksi dan mimpi-mimpinya yang melibatkan seorang remaja perempuan, anatomi perkawinan Suguro yang rukun dan langgeng namun tidak transparan, hingga perbedaan persepsi terhadap seks dari mata penganut agama Katolik dan masyarakat Jepang pada umumnya.
Setelah menyelami kebingungan Suguro dan eksplorasinya mengenai relung jiwa manusia yang sarat sudut-sudut tersembunyi, aku mengira bahwa misteri Suguro gadungan akan menguap begitu saja dalam akhir yang bersifat terbuka. Namun, kemudian terungkap pula jawaban mengenai misteri tersebut. Meskipun ada sedikit hint yang mengarah pada jawaban tersebut, mungkin beberapa pembaca masih akan terguncang dengan bagaimana jawaban tersebut terkuak.
Sementara menelusuri jejak Suguro gadungan, ia berkenalan dengan Nyonya Naruse yang banyak berinteraksi dengan Suguro gadungan serta perempuan-perempuan yang terlibat dengannya dalam kegiatan-kegiatan berbau BDSM. Pribadi Nyonya Naruse yang penuh kontradiksi menggelitik jiwa kepengarangan Suguro yang ingin menggali sisi-sisi tersembunyi manusia. Di satu sisi, Nyonya Naruse adalah pribadi yang penuh kasih sayang terhadap anak-anak berpenyakit kronis yang dijaganya dalam kegiatan sukarela di rumah sakit. Di sisi lain, ia juga adalah seorang perempuan yang memiliki kecenderungan sadisme dan dapat terangsang oleh ide-ide yang keji.
Misteri Suguro gadungan makin lama semakin membuat merinding seperti membaca cerita hantu. Di sisi lain, buku ini memaparkan berbagai sisi manusia yang meskipun kontradiktif namun mungkin saja termuat bersamaan dalam satu tubuh. Buku ini juga mengeksplorasi beberapa hal lainnya seperti rasa bersalah yang dirasakan Suguro karena reaksi dan mimpi-mimpinya yang melibatkan seorang remaja perempuan, anatomi perkawinan Suguro yang rukun dan langgeng namun tidak transparan, hingga perbedaan persepsi terhadap seks dari mata penganut agama Katolik dan masyarakat Jepang pada umumnya.
Setelah menyelami kebingungan Suguro dan eksplorasinya mengenai relung jiwa manusia yang sarat sudut-sudut tersembunyi, aku mengira bahwa misteri Suguro gadungan akan menguap begitu saja dalam akhir yang bersifat terbuka. Namun, kemudian terungkap pula jawaban mengenai misteri tersebut. Meskipun ada sedikit hint yang mengarah pada jawaban tersebut, mungkin beberapa pembaca masih akan terguncang dengan bagaimana jawaban tersebut terkuak.