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A review by willowbiblio
Silence by Shūsaku Endō
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."
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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.
-------------------
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
Graphic: Torture and Murder