This story becomes a journey into the soul of the reader.

books:


	• Deep River Shusaku Endo New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1995 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 23 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Real Japan?

An old Japanese girlfriend of mine once said that to understand the Japanese, I need to read this book. The book was fine, however I never was sure what the book meant. Then again, I never understood her. The book was a complex look at complex characters. Endo tends to focus on the split personalities of the Japanese. The book was well translated and interesting. Its a mysterious read.

good finish, but opening lags

Last summer, I read and was amazed by The Samurai. I picked up Deep River in hopes of a similar experience. I wasn't necessarily disappointed, but I was left a little wanting. The opening stories giving you the characters' backgrounds really seemed to lag. But once that part was out of the way, Endo was really able to communicate his vision of religion and the roles of the state in modern society. I know the background chapters are necessary to understand something about the characters, but they seemed too much. Isn't a little mystery a good thing, too?

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touching but limited

I enjoyed the book, but thought it was limited to "forms" rather than "meanings". For example, Numada does find peace by setting a bird free, a bird who he feels died taking his place, but if this was such a spiritual journey, Numada should have looked beyond the bird and discovered the Maker of the bird(whoever He might be). Otsu on the other hand is the only one who knows what his purpose in life is and is faithfull to his purpose, and although from Mishiko's point of view, his life is miserable, Otsu does attain his goal(I don't want to give away the ending, but I think Otsu would be with Mother Theresa now).

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The movie IS actually better.

I saw a filmed version of this novel at the Montreal Film Festival. Breathtaking does not aptly describe this film. I loved it so much, I wanted to read the book.

While the book is enjoyable, deep (pardon the pun), and leaves the reader with a lot of thinking to do, the film captures all those abstract and intangbile emotions the book cannot aptly convey.

At the premiere, the director spoke and said his movie would not have been possible without the book. He felt incredibly indebted to the author.

I haven't seen or heard anything about the movie since my time in Montreal (that must have been in 1994), but, if at all possible, please see the film!

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This story becomes a journey into the soul of the reader.

Endo takes leads you into to the lives and hearts of 5 Japanese tourists. Their journeys will amaze and intrigue you, and when you come out on the other side, you will realize that he has led you on a journey through your own soul; a masterpiece. Prerequisite: SILENCE

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5

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