Confessions of a Mask

(in no way do I agree with Mishima's views on next to anything, google him if you don't understand) Half inspired by his own life Mishima describes the coming of age of a young man in Japan during the second world war. Intensely introspective, Mishima follows the development of a young, closeted gay man. The mask is the central theme, Mishima reflects on normalcy, integration into male society, and self-deception. Every thought is irreconcilable with the standards of masculinity believed in by society,every action is self-destructive or sabotaging, and the protagonist finds himself trapped in thought spirals of his own making. Between ruminating on all of this, Mishima manages to capture the beauty of the male body and the stark, distorted attraction he possesses. This is the first book since Notes of a Crocodile where I have been marking passages left and right and have forced my coworkers to read them and I regret nothing.