Name: Kokoro
Rating: 4.109375 (96 reviews)

Sōseki Natsume

Haunted by tragic secrets, Sensei slowly opens up to his young disciple, confessing indiscretions from his own student days that have left him reeling with guilt.

Kokoro

Natsume Sōseki

Kokoro (1914) is a novel by Natsume Sōseki. Set during a period of modernization in Japan, Kokoro is a story of family, faith, and tragedy that explores timeless themes of isolation and identity. Spanning generations, Kokoro is a classic novel from one of Japan's most successful twentieth century writers. Tradition and change, life and death--such are the subjects of Sōseki's masterful, understated tale of unassuaged guilt. On vacation with a friend, the narrator meets an older man who becomes a patient mentor for the young student. Soon, he begins visiting Sensei and his wife at their home in Tokyo, where they live an affluent, simple life. As the years go by, the narrator becomes aware of a secret from Sensei's past, which his mentor promises to reveal when the time is right. When his father falls ill--around the time of the end of Meiji society--the narrator returns home to be closer to his family. As he tries to remain positive around so much sorrow, he begins to miss his Sensei, who is now getting old himself. As his father prepares to leave the mortal world, the narrator receives a lengthy letter from Tokyo, containing his Sensei's story within. As one era merges into the next, he reads of the suffering and mistakes his Sensei experienced and incurred on his path through life, drawing them closer and leaving the narrator with some wisdom to remember him by. Eminently human, Kokoro is a beloved story of isolation, morality, and conflict from a master of Japanese fiction. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Natsume Sōseki's Kokoro is a classic work of Japanese literature reimagined for modern readers.

Bambang Hartono

This book is depressing asf, not surprising considering it is written by soseki. His exploration of the isolation and guilt that comes with modern life serves as a perspective towards the attitudes of Japanese people during the modernization of japan in the meiji period. I liked the contrast between sensei and the narrator, as they seeked independence when they were young as a result of modernization. This is a deeply introspective work showing us the emotions that the main character and sensei goes through on their journey. Pretty good introduction to modern jap lit and most of its themes and can be a good jumping point for readers willing to get into japanese literature. The definition of a modern classic.

Natsume Sōseki

A Novel

could literally feel the lonesomeness through the writing, the gaps, the feeling. the agony — it’s all there.

wonderful read. expected maybe a little bit more impact but still very moving and very lonely. everyone is all hurting somewhere deep in their hearts, and im glad sensei is finally able to be free from the shackles he put himself through in his writing. 

could literally feel the lonesomeness through the writing, the gaps, the feeling. the agony — it’s all there.

wonderful read. expected maybe a little bit more impact but still very moving and very lonely. everyone is all hurting somewhere deep in their hearts, and im glad sensei is finally able to be free from the shackles he put himself through in his writing. 

i’ve never felt so seen in a character… me and (past) Sensei share the same traits and that ending left me in a sorrowful state 

Maureen

"I believe that words uttered in passion contain a greater living truth than do those words which express thoughts rationally conceived. It is blood that moves the body. Words are not meant to stir the air only; they are capable of moving greater things."

***

Alexa, play Modern Loneliness by Lauv. Finally read this great Japanese classic! As the book was written in first person, reading it felt like going through someone's personal diary. The story is divided into three parts, and to be honest, the first two parts failed to stir up any emotion in me. The third part, however, caught me by surprise. "Sensei's Testament" was unnaturally long, and I believe this is where the kokoro lies, i.e., "the heart of things." 

From quite early on, the book discloses that Sensei took his own life. He was characterized as a lonely man who felt disconnected from his lifestyle—which is attributed to him being a product of tradition but was nevertheless forced to enter into the epoch of modernity. As such, it comes as no surprise that he struggles to live appropriately. But the real reason for his plight is revealed in the third and last part of the story. At first, I could not make sense of his aloofness and desire to part with his life so soon, but his backstory answered all my inquiries. In the end, I feel an utmost pity for Sensei yet I likewise commend him for his reason to go on living despite desiring otherwise.

Cigdem O

3.5⭐️
aapi authors month 2nd book🍄

Anushka Saha

Most part of the book is an easy ride, the inner worlds of characters relayed with sensitive nonchalance. That is why the revelation and the ending shocks you.

charisa

4.5 rounded up! this book really frustrated me. it was so unabashedly honest about the human condition, and yet from character to character, there was so much deceit and secrecy. perhaps that is the appeal of a character like sensei; he represents the nuances that belie what appears an innocent love or a simple, quiet life. underneath, it can be unsurprising that something more complicated or even sinister exists. and yet! and yet! i could really sympathize with him, because i know how it feels to be consumed by fear or loneliness or dread and feel suffocated by those bounds. 

“we who are born into this age of freedom and independence and the self must undergo this loneliness. it’s the price we pay for these times of ours.”

Sō̄seki Natsume

Ofelia

"I believe that words uttered in passion contain a greater living truth than do those words which express thoughts rationally conceived. It is blood that moves the body. Words are not meant to stir the air only: they are capable of moving greater things. "

Tuva Stranger Mjønes 

Really enjoyed Soseki's thoughtful way of writing, as well as getting an impression of the changing times of Japan from the Meiji era.

Kokoro

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