a cracked-mirror mosaic of modernity and a deeply primordial kind of sensuality. a book full of electrifying descriptions of japanese gay nightlife; maybe the first time i've seen it represented so diligently and beautifully in a piece of fiction. each character in the novel is rotten and sinister in their own way, perhaps particularly shunsuke and yuichi, but in classic mishima fashion (and, so true to what these characters represent) his depictions of them casts a spell over you. disturbing, captivating, invigorating.