Reviews

Silence by Shūsaku Endō

jenimahalesva's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

dallasfangmann's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

cshelton002's review

challenging emotional informative reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

zmorgason's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Narrow is the path, watch your step. 

mihalis_kokkoni's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my new favourite book.

lozzcatt's review against another edition

dark emotional informative relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

mrwednesday's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm not entirely sure how to word my thoughts on this novel. It is a beautiful story, not in that it makes me feel good about myself or the world, but because it is a painfully honest depiction of the struggles of faith during difficult times.
The outcome of the story is foreshadowed right from the beginning. It is not, as the protagonist might believe, a story about a white saviour bringing faith back to the oppressed Japanese Christians, it is about failure; about the pitfalls of pride, about the power (and at times, the cost) of faith, of hope or the lack thereof, of persecution of shame.
I probably have more thoughts, the kind other people can put in words more clearly. I'm not a religious or spiritual person, though I find the effects of religion on culture and history to be a fascinating subject, and Silence explored the topic thoroughly without feeling at all like I was being preached to - sometimes we fail, sometimes we are forced to start again, whether blame or pity is the more appropriate emotion may not always be clear.

rheren's review

reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

dkatreads's review

5.0

Harrowing and beautiful. Endo takes us through an honest story of faith, doubt, suffering, and sorrow, and grapples with the very questions we all ask ourselves, but are afraid to admit. Gripping to the very end, and even beyond--you won't stop thinking about this one for a while.

kaazi's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.0