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rotorguy64's review against another edition
4.0
The Golden Country is the better [b:Silence|25200|Silence|Shūsaku Endō|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503294393l/25200._SY75_.jpg|1796157]. Both books explore similar themes, although this one is much shorter and has a different format, as it's based on a play. As for the themes, there is Gods (supposed) silence in the face of suffering, the question of whether Christianity can take roots in Japan, and whether Gods mercy extends to those who commit formal apostasy, and in fact whether He could demand, in His mercy, that one commits formal apostasy. Here, he explores them more efficiently.
The Golden Country is more hopeful, in my opinion. One of my main problems with Silence was that it portrayed martyrdom cynically, but there is none of that here. While Father Ferriera apostatizes, plenty of Japanese don't.
I was impressed with the portrayal of Ieyasu. Shūsaku Endō shows the Japanese Judas in a tragic light, a persecutor who wants to fail and be proven wrong by his victims. In the end, it is his success at forcing Father Ferriera to apostatize that makes him despair. Shūsaku Endō took a few artistic liberties with both Ieyasu and Father Ferriera, but they serve the story well.
I do want to point out, after all this, that Silence is still a deeply atmospheric book with a very interesting narrative structure, and Golden Country won't give you the same experience.
The Golden Country is more hopeful, in my opinion. One of my main problems with Silence was that it portrayed martyrdom cynically, but there is none of that here. While Father Ferriera apostatizes, plenty of Japanese don't.
Spoiler
There is even a young couple, a Christian girl and her lover, a soldier, who are initially about to be torn apart by their religious differences. In the end, he converts and they are executed together. So in one sideplot, love and faith both prevail, which gladdens me as a Christian and as a romantic.I was impressed with the portrayal of Ieyasu. Shūsaku Endō shows the Japanese Judas in a tragic light, a persecutor who wants to fail and be proven wrong by his victims. In the end, it is his success at forcing Father Ferriera to apostatize that makes him despair. Shūsaku Endō took a few artistic liberties with both Ieyasu and Father Ferriera, but they serve the story well.
I do want to point out, after all this, that Silence is still a deeply atmospheric book with a very interesting narrative structure, and Golden Country won't give you the same experience.
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