Silence: Picador Classic: 66

Arrived 3 days earlier than estimate and is in excellent condition/as described.

For me this is s great book. I'm not Christian and learnt about this book due to the new Scorsese movie and was drawn to the story. I really got into this and found it grim, sometimes harrowing but couldn't put this down. I found that I was rereading several chapters to understand the rich emotion here. I found it very easy to read and not too long. I recommend this and look forward to the movie.

Not an easy read if you do not have an ounce of religion in you but an important book nevertheless because it's about doubt as much as it is about faith. I just felt it was a relief to read something that came from the heart, that gave me such an excellent introduction to Japanese history, that explored ideas in a very serious way. I commend it but i know that anyone seeking instant or trite answers to life's questions will find it difficult.

On the one hand, I didn't find this book to be gripping - I could go for a few days without reading it and wasn't desperate to get back to it. It feels slow moving at times, and the narrative is quite bleak and monotonous. On the other hand, there is a lot to reflect on. I imagine I would have enjoyed it less if I weren't Catholic myself. The ending, when it happens, seems as though it were inevitable, yet it leaves you ruminating on how the story built up to its final events. The relationship between Kichijiro and the priest was interesting and I will be thinking about it for a while to come.

A wonderful read. Highly acclaimed and resonates.

This book is amazing. Endo manages to reflect the turmoil of the main character's mental and religious angst throughout the whole book and he does it magnificently. Read this book it is an education.

This was an excellent read, the challenges faced by the priest and not seeing what his sacrifice kept the story moving

Really difficult to explain why I enjoyed this, even after finishing. But I was gripped and the story was fantastic.

easy read, great story and satisfying ending. intricate storytelling

Todo perfecto

An absolute banger, certified must-read.

Doubtlessly a classic, the novel Silence intrigues its readers as they embark on a journey that strongly questions faith and belief until they yield.

I've put off reading this because I'd heard about Japan's Hidden Christians and how they were tortured and executed, which is already enough to make your stomach turn. But the way Shusaku Endo weaves this tale is exceptional. Rather than focus on the martyr's physical suffering, he digs deep into their psychological struggles: How they wrestle with faith, devotion, apostasy and the seeming absence of God. The novel is laden with symbolism, sometimes a bit excessive, but Endo effectively parallels narratives and characters from the bible with those of the protagonist. Brilliantly plotted and written!