First book of 2019! I actually enjoyed this better than the last book of this series. It wasn't too political. However, this was just as heavy with pages and pages of religious philosophy. After those pages, the story picks up again. The second part goes back to a romance, kind of, and maybe a mix of eroticism. I'm stating to see there is something with Mishima and peepholes. I might read the next book sometime later this year. Knowing Mishima's fate, I kind of expect what that book is going to be about. ( )

Honda is fascinated by Princess Ying Chan, who is evidently the rebirth of Isao. But now there is a powerful sexual dimension. In the middle of the book there is this review of Buddhist metaphysics, Abhidharma and Yogacara. It seems accurate enough as far as I can tell. What makes a person, what glues the bits together and integrates them? Yeah it's a good puzzle, if Buddhism teaches anatman, that there's no soul, then what is reborn? It must be these deep currents, our emotional patterns.

There are some amazing lines in here. An old woman looks at herself in a mirror, and uses the mirror as a receptacle into which she can discard her wrinkles. Some other line, I think it was Honda sitting on the abyss like a toilet.

How it all fits together, I don't know. Honda as voyeur, Honda as metaphysical speculator. Maybe those are two levels of the same pattern. Then there are the snakes. Darned if I know! ( )

When I'd started The Sea of Fertility series years ago, I'd noticed that the third volume had a significantly lower rating than the other three. At the time, I'd assumed this probably had more to do with readers not accepting Mishima's female incarnation. Nope, that's not it; this book just truly pales in comparison.

The first two novels in Mishima's reincarnation tetralogy were widely different from one another. This, I believe, showcased the different aspects of the reincarnated Kiyoaki. The Temple of Dawn is also very different, though I don't know that it really provides much insight into the current incarnation of the Thai princess, Ying Chan.

While every novel in this series is very much about Honda, Kiyoaki's friend who recognizes each rebirth, the first two said much about the first and second incarnation. The first half of The Temple of Dawn is all about Honda. It is his travelogue, philosophizing, and in-depth explorations of reincarnation. Ying Chan makes a couple of appearances, but she is mostly left out of the tale.

The story picks up significantly in the second half, as Honda settles down and the princess becomes more prominent; and while Mishima writes some gorgeous prose, the story is itself troubling. Aside from being a beautiful princess, Ying Chan lacks distinction. The deplorable behaviors of the other characters to possess her and her beauty was troubling. While Honda's previous regard for his friend was great and he made every effort to save him, here he views his "friend" with only lust, desiring to rape and kill. It left me uncomfortable not only because of the depravity of these characters--men and women--but because it seemed out of place against the earlier volumes.

The first half of The Temple of Dawn is painfully rendered; the second bears some semblance to Mishima, but not to this ongoing narrative or to the characters it portrays. I've really enjoyed the author's work up to this point, but this one was truly disappointing, and probably would have a lower rating if not for his other, more outstanding works. ( )

See my notes and quotes at: https://bibliophilebethlc.blogspot.com ( )

This is the third book of a tetralogy, "The Sea of Fertility". As was true in the first two books, Mishima's prose is elegant, evocative, and full to overflowing with magnificent metaphors. Honda, our protagonist, focuses on reincarnation and the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism. I felt that Mishima was overly didactic in some sections, which diminished pleasure of the rhythm of the story. However, a surprise ending, which was perfectly written, left me eagerly anticipating the fourth and final volume. Mishima was a fascinating and gifted writer. ( )