Kokoro

Kokoro is a novel by Japanese author Soseki Natsume that was first published in 1914. The title "Kokoro" is a Japanese word that can mean "heart," "mind," or "spirit," and the novel delves into the characters' complex emotional and psychological lives.

The book is divided into three sections. The first part is set in Meiji-era Tokyo (1868–1922) and introduces the narrator, a young university student who develops a close relationship with an older man he refers to as "Sensei." The second part is set several years later, after the narrator has graduated and relocated to Tokyo to work. In this section, the narrator learns more about Sensei's past and struggles to comprehend the causes of his friend's depression and sense of alienation.

The novel's third section is set in a remote village, where the narrator goes to escape the stresses of city life. There, he meets and falls in love with a young woman named Ojosan. The narrator is forced to confront difficult truths about his own past and his relationships with Sensei and Ojosan as the novel progresses. Kokoro is regarded as a modern Japanese literature classic, with themes such as identity, isolation, and the tension between traditional Japanese values and modern Western influences explored.

Author: Sōseki Natsume

Publication date: 1914

Genres: Novel, Fiction

Goodreads rating: 4/5 (27.961 votes)

Buy here: https://bom.so/eKGwFa