The Final Martyrs

If you haven't read Endo, you may seriously consider purchasing one of his books. His narrative is subtle. At first it seems simplistic, but his themes of self-discovery are powerful and challenging. I will tell you this: it takes awhile to get used to all the Japanese names. The effort is well worth it! His writing is hauting because it comes from his own journey of discover and path of self-doubt and the cruelties of life.

This is the first book by Shusaku Endo I have read in a long while, so it has been good to get back into his work. "Final Martyrs" is a collection of short stories on a variety of themes, all of them very human and very much in Endo's usual style and focus. The short stories are notable for their indebtedness to Endo's life. Many are set in French or European settings, or have elements of Endo's experienmces in Manchuria and his own parents' divorce. There is a lot of biographical content that works its way into the lives of the characters. Each of the stories deals with issues of humanity, sometimes overtly faith issues, and others deeper, more psychological. All of them are succinct and punchy, often leaving this reader feeling something has been missed in the underlying meaning. However, this has not detracted from my enjoyment of the stories. Elements of one or two of the stories are to be found in the longer novels that Endo wrote, which adds some richness for fans who might be considering adding this book to their Endo collection. I took a bit longer to "get into it" than with other Endo books, but I am glad that I persisted and read to the end. The effort was worth it, and I soon warmed to Endo's short story style. Each story has something different to offer, and they are all rewarding, thought-provoking and deep reads. In short, (pun intended, though cheap), this is an excellent book for Endo fans to increase their intake of Endo. New readers to Endo, I would advise starting with his novels, such as Silence or The Samurai (New Directions Classics). Other than that, "Final Martyrs" is a great book and one worth every effort to acquire.