What does Musashi not have? To try and quickly summarize this book is to do it a disservice. It is a partial (and fictional) biography of the famous Japanese samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and although it is fictional, it is such a joy to read. From romance, drama, murder, politics, intrigue, to philosophy, this book is about Musashi’s journey to become a master swordsman, but really, it is about him finding his Way in life.
The characters are so fun and memorable, including the villains and side characters who only appear for a few pages. And the plot feels unique, I could almost never predict what would happen next. It felt distinctly Japanese, and quite unlike many other stories I have read before. I really enjoyed it!
The pacing was interesting, but I felt it still worked. Although time does not pass consistently, as there are times it will jump many months after a chapter, the things that were skipped would often have been less interesting and simply added to an already long book. I recommend reading this book consistently, but not necessarily in a rushed manner. It is long and meanders, but reading this book over time is a joy, as you can journey alongside the characters over time.
4.8/5 (but depending on my mood, I could be convinced to simply round up to 5 and call it a day)
I’ll close out with just two quotes I enjoyed from the book:
“… you should avoid the temptation of thinking that your dreams can be realized only in some far-off place. If you think that way, you’ll neglect the possibilities in your immediate surroundings. Most young people do, I fear, and become dissatisfied with their lives.”
“Instead of wanting to be like this or that, make yourself into a silent, immovable giant. That’s what the mountain is. Don’t waste your time trying to impress people. If you become the sort of man people can respect, they’ll respect you, without your doing anything.”