Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Snow and MudAuthor: Yamamoto Shūgorō
| Original Title | 雪と泥 |
|---|---|
| Author | 山本 周五郎 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the dim confines of a cluttered house in Edo’s backstreets, a group of women navigate a precarious existence, their lives woven with deception and survival. Among them, Oshino stands out—a striking beauty with a razor-sharp mind, whose elegance masks her role in swindling unsuspecting men. When she encounters Koide Orinosuke, a sheltered samurai heir brimming with naive sincerity, she crafts an elaborate ruse: posing as a merchant’s daughter, she ensnares him in a whirlwind of staged fainting spells and whispered confessions of love. Orinosuke, desperate to believe in their connection, risks his family’s wealth and honor to free her from a fabricated debt to a shadowy boss. Yet as their entanglement deepens, Oshino’s calculated facade wavers, revealing flickers of genuine emotion. Amid snow-draped alleys and teahouse intrigues, their fragile bond teeters between manipulation and unexpected tenderness. But in a world where fireflies’ glow mirrors serpents’ eyes, trust is a currency neither can afford. As secrets unravel and desperation mounts, choices spiral toward irreversible consequences—where love and betrayal blur, and survival demands sacrifice. Will redemption emerge from the cold mud of deceit, or will the weight of their lies bury them both? |
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