Stay Book Club discussion

How did you feel when you finished the book in one word?

reading it in my teens
→
It was refreshing to see such a complex,darker human nature.


After losing my friend
→
a darkness born of emptiness and despair.


How we perceive things changes depending on our life experiences.
But personally, I believe that if the author had encountered SKZ, he might have stayed alive.
He couldn’t find a destination for his burning sensitivity and was eventually consumed by emptiness.

Art can be dangerously soul-consuming,
but it doesn’t take your life — rather, it’s a beautiful cycle where emotions burn out and ignite again.
And through that repetition, art is sublimated.

That’s why I can’t help but feel it was pure misfortune that these two wandering souls — Osamu and Yoji — never met the right encounter to guide them.

My favorite book of his is “The Spider’s Thread.”

Sorry for not one word...
I just got carried away because I’m so happy to have a place to talk about this piece with someone who also loves SKZ!

minoko wrote: "reading it in my teens
→
It was refreshing to see such a complex,darker human nature.


After losing my friend
→
a darkness born of emptiness and despair.


How we perceive things changes depending..."


What a great point regarding meeting SKZ.
I have heard so many stories of SKZ saving people from their despair.

I agree that, should Yoji, or Osamu, had met people who could bring them joy, strength and love, things would have played out differently.

The power of love and understanding is so great, and it was very clear that they were entirely missing.

→I have heard so many stories of SKZ saving people from their despair.

Thank you for your reply!
I’m one of those people too^ ^

Can’t wait to see what next month’s book will be!

QuillPenLove wrote: "How did you feel when you finished the book in one word?"

Heavy.

My heart is heavy, my soul is heavy. It's going around and around in my head Yoji's thoughts vs. his actions. I just keep thinking if he had someone in his life that could have sat him down and said I see you; I understand your struggles. I wonder how different his life would have been if he had known he wasn't alone.

Looking for things in our lives whether it's music or art or writing that can be an outlet for our feelings and having people validate those feelings is one of the best things.

Melly wrote: "QuillPenLove wrote: "How did you feel when you finished the book in one word?"

Heavy.

My heart is heavy, my soul is heavy. It's going around and around in my head Yoji's thoughts vs. his actions..."

Real human connection is so important. It really is sad that Yoji didn’t have that. We really are fortunate to have found SKZ.