--- product_id: 33276894 title: "The Decay of the Angel (Sea of Fertility, Book 4)" brand: "yukio mishima" price: "VT5711" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/33276894-the-decay-of-the-angel-sea-of-fertility-book-4 store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Decay of the Angel (Sea of Fertility, Book 4) **Brand:** yukio mishima **Price:** VT5711 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Decay of the Angel (Sea of Fertility, Book 4) by yukio mishima - **How much does it cost?** VT5711 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/33276894-the-decay-of-the-angel-sea-of-fertility-book-4) ## Best For - yukio mishima enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted yukio mishima brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Decay of the Angel (Sea of Fertility, Book 4) ## Images ![The Decay of the Angel (Sea of Fertility, Book 4) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91d-xfscDHL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A fine last volume leading up to a nihilistic but utterly fascinating ending. *by C***R on Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2006* Yukio Mishima's THE DECAY OF THE ANGEL is the last volume of his "Sea of Fertility". It is also the last book he wrote. On November 25, 1970 he sent the manuscript off to the publisher, then went to incite the soldiers of Japan's military headquarters to a coup d'etat. When he failed, he committed seppuku. As might be expected, THE DECAY OF THE ANGEL contains much that that relates to Mishima's dissatisfaction with life, and the cosmic nihilism that he promised would be the ultimate theme of the tetralogy comes to the forefront. The ending is also possibly the most shocking in all of literature.The year is now 1970, and Shikeguni Honda adopts a young orphan named Toru, who he believes is the third successive reincarnation of Kiyoaki. The decay present throughout the book is especially present in Honda, who we meet as as a man of seventy-six and who reaches eighty-one by the novel's end. His physical health, memory, and wife are gone. He keeps company with Keiko, the former neighbour whose secret formed the climax of THE TEMPLE OF DAWN, and they talk inanely about senility and medical ailments. But it's also present in Toru who, although young, possesses none of the beauty of Kiyoaki, the dedication of Isao, or the allure of Ying Chan. In fact, Toru is pure evil, and the bulk of the novel is his plot to destroy his adoptive father. The political commentary here is much more subtle than I expected it to be, considering that Mishima ended his life as a nationalist. Japan is plagued by a loss of its own traditions--Keiko shows interest in Japanese culture, but Honda remarks that she treats it as a hobby instead of authentically living it. The country is overrun with Coca-Cola ads and student radicals. But all in all, it is the mind of Honda that is the important setting, not the country around him.By far the most impressive part of the novel is its surprise ending, which demolishes the entire "Sea of Fertility" cycle in a most impressive way when Honda meets Satoko again, who tells him either the mundane truth or the secret to enlightenment itself. The lectures on transmigration and the self which formed such a large part of THE TEMPLE OF DAWN are there for a reason, and what Mishima does with the no-self philosophy of Buddhism is awesome. If you've read one or more of the earlier volumes and are uncertain about pressing on, I exhort you to make it through this one. Looking back on the cycle, I admire its clever design, where the first two novels set a precedent and the second two undo it, and the general arc where we track Honda from youth to senescence, and Kiyoaki from a praise-worthy youth to despicable brat is skillfully done. The series as a whole is brilliant, read it all. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Get Mishima. *by A***R on Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019* Fantastic novel series, definitely try it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent book from an excellent bookseller! *by P***L on Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2020* The book arrived in excellent condition and exceeded my expectations of a book copyrighted in 1974. The book arrived in a timely fashion --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/33276894-the-decay-of-the-angel-sea-of-fertility-book-4](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/33276894-the-decay-of-the-angel-sea-of-fertility-book-4) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-12*