This profoundly thought-provoking and controversial novel depicts a historical account of how Christians were treated in the mid 17th century in Japan. European missionaries and Japanese Christians in the Edo period were fated to suffer due to the strict order of Tokugawa General, which banned and denounced any missionary works in Japan. Some missionaries and many Japanese lost their faith to save their lives; others kept their faith and died in agony. In such cruel and extremely hard circumstances, WHY and HOW people kept their faith in God. WHY the God allowed them to suffer? If there is a God, why does he let it happen to believers? Why he is being silent when they are desperate for HIS help? The central theme of this novel is condensed in these questions. Perhaps, to some extent, quite a number of people experienced such an antagonism between faith and doubt at some point of their life. Endo, the author and also a Christian, is not an exception. Historians and critiques have been arguing that one of the prominent characters, Kichijiro, who could not leave Rodriguez the missionary but also could not help deceiving him, is projection of Endo himself. There is no way to know Endo’s intention, but Kichijiro’s character reminds of Judas. Besides the theme, it is very interesting to learn what Christianity meant to lay Japanese in this period, and how these Japanese modified it in their own unique way to incorporate their native religions.

Having read in both languages (i.e. original Japanese and English translation), I found it fairly well translated. For some Christians, this may be very disturbing, but I still recommend this masterpiece in order for Christians to share our history and to understand our religious perspectives. Endo extensively investigated these underground Christians in Japan and wrote several books about it. This novel is quasi-fictional, based on true stories of European missionaries, and accurately symbolized historical account of Japanese Christianity at that time.

"If the God really exists...., why does he keep a silence?" the main character, who was sent to Japan as a missionary in the Edo era, asked again and again.
I sometimes feel same contradiction; In the world, there are so many innocent people who have to die for no reason, or have been in serious troubles.

The author said, the answer was "He is always with us".

Shusaku Endo is a late serious Catholic who is known as a Japanese great author.
"Silence" is his most famous and influential work and has been translated into many languages, even, at that time he was treated as a heretic, I heard.

After I read this novel, I recognized that the way of thinking for the religion of the Japanese Catholic, and the other Catholic is may be different, even both adhere the same strong faith. And, even in one nation, that happens, I think.

I am not a Catholic, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, but, It is really interesting for me, and gave a good chance to think about what faith is, or should be.