Loved this novel. Loved the way the plot is narrated. 
 Set in the background of 16th century persecutions of Christians in Japan. 
 The prominent character is a Catholic priest and the main plot is about how he apostatizes against the religion that he loved so much. The theme of the silence of God is an important aspect of this novel - God remains silent in the midst of terrific suffering. The question of faith in the midst of persecutions from the real human perspective is analysed in a revealing manner. Shusaku Endo is a person not to be missed in the literary realms.