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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
The Strange Library is a typical (typically weird) Murakami short story, packaged as a short book. The typeface is large and close to half the pages are full page pieces of remixed art evoking moments from the story. The unusual formatting is interesting, but it doesn’t feel essential. Murakami’s unnamed narrator visits a library in search of information about “how taxes were collected in the Ottoman Empire”. He’s assisted by a monstrous librarian and a mysterious man wearing a full sheepskin, and soon finds himself imprisoned in the building’s mysterious basement. The narrator notes that “public libraries like this one were always short of money, so building even the tiniest of labyrinths had to be beyond their means”. In typical Murakami fashion, the story’s extremes and impossibilities are quickly minimized with dry humor. The narrator’s top concern in captivity is the state of his mother, but his dislike for the prison’s toothpaste is a strong #2. Despite this odd levity, there’s an undercurrent of deep personal pain for the main character to process.
A mix of Murakami and Gaiman style, this book is both incredulous and kinda scary in a good way at the same time. Short read.
It's a bizarre little book. There is a lot of build up and it ends suddenly but its a very enjoyable story.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Lovely. A brain filled with knowledge is yummy indeed.
This short novella is about a teenage boy getting sucked into a library until he finishes a certain book. It’s very short and there are lots of illustrations. I personally found it boring and also for a short story not very entertaining. The book also doesn’t have that typical enchanting feeling as Murakami’s other books. The story is set up as to be for children, but it definitely is not. The illustrations are nice to look at, but the book is not a recommendation. Maybe if this would have been an actual longer story, it could have been good! 2/5 stars
Like buying yourself a bar of dark, bitter chocolate...and then eating the whole thing in one sitting...
In some ways, this fantastical fable feels like something that could have been contained within 1Q84. It feels like the same tumble down the rabbit hole, the same quest for an unsuspecting hero. But '84 wants us to stretch our legs and wander around the landscape: TSL just wants us to look from the window of the moving train.
At the risk of sounding pretentious, this is a book that makes me wish I read slower.
In some ways, this fantastical fable feels like something that could have been contained within 1Q84. It feels like the same tumble down the rabbit hole, the same quest for an unsuspecting hero. But '84 wants us to stretch our legs and wander around the landscape: TSL just wants us to look from the window of the moving train.
At the risk of sounding pretentious, this is a book that makes me wish I read slower.
If this hadn't been so short, I would have given up on it pronto. It wasn't fun. It wasn't interesting. It boring, and weird, and not well written. Sorry Murakami.
A dream-like book that will make you turn your head up a bit by the time you get to the end. As I sit with it I like it more. I need to try and find a physical copy of the book because the illustrations look amazing.