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jestro's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Would be 5, if Murakami written women normally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Mental illness, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
yooniereads's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“In other words, sandwiched as we are between the ‘everything’ that is behind us and the ‘zero’ beyond us, ours is an ephemeral existence in which there is neither coincidence nor possibility.”
This novel is Murakami at his prime in storytelling. It follows a nameless narrator (a hallmark of vintage Murakami) undergoing, in my opinion, a metaphysical journey of sorts. It’s a lyrical character study and a visceral look into the human psyche with such bizarre characters you just can’t help but to love.
In usual Murakami fashion, you embark on a journey to find a mystical sheep, meeting nameless and yet unique characters that make it such a masterclass in characterization. There are figures like the Sheep Man, possibly one of my favorite characters next to Norwegian Wood’s Midori, as well as a reality slowly melting in itself in such a way that makes it questionable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It brings up existential questions I haven’t thought of before with a new light that only fiction could bring forward. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this for anyone who is not too interested in magical realism or for someone starting out with Murakami because it can be a bit dense to work through. But if you’ve enjoyed works like Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World or After Dark, then this would be a great place to venture to!
This novel is Murakami at his prime in storytelling. It follows a nameless narrator (a hallmark of vintage Murakami) undergoing, in my opinion, a metaphysical journey of sorts. It’s a lyrical character study and a visceral look into the human psyche with such bizarre characters you just can’t help but to love.
In usual Murakami fashion, you embark on a journey to find a mystical sheep, meeting nameless and yet unique characters that make it such a masterclass in characterization. There are figures like the Sheep Man, possibly one of my favorite characters next to Norwegian Wood’s Midori, as well as a reality slowly melting in itself in such a way that makes it questionable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It brings up existential questions I haven’t thought of before with a new light that only fiction could bring forward. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this for anyone who is not too interested in magical realism or for someone starting out with Murakami because it can be a bit dense to work through. But if you’ve enjoyed works like Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World or After Dark, then this would be a great place to venture to!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide
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