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ejb44's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
[Book Instagram @bottles.of.books]
after the quake by Haruki Murakami is a collection of short stories written in the late 90s-early 2000s as a response to the Kobe earthquake in 1995. This collection looks at Japan as a nation, particularly the national response and national conscience of a people after a devastating event like the Kobe earthquake. As always, Murakami ensures to highlight the sheer extent on an event, in this case the quake, by incorporating stories involving animals to explore deeper effects that may arise because of an event like the earthquake.
By focusing on the nation’s response to the quake, as opposed to prioritising the event itself, Murakami poignantly and subtly explores Japanese psyche, consciousness and its qualities as a nation. The psychological exploration of the characters, and the sheer emotional weight that the earthquake plays in each story is beautiful and heart-breaking in most cases.
The best aspect of the short stories is the very fact that they are short stories – a glimpse into the characters’ lives, a vivid picture of feelings and emotions from one individual plays with the reader so elegantly. Readers will never get to explore the characters, will never hear their remaining stories, much like the abruptness of a quake, and this immediate feeling really permeates the novel throughout.
Some of the stories, particularly the Super-Frog saves Tokyo, are intentionally written beyond our compression - but the beauty is still present in the writing, and the ending only highlights how succinct and fleeting human life can be.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quick read yet something that will leave the reader wanting more, this novel is definitely for you. From Murakami lovers to anyone who wishes to try translated books, this collection is sure to leave you questioning all frogs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, and Rape
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