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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing journey. But the just leaves you wanting. There's really no resolution. So many questions are unanswered.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Stalking
Definitely not my favourite. Murakami is a great storyteller, but the story in this book is repetitive and slow. When I say repetitive, I mean there is literally information repeated several times in various sections with no obvious purpose, it’s like the narrator forgot he mentioned it already.
Also, I was incredibly distracted and completely put off from the book on several occasions when the narrator either went on and on about a 13 year old’s (not existent) breasts, or when the narrator had to justify that he in fact *wasn’t* sexually attracted to his sister who died at age 12, or when he got turned on by a portrait he was drawing of a 6 metre pit that reminded him of a woman... seriously?
Anyway I gave it 2 stars because it started off strong, and it was a quick and easy read. Yeah, I think I’m done with Murakami for a while after this.
Also, I was incredibly distracted and completely put off from the book on several occasions when the narrator either went on and on about a 13 year old’s (not existent) breasts, or when the narrator had to justify that he in fact *wasn’t* sexually attracted to his sister who died at age 12, or when he got turned on by a portrait he was drawing of a 6 metre pit that reminded him of a woman... seriously?
Anyway I gave it 2 stars because it started off strong, and it was a quick and easy read. Yeah, I think I’m done with Murakami for a while after this.
La lectura fue maravillosa, algo incómoda en algunas escenas por lo extraño de tener a Murakami como su escritor. Pero, igual que los libros que he leído de él, su capacidad de enganchar al lector sigue mejorando cada vez más.
La historia ha tomado un vuelvo curioso, fascinante, así como se ha cargado de misterio y una serie de nuevas preguntas que espero contestar en el siguiente libro.
La historia ha tomado un vuelvo curioso, fascinante, así como se ha cargado de misterio y una serie de nuevas preguntas que espero contestar en el siguiente libro.
medium-paced
This book isn’t Murakami’s best according to some of the other reviews, and I would agree based on my personal experience.
The characters are just a little bland, the plot a little dull, the writing sub-par, at least compared to Kafka on the Shore (my only other major read of his). Kafka, I was almost consumed by, the writing was hauntingly beautiful, and the characters I loved and cared for.... not so with this work.
This story follows a painter who’s going through marital problems, and decides to move to the mountains in the house of an old, famous painter. A mysterious painting in the attic seems to kick off events. His neighbors and the house begin to infringe on his life and a Murakami-story unfolds, with all the marks of magical surrealism.
The concept was interesting, and I can’t deny I enjoyed some of the story, but the characters fell flat for me, and the plot seemed poorly-paced somehow.
I know we’re just supposed to expect and accept weird sexual themes in Murakami’s work, but can I just say as someone who was once a 13 year old girl, and was friends with many.... nooooo.
The book was okay, possibly good, but once I was bogged down in the mire of it, I found myself bored, just politely interested in what would happen next.
The characters are just a little bland, the plot a little dull, the writing sub-par, at least compared to Kafka on the Shore (my only other major read of his). Kafka, I was almost consumed by, the writing was hauntingly beautiful, and the characters I loved and cared for.... not so with this work.
This story follows a painter who’s going through marital problems, and decides to move to the mountains in the house of an old, famous painter. A mysterious painting in the attic seems to kick off events. His neighbors and the house begin to infringe on his life and a Murakami-story unfolds, with all the marks of magical surrealism.
The concept was interesting, and I can’t deny I enjoyed some of the story, but the characters fell flat for me, and the plot seemed poorly-paced somehow.
I know we’re just supposed to expect and accept weird sexual themes in Murakami’s work, but can I just say as someone who was once a 13 year old girl, and was friends with many.... nooooo.
The book was okay, possibly good, but once I was bogged down in the mire of it, I found myself bored, just politely interested in what would happen next.
A pale shadow of the earlier works by Haruki Murakami. His habit of leaving things unexplained aren't cute anymore. Still, the magic is there, he draws you in with powerful metaphorical writing.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated