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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Reading Murakami is kind of like waking from a dream where lots happened but you can't quite recall events. Still an enjoyable read. It is a long novel at just over 700 pages and heavy on description. The main protagonist is a painter who moves to the Japanese mountains after his wife decides to lead him. He moves into a cabin that belonged to his best friend's father, a painter. Upon discovery of a hidden painting by his friends father, weird and supernatural things begin to happen that blend reality and metaphorical underworld.
I'm a huge Murakami fan, but was disappointed here. Missing was intrigue, danger and an interesting underworld. Characters just didn't fascinate me, and what were supposed to be tense circumstances for them just turned out to be...nothing. I really felt that Murakami couldn't find a creative spirit in this book, but he kept on writing it anyway, hoping that the magic would come. It didn't.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing storytelling!!! I really liked the intertwined storylines, a bit of the mystic but with people that seem very grounded normally.
I read this book to fit a prompt “read a book set in Japan”. When I thought about it, I don’t think I’ve read anything by a Japanese author before. Memoirs of a Geisha was set in Japan but written by an American. I’m so glad I found this author, I plan to read more of his works over time.
I read this book to fit a prompt “read a book set in Japan”. When I thought about it, I don’t think I’ve read anything by a Japanese author before. Memoirs of a Geisha was set in Japan but written by an American. I’m so glad I found this author, I plan to read more of his works over time.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel the same way at the end of Killing Commendatore the way I felt at the end of 1Q84- I wanted to like it, but the I think the editing of the narrative could have been stronger. Unlike the surreal experience of Hard Boiled Wonderland or the intricate threads of history into the present as in Wind Up Bird or the odd mystical strangers from Kafka on the shore- I waited for all of it to come together, and it didn’t land.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’ve enjoyed two books by Murakami before these and neither of them had the fantastical element that this one had. I now realize that the two books I read were anomalies and his books almost always have this element to them. While I was originally intrigued by the fantastical part I think by the end it didn’t develop or get explained as thoroughly as I wanted it to. I really enjoyed the parts where the book was firmly based in reality though and some of the magical parts added extra suspense and action. In the end though I think I preferred his two other books because this one confused me with the magical parts but I will certainly try more of his writing to see.