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eranehreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
šššBirthday Storiesššš
What would you wish for if for once anything you ask would be true?
"BIRTHDAY STORIES" is a collection of 12 birthday stories from some of the most distinguished authors of recent years. The stories have been selected and introduced by Haruki Murakami.
Thought of completing it by my birthday that is 25th April and finally completed that goal. Still can't believe that I am 24 years old š« .
When I ordered this book I thought all the stories in this anthology would be of Haruki Murakami so when I opened it I was quite surprised on finding works of several authors from across the world.
I would be mentioning my thoughts on a few stories which had the most impact on me.
~BIRTHDAY PRESENT - This was a remarkable work by Andrea Lee which showcased a wife's efforts in making her husband happy on his birthday. The character depth was so impactful and vibrant that I fell in love with the story. The story also presented the dark side of the society which was interesting š.
~ANGEL OF MERCY, ANGEL OF WRATH - A simple but impactful work by Ethan Canin, it showed how people nowadays forget to take care of their parents which can be done in the subtlest of ways, just one happy birthday every year would suffice.
~THE BATH - An exceptional work by Raymond Carver which starts with a baker but soon turns into a completely different story of a small family and its reaction to tragedy. This was the saddest story in this anthology according to me and is a must read if you love reading stories showing mother's love.
~A GAME OF DICE - A story I would remember only because it was so dark and twisted, probably made my mind go WTF š. A story of a wife and husband and their horrendous way of celebrating each other's birthday.
~BIRTHDAY GIRL - The only story in the book which was written by Haruki Murakami, a magical realism story like ever classic Haruki Murakami is. Story of a young 20 year old girl who gets a wish that affects her life subtly of the years of her life. An ending which left me with questions to think upon the rest of my day.
What would you wish for if for once anything you ask would be true?
"BIRTHDAY STORIES" is a collection of 12 birthday stories from some of the most distinguished authors of recent years. The stories have been selected and introduced by Haruki Murakami.
Thought of completing it by my birthday that is 25th April and finally completed that goal. Still can't believe that I am 24 years old š« .
When I ordered this book I thought all the stories in this anthology would be of Haruki Murakami so when I opened it I was quite surprised on finding works of several authors from across the world.
I would be mentioning my thoughts on a few stories which had the most impact on me.
~BIRTHDAY PRESENT - This was a remarkable work by Andrea Lee which showcased a wife's efforts in making her husband happy on his birthday. The character depth was so impactful and vibrant that I fell in love with the story. The story also presented the dark side of the society which was interesting š.
~ANGEL OF MERCY, ANGEL OF WRATH - A simple but impactful work by Ethan Canin, it showed how people nowadays forget to take care of their parents which can be done in the subtlest of ways, just one happy birthday every year would suffice.
~THE BATH - An exceptional work by Raymond Carver which starts with a baker but soon turns into a completely different story of a small family and its reaction to tragedy. This was the saddest story in this anthology according to me and is a must read if you love reading stories showing mother's love.
~A GAME OF DICE - A story I would remember only because it was so dark and twisted, probably made my mind go WTF š. A story of a wife and husband and their horrendous way of celebrating each other's birthday.
~BIRTHDAY GIRL - The only story in the book which was written by Haruki Murakami, a magical realism story like ever classic Haruki Murakami is. Story of a young 20 year old girl who gets a wish that affects her life subtly of the years of her life. An ending which left me with questions to think upon the rest of my day.
theobscurereader_7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
sandaru's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Wasn't the best but this is not completely Murakami's work. It's a collection of stories on theme of the setting of birthday he curated or sometimes translated. I read this for my 32nd birthday. The stories are short and fast paced so you can quickly read them but some of them are really weird and off putting. Most of them the stories were a sad and depressing like when it is about how children grow up and parents grow old. Or even stories about infidelity or secrets. Some are really interesting will give you moments to think about. Overall not a bad book to read on anyone's any brithday to be honest.
I specifically loved Murakami's story. I think that was my favourite.
I specifically loved Murakami's story. I think that was my favourite.
sacredblues's review against another edition
3.0
As Haruki Murakami (01-12-1949) writes in his introduction, while birthdays typically bring connotations of joyful celebration and reflection, the stories in his anthology, are often painful and melancholic. To Murakami, this is due to the novelist being āincapable of taking the world at face value.ā Despite (or because of) this unhappiness, many of these stories carry with them a subdued beauty. While not all the guests bring extravagant presents, some do, and all make their presence known, leading to a decent party overall.
Iām a fan of Haruki Murakami; Iād go as far as saying that heās my favorite author. With this in mind, I was stoked to read an anthology by him. I was excited to see what stories he gravitated towards, how stories could be so wild as to impress Murakami. But if youāre looking for a wild Murakami ride, you may be in for some disappointment. Murakami definitely seems to stay his hand this time around. In fact, in Turning, Lynda Sexson (1952) may very well outweird Murakami in his own book. In all fairness Murakamiās Birthday Girl is indeed strange, but, much like the rest of the book, it doesnāt quite reach the level of absolute bonkers. This isnāt to say this is a detriment, but itās something to keep in mind when approaching the book.
If thatās what this anthology isnāt, the question becomes what it is. Itās not as weird as some other Murakami works Iāve read, but a strangeness does tinge most of the stories. In addition, an air of light mystery permeates throughout. I have to commend Murakami for having such an eye for curation; as stated before, the works donāt just connect in theme, but in tone. What this is, then, is a collection of subdued, open-ended birthday woes. Theyāre not as whimsical as what Iāve come to expect from Murakami, but these presents certainly rise above the humdrum of many literary fiction pieces.
Thatās all fine and dandy, but then what exactly do I think about the presents? While there are some real knock-outs, others are the type you forget about the week after. You donāt necessarily hate them since youāre grateful you got a gift in the first place, but when all the guests have gone home, you canāt really fake your enthusiasm for what theyāve brought.
Allow me to briefly go through each of the stories in the collection.
Russel Banksā (02-28-1940) The Moor starts the collection off with a bang and is probably my second favorite story of the anthology. Itās notable for being arguably the happiest story in the collection. While it might not contain the unbridled joy of the stereotypical birthday party, itās sweet and tender. Itās certainly reflective, but that reflection is so neutral that it doesnāt dip into melancholic territory. Plus it depicts a fairly unique romance, and thatās always good. While first impressions might not mean everything, they certainly mean a lot and The Moor gave the collection a lot of forward momentum.
Denis Johnsonās (07-01-1949) Dundun continues with this momentum, giving us a very stark pessimism that contrasts with the soft optimism of The Moor. While itās not the saddest story, itās easily the most violent and sticks with me.
William Trevorās (05-24-1928) Timothyās Birthday is the first of the duds. Itās a fine story, I suppose, but itās a story that didnāt connect to me. Not necessarily because of subject matter, but more because I was unsure of what exactly the subject matter was. Trevor constructed his story in a way that kind of makes it hard to parse out character relations and setting. I know I said thereās an air of mystery throughout the collection, but here it makes the story unsatisfying. And subject matter plays a part, too. This ultimately feels like the most ānormalā story of the bunch. Thereās genuine emotion here, but a mere day after finishing the book, itās hard to connect the title to the story.
After a baton pass, Daniel Lyonsā (1960) The Birthday Cake regains the speed the previous story lost with a simple yet gripping premise as readers must grapple with hatred and entitlement in the face of a day of celebration. Itās pretty striking how simple the story is, yet gripping.
Lynda Sexsonās Turning shows up Murakami in sheer what-did-I-just-read, but unfortunately, for me, itās a lot of style with not a lot of substance to back it up. That might not be quite fair, but I was unsure of the point of this storyās weirdness. The story elicited a head scratch before promptly moving on.
David Foster Wallaceās (02-21-1962) Forever Overheard was a novel coming-of-age story wrapped into a small package. I particularly like the use of second-person, inviting the readers into the story in a way that the other stories donāt. However, I canāt help but feel that it might be the worst of the best in this collection. I can appreciate the story on a technical level, but at the same time, I didnāt find it the most exciting read. However, it sticks with me and the use of metaphor is brilliant, so I donāt have too much to fault the story over.
Ethan Caninās (07-19-1960) Angel of Mercy, Angel of Wrath might not be as foreboding as its title would imply, but it does carry some of the strangeness Iād expect from this anthology and for it, itās one of my favorites. It doesnāt hurt that itās pretty positive, at the end of the day.
Andrea Leeās (1953) The Birthday Present is a present in and of itself and is easily my favorite story of the anthology. As Murakami says in his introduction, the story ācarries a real wallop.ā It had my heart pounding from start to finish. It certainly is a weird story, though it isnāt a gimmicky story, using its strangeness to analyze relationships, love, and loneliness. Perhaps the biggest reason I love it is due to my fascination with sex. Whatever the reason, it sticks with me and Iād recommend this anthology just for The Birthday Present alone.
Raymond Carverās (05-25-1935) The Bath is a story thatās easily recognizable and shocking. Itās somehow simultaneously both mellow and charged. Itās the most dire and grim story in the book, yet it still manages to eke out a sliver of hope. While it might not be my favorite story in this collection, itās certainly one of the best written.
Paul Therouxās (04-10-1941) A Game of Dice is similar to The Birthday Present in a few ways: from general tone to subject matter. Both will manage to disgust you in the same way if you find yourself prickling at sexuality in literature. I liked both of them. While A Game of Dice is not quite as āpunchyā as Leeās piece, it does have the benefit of having an āaha!ā moment at the end that will make you want to reread the piece in light of new information.
Claire Keeganās (1968) Close to the Waterās Edge manages to be touching and while not leaving much of an impact on me. Itās certainly a story that makes you think, but not too deeply, plus I donāt think itās ambiguity works too well.
Lewis Robinsonās (05-05-1971) Ride combines childhood whimsy with the pain and cynicism of growing up...and much like Keeganās piece, it really doesnāt do much, for me, unfortunately, and I canāt quite articulate why.
Finally, thereās Murakami himself and his piece, Birthday Girl. Ultimately, Iām left wondering if this piece sticks out due to its own merits or due to its placement smack dab at the end. However, as weird as he can get or no, the story certainly is weird and itās unquestionably Murakami. Your enjoyment of this piece hinges on how much you enjoy his slightly surreal style. For what itās worth, I enjoyed it.
With all of my opinions in front of me, I ultimately liked more stories than I disliked. With that in mind, many of the ones I liked didnāt blow me away. At the end of the day, Birthday Stories might not be the best collection ever, but it has enough unique and engaging stories that I left feeling satisfied. If you're in the mood for a cake thatās often bitter yet tasty, then you should dig into this anthology.
7.8/10
C+
Iām a fan of Haruki Murakami; Iād go as far as saying that heās my favorite author. With this in mind, I was stoked to read an anthology by him. I was excited to see what stories he gravitated towards, how stories could be so wild as to impress Murakami. But if youāre looking for a wild Murakami ride, you may be in for some disappointment. Murakami definitely seems to stay his hand this time around. In fact, in Turning, Lynda Sexson (1952) may very well outweird Murakami in his own book. In all fairness Murakamiās Birthday Girl is indeed strange, but, much like the rest of the book, it doesnāt quite reach the level of absolute bonkers. This isnāt to say this is a detriment, but itās something to keep in mind when approaching the book.
If thatās what this anthology isnāt, the question becomes what it is. Itās not as weird as some other Murakami works Iāve read, but a strangeness does tinge most of the stories. In addition, an air of light mystery permeates throughout. I have to commend Murakami for having such an eye for curation; as stated before, the works donāt just connect in theme, but in tone. What this is, then, is a collection of subdued, open-ended birthday woes. Theyāre not as whimsical as what Iāve come to expect from Murakami, but these presents certainly rise above the humdrum of many literary fiction pieces.
Thatās all fine and dandy, but then what exactly do I think about the presents? While there are some real knock-outs, others are the type you forget about the week after. You donāt necessarily hate them since youāre grateful you got a gift in the first place, but when all the guests have gone home, you canāt really fake your enthusiasm for what theyāve brought.
Allow me to briefly go through each of the stories in the collection.
Russel Banksā (02-28-1940) The Moor starts the collection off with a bang and is probably my second favorite story of the anthology. Itās notable for being arguably the happiest story in the collection. While it might not contain the unbridled joy of the stereotypical birthday party, itās sweet and tender. Itās certainly reflective, but that reflection is so neutral that it doesnāt dip into melancholic territory. Plus it depicts a fairly unique romance, and thatās always good. While first impressions might not mean everything, they certainly mean a lot and The Moor gave the collection a lot of forward momentum.
Denis Johnsonās (07-01-1949) Dundun continues with this momentum, giving us a very stark pessimism that contrasts with the soft optimism of The Moor. While itās not the saddest story, itās easily the most violent and sticks with me.
William Trevorās (05-24-1928) Timothyās Birthday is the first of the duds. Itās a fine story, I suppose, but itās a story that didnāt connect to me. Not necessarily because of subject matter, but more because I was unsure of what exactly the subject matter was. Trevor constructed his story in a way that kind of makes it hard to parse out character relations and setting. I know I said thereās an air of mystery throughout the collection, but here it makes the story unsatisfying. And subject matter plays a part, too. This ultimately feels like the most ānormalā story of the bunch. Thereās genuine emotion here, but a mere day after finishing the book, itās hard to connect the title to the story.
After a baton pass, Daniel Lyonsā (1960) The Birthday Cake regains the speed the previous story lost with a simple yet gripping premise as readers must grapple with hatred and entitlement in the face of a day of celebration. Itās pretty striking how simple the story is, yet gripping.
Lynda Sexsonās Turning shows up Murakami in sheer what-did-I-just-read, but unfortunately, for me, itās a lot of style with not a lot of substance to back it up. That might not be quite fair, but I was unsure of the point of this storyās weirdness. The story elicited a head scratch before promptly moving on.
David Foster Wallaceās (02-21-1962) Forever Overheard was a novel coming-of-age story wrapped into a small package. I particularly like the use of second-person, inviting the readers into the story in a way that the other stories donāt. However, I canāt help but feel that it might be the worst of the best in this collection. I can appreciate the story on a technical level, but at the same time, I didnāt find it the most exciting read. However, it sticks with me and the use of metaphor is brilliant, so I donāt have too much to fault the story over.
Ethan Caninās (07-19-1960) Angel of Mercy, Angel of Wrath might not be as foreboding as its title would imply, but it does carry some of the strangeness Iād expect from this anthology and for it, itās one of my favorites. It doesnāt hurt that itās pretty positive, at the end of the day.
Andrea Leeās (1953) The Birthday Present is a present in and of itself and is easily my favorite story of the anthology. As Murakami says in his introduction, the story ācarries a real wallop.ā It had my heart pounding from start to finish. It certainly is a weird story, though it isnāt a gimmicky story, using its strangeness to analyze relationships, love, and loneliness. Perhaps the biggest reason I love it is due to my fascination with sex. Whatever the reason, it sticks with me and Iād recommend this anthology just for The Birthday Present alone.
Raymond Carverās (05-25-1935) The Bath is a story thatās easily recognizable and shocking. Itās somehow simultaneously both mellow and charged. Itās the most dire and grim story in the book, yet it still manages to eke out a sliver of hope. While it might not be my favorite story in this collection, itās certainly one of the best written.
Paul Therouxās (04-10-1941) A Game of Dice is similar to The Birthday Present in a few ways: from general tone to subject matter. Both will manage to disgust you in the same way if you find yourself prickling at sexuality in literature. I liked both of them. While A Game of Dice is not quite as āpunchyā as Leeās piece, it does have the benefit of having an āaha!ā moment at the end that will make you want to reread the piece in light of new information.
Claire Keeganās (1968) Close to the Waterās Edge manages to be touching and while not leaving much of an impact on me. Itās certainly a story that makes you think, but not too deeply, plus I donāt think itās ambiguity works too well.
Lewis Robinsonās (05-05-1971) Ride combines childhood whimsy with the pain and cynicism of growing up...and much like Keeganās piece, it really doesnāt do much, for me, unfortunately, and I canāt quite articulate why.
Finally, thereās Murakami himself and his piece, Birthday Girl. Ultimately, Iām left wondering if this piece sticks out due to its own merits or due to its placement smack dab at the end. However, as weird as he can get or no, the story certainly is weird and itās unquestionably Murakami. Your enjoyment of this piece hinges on how much you enjoy his slightly surreal style. For what itās worth, I enjoyed it.
With all of my opinions in front of me, I ultimately liked more stories than I disliked. With that in mind, many of the ones I liked didnāt blow me away. At the end of the day, Birthday Stories might not be the best collection ever, but it has enough unique and engaging stories that I left feeling satisfied. If you're in the mood for a cake thatās often bitter yet tasty, then you should dig into this anthology.
7.8/10
C+
kejtydzi's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
j0ana_'s review against another edition
3.0
Murakami... my toxic guilty pleasure... I read Birthday Stories on my 20th birthday (started at 00:00 and was done by 05:00). If I ever had a doubt of Murakami's pathological attraction to the dark side of life, this selection of short stories sure as hell has sealed the deal for me.
If any author aims to test their writing skills, "short stories" is the path they shall seek! The stories collected in this book are not in shortage of the Murakami-essence in terms of the ambiguity with writing, or the obscure flow of events for the characters.
After reading this book, which I have saved for the longest period of time, awaiting the right moment to start reading it... I was on hiatus (of all the Murakami-related publishings). Oh boy, have my days become so bright and joyous.
If any author aims to test their writing skills, "short stories" is the path they shall seek! The stories collected in this book are not in shortage of the Murakami-essence in terms of the ambiguity with writing, or the obscure flow of events for the characters.
After reading this book, which I have saved for the longest period of time, awaiting the right moment to start reading it... I was on hiatus (of all the Murakami-related publishings). Oh boy, have my days become so bright and joyous.
kundan's review against another edition
5.0
The book is an anthology of stories selected and introduced by the well-known novelist Murakami. There are in total thirteen stories all revolving around the theme of birthdays.
Murakami introduces the book by describing his birthday anecdote. He woke up early on a birthday and was in the kitchen of his Tokyo home listening to the radio and preparing breakfast. The newsreader was announcing a list of public events scheduled for the day. The last in the list of public events was the names of famous people whose birthday fell on the day. And among them he was startled to hear his name. In the author's own words, for every person their birthday will come around once a year and it will be an important day for them.
My favourite story in the collection is Birthday Girl contributed by Murakami himself. It is the story of a girl who is asked to make a wish on her twentieth birthday. The story has an open ending and its interpretation is up to the readers to debate.
Murakami introduces the book by describing his birthday anecdote. He woke up early on a birthday and was in the kitchen of his Tokyo home listening to the radio and preparing breakfast. The newsreader was announcing a list of public events scheduled for the day. The last in the list of public events was the names of famous people whose birthday fell on the day. And among them he was startled to hear his name. In the author's own words, for every person their birthday will come around once a year and it will be an important day for them.
My favourite story in the collection is Birthday Girl contributed by Murakami himself. It is the story of a girl who is asked to make a wish on her twentieth birthday. The story has an open ending and its interpretation is up to the readers to debate.
wendoxford's review against another edition
4.0
A great collection of stories by a variety of writers - some I knew, some I didn't. Claire Keegan was a great discovery. Whilst the birthday theme runs through the collection, the mood is far from celebratory throughout and I loved the different slants and the "dark side" of the stories that Murakami has selected and introduces so teasingly.
joeesomething's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
northernfleabag's review against another edition
3.0
Is it fitting that I finished this on the eve of my birthday?
A diverse collection of stories that helped combat the birthday blues, naturally I preferred some over others but all were well chosen
A diverse collection of stories that helped combat the birthday blues, naturally I preferred some over others but all were well chosen