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richytofu's review
3.0
Classic Murakami. His realistic style is even more apparent in this collection which, as the title “First-Person Singular” hints at, places Murakami himself as the protagonist in a series of memoir-like reflections.
Of course, there is a hint of the surreal and magical that made these stories worth remembering and reading, strange coincidences and absurd situations that are never really explained. One example is the talking monkey which Murakami meets in a bath house while on holiday. It talking is a surprise to him, but he quickly accepts this truth as he learns more about the life of this strange creature. Other tales have unclear lessons and a kind of sad, nostalgic tone with not much hope for the future. These stories might leave some readers unsatisfied, but for some reason I love their ambiguity. The ending of the final story in the book was reminiscent of the ending of Murakami’s breakout novel, Norwegian Wood, in its sudden, intense fall into a surreal, unfamiliar environment, perhaps describing a panic attack the way only a novelist would. Just like events in real life, these stories don’t have nicely wrapped up endings, they are messy and hard to understand, even years later. Perhaps it is only through writing and reading stories that trauma can be understood and overcome.
Of course, there is a hint of the surreal and magical that made these stories worth remembering and reading, strange coincidences and absurd situations that are never really explained. One example is the talking monkey which Murakami meets in a bath house while on holiday. It talking is a surprise to him, but he quickly accepts this truth as he learns more about the life of this strange creature. Other tales have unclear lessons and a kind of sad, nostalgic tone with not much hope for the future. These stories might leave some readers unsatisfied, but for some reason I love their ambiguity. The ending of the final story in the book was reminiscent of the ending of Murakami’s breakout novel, Norwegian Wood, in its sudden, intense fall into a surreal, unfamiliar environment, perhaps describing a panic attack the way only a novelist would. Just like events in real life, these stories don’t have nicely wrapped up endings, they are messy and hard to understand, even years later. Perhaps it is only through writing and reading stories that trauma can be understood and overcome.
rkragsdale's review
3.0
i'm not sure if it's because "kafka on the shore" is one of my favorite novels or because the first two stories aren't really my thing but i found it difficult to enjoy this collection until the third story. after that it was all uphill (aside from the story "carnaval" that was well written but relied, in my opinion, too heavily on the trope that ugly women are smarter than beautiful women). of the stories i think "with the beatles" and "confessions of a shinagawa monkey" are my favorite. overall i enjoyed the collection a whole lot (: murakami is a stellar author.
vanniereads's review
adventurous
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
3.5
allthewildthings's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
wouterk's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun and kind of comfortable short story collection. Not necessarily comfortable in a sense that it is cozy and friendly. But the stories really are contextualized by very recognizable real life experiences.
The stories read like they are just Murakami talking about his experiences throughout life. Of course many of the stories are then embellished with magical realism, absurd coincidences and inexplicable encounters.
I really enjoyed reading these stories 2 at a time with a playlist in the background containing the different artists, songs and classical pieces that are referenced in the short stories. Would recommend doing that while reading. It really enriches the experience.
The stories read like they are just Murakami talking about his experiences throughout life. Of course many of the stories are then embellished with magical realism, absurd coincidences and inexplicable encounters.
I really enjoyed reading these stories 2 at a time with a playlist in the background containing the different artists, songs and classical pieces that are referenced in the short stories. Would recommend doing that while reading. It really enriches the experience.
rionardo's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3,5 stars. Got me out of a very long reading slump which I appreciate. Enjoyed most of the stories but a couple were weird..in a bad way (especially the ugly woman one, though i liked the plot of it). The baseball one bored me to death, since I have zero interest in it. First Murakami book I've ever read and I was surprised by how easy it was to read, yet so complex at the same time.