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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Overall: 4/5 (I think it's great!), Rated TV-14
Elevator Pitch: Seven stories about, in various ways, men without women. Contains the two stories which were adapted into Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 2021 movie DRIVE MY CAR.
The Good:
1. Murakami uses extremely simple prose which, rather than making the stories boring, gives them a hypnotic quality. The short, declarative sentences fall into a rhythm which drives the reader forward almost as if they were thrillers and not arty meditations on loss.
2. "Samsa in Love" is specifically a great story. This isn't a spoiler, as the premise is obvious once you start reading it, but he takes Kafka's most famous story and wonders, "What if Gregor changed back to a human?"
3. I love the basic structure of many of Murakami's stories. Something about the basic summary "I once knew a person who told me a story about themselves" fascinates me. It feels almost magical somehow, especially when you notice it recurring. And then you realize that's who Murakami is to you, the reader, and you could easily say, "I once knew a writer who told me a story about himself," even though the stories are fictional. I'm not sure if that makes sense. (A line Murakami includes in almost every story.) His stories tend to feel meta somehow, and in a non-annoying way, which is very hard to do.
The Bad
1. I really don't think I understand any of these stories. I love the way they're put together and the characters, but if I were to try to tell you what, they're about and what they mean, I would come off like a bumbling idiot. I don't think that's a flaw with the writing necessarily, but it hurts my experience some.
2. After a while, it does become tiresome how much of Murakami's writing centers around relationships and sex, especially in stories where his narrators exhibit an odd sort of sexism that crops up every now and then.
Overall: Not for everyone, but dreamlike and melancholy in a way that would perfectly fill a rainy day or two. Perhaps a smarter or more arty person could get more out of it than I did as far as theme, but the rhythm of the words is its own pleasure apart from that.
Elevator Pitch: Seven stories about, in various ways, men without women. Contains the two stories which were adapted into Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 2021 movie DRIVE MY CAR.
The Good:
1. Murakami uses extremely simple prose which, rather than making the stories boring, gives them a hypnotic quality. The short, declarative sentences fall into a rhythm which drives the reader forward almost as if they were thrillers and not arty meditations on loss.
2. "Samsa in Love" is specifically a great story. This isn't a spoiler, as the premise is obvious once you start reading it, but he takes Kafka's most famous story and wonders, "What if Gregor changed back to a human?"
3. I love the basic structure of many of Murakami's stories. Something about the basic summary "I once knew a person who told me a story about themselves" fascinates me. It feels almost magical somehow, especially when you notice it recurring. And then you realize that's who Murakami is to you, the reader, and you could easily say, "I once knew a writer who told me a story about himself," even though the stories are fictional. I'm not sure if that makes sense. (A line Murakami includes in almost every story.) His stories tend to feel meta somehow, and in a non-annoying way, which is very hard to do.
The Bad
1. I really don't think I understand any of these stories. I love the way they're put together and the characters, but if I were to try to tell you what, they're about and what they mean, I would come off like a bumbling idiot. I don't think that's a flaw with the writing necessarily, but it hurts my experience some.
2. After a while, it does become tiresome how much of Murakami's writing centers around relationships and sex, especially in stories where his narrators exhibit an odd sort of sexism that crops up every now and then.
Overall: Not for everyone, but dreamlike and melancholy in a way that would perfectly fill a rainy day or two. Perhaps a smarter or more arty person could get more out of it than I did as far as theme, but the rhythm of the words is its own pleasure apart from that.
A classic Murakami, but without the weird. Well, not a lot of it. But if you consider random animals dropping into your house to visit you, or a story about eels or Samsa waking up to be a man instead of a cockroach as weird or wonder why folklore talks about a single unicorn, then I can't help you 😊
These short stories are well placed in the book like you'd conduct a symphony, starting with a simple one, taking it up a notch higher with each melody to build up the mood and to align to the theme of the book, and then mellowing down to leave you wanting for more.
The theme itself, Men without women, is a clear indication of the fact that the book is going to be about love and heartache, and Murakami handles the pain very well. None of the words are intense, the men feeling the pain go about their life normally and feel the pain in these everyday things they do and a few lucky ones realize one fine day that they are men without women.
All this made me almost-nostalgic for heartache, and that's when I realized this is classic Murakami, making you live the story he tells.
Read this book if you've loved Norwegian Wood. Read this if you enjoy stories about heart break. Read this if you are a romantic.
Don't read this if you want to know what the hype about Murakami is, coz you'll know the beauty of his prose only by living through brilliant-weird-world he weaves, not by reading his un-weird stories.
And I am fervently hoping someone would write a female version of this - Women without men. Not the feminazi version, or the chick-lit one, but the one that makes you want to listen to Tina Turner's 'Unbreak my heart' over and over again.
[If you have a subscription to NewYorker , you can find most of these stories in the archives. ]
These short stories are well placed in the book like you'd conduct a symphony, starting with a simple one, taking it up a notch higher with each melody to build up the mood and to align to the theme of the book, and then mellowing down to leave you wanting for more.
The theme itself, Men without women, is a clear indication of the fact that the book is going to be about love and heartache, and Murakami handles the pain very well. None of the words are intense, the men feeling the pain go about their life normally and feel the pain in these everyday things they do and a few lucky ones realize one fine day that they are men without women.
All this made me almost-nostalgic for heartache, and that's when I realized this is classic Murakami, making you live the story he tells.
Read this book if you've loved Norwegian Wood. Read this if you enjoy stories about heart break. Read this if you are a romantic.
Don't read this if you want to know what the hype about Murakami is, coz you'll know the beauty of his prose only by living through brilliant-weird-world he weaves, not by reading his un-weird stories.
And I am fervently hoping someone would write a female version of this - Women without men. Not the feminazi version, or the chick-lit one, but the one that makes you want to listen to Tina Turner's 'Unbreak my heart' over and over again.
[If you have a subscription to NewYorker , you can find most of these stories in the archives. ]
Solid 3.5
I have always wanted to read one of Haruki Murakami's books. However, I have commitment issues and I could not commit to those long reads- especially if I wasn't familiar with the author. It is with this in mind that I jumped at the opportunity to devour this short story collection- needless to say I am 85% convinced I would enjoy a long read from Murakami.
I always have a problem with short stories- that being, the are too short and I always crave that the author write a novel so I can have more of the characters. However, there was a fine balance here, I felt Murakami told well round stories in the short format and for the most part I wasn't left wanting more. Yes, there are a few I thoroughly enjoyed and the rest I could have done without, however, a great collection overall.
I have always wanted to read one of Haruki Murakami's books. However, I have commitment issues and I could not commit to those long reads- especially if I wasn't familiar with the author. It is with this in mind that I jumped at the opportunity to devour this short story collection- needless to say I am 85% convinced I would enjoy a long read from Murakami.
I always have a problem with short stories- that being, the are too short and I always crave that the author write a novel so I can have more of the characters. However, there was a fine balance here, I felt Murakami told well round stories in the short format and for the most part I wasn't left wanting more. Yes, there are a few I thoroughly enjoyed and the rest I could have done without, however, a great collection overall.
Death, infidelity, inattention, inexperience, disinterest: these are just some of the ways a relationship can end. The men in this collection of Murakami short stories find themselves in these failed relationships, and most are resigned to never improving their plight. Some go so far as to blame the “crafty sailors” of the world for “carrying their women off to Marseilles or the Ivory Coast. And there’s nothing we can do about it.” This fatalism is paired with plenty of Murakami’s weird visions: the insect that took over The Metamorphosis’ Gregor Samsa’s body first experiences as man, a bar owner with an establishment cursed by snakes, a man confined to his home receiving visits from a woman telling stories of unrequited love. Like much of Murakami’s work, music is entwined throughout, particularly references to 60s rock (stories titled “Yesterday” and “Drive My Car”, and thoughts on the best music to listen to while driving) and jazz (spun on vinyl by the bar owner). His characters make twisted observations while questioning their life choices: “In a concentration camp, Pinot Noir, amateur piano performances, and sparkling conversation skills would be totally useless”. Like most Murakami stories, these moments of sharp wit are balanced by quiet observations like staying sane by “working on the little things as dutifully and honestly as we can”. Short stories like these give Murakami a lot of room to get weird without having to support a concept through a full novel.
Murakami bingo. Samsa in Love rips but not every other story reaches those heights. it's a cool collection but there's nothing horny here that Murakami hasn't written before
I heard Haruki Murakami's name when I was in 8th grade. I remember reading Norwegian wood and Kafka on The Shore with so much fun. So, when I bought 'Men without Women', I was actually expecting a lot. But unfortunately this book didn’t live up to my expectation.
.
This book tells us stories about 7 men and how lonely their life is without a woman.When you first hear the plot a little bit, It sounds great. But If you start reading it, you will be realizing a few things. The book starts with a really sexist joke.And that's where everything goes downhill.
.
This book did tell us about 7 men who are lonely. But not in a "I-have-no-one-to-talk-to" or "I-have-no one-to -spend-time-with" kind of lonely. But in a "I-have-no-one-to-have-to-fulfil-my-physical-desire" kind of way. I mean, a man need a woman only for that!!?? So, this book objectified women a lot which is why I really didn’t like this book. But Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore are really good. So, you can read those. But as far as it is about this one, then I will not recommend it to anyone.
.
This book tells us stories about 7 men and how lonely their life is without a woman.When you first hear the plot a little bit, It sounds great. But If you start reading it, you will be realizing a few things. The book starts with a really sexist joke.And that's where everything goes downhill.
.
This book did tell us about 7 men who are lonely. But not in a "I-have-no-one-to-talk-to" or "I-have-no one-to -spend-time-with" kind of lonely. But in a "I-have-no-one-to-have-to-fulfil-my-physical-desire" kind of way. I mean, a man need a woman only for that!!?? So, this book objectified women a lot which is why I really didn’t like this book. But Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore are really good. So, you can read those. But as far as it is about this one, then I will not recommend it to anyone.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not Murakami's best works, if I can be honest - or maybe I just set the wrong expectation. Beyond the stories themselves, the book triggers a lot of questions regarding my relationship with Haruki Murakami's past works. What was it that captivated me last time and why is it no longer here? The fantasy and surrealist elements remain vivid, but I felt...a lack of depth as I turned each page, hoping that I would find what I was looking for in the first place.
Reading this book made me feel like catching up with an old friend and finding out that you're now just strangers to each other. How time flies.
Reading this book made me feel like catching up with an old friend and finding out that you're now just strangers to each other. How time flies.
With the exception of Samsa in Love this could have been rated higher. I really really don’t like Samsa in Love, so it's not.
A solid collection of stories by Murakami. Most of these are straight fiction, but a couple are in his magical realism style. They all tend to be, as the title would suggest, stories from male points of view, and deal with their relationships with women. Of course, that could sum up the entirety of Murakami's work, but these are much shorter than his usual stories, so it's like his normal tales told in miniature. Whether or not you enjoy this will therefore depend on how much you like his novels. I'm a fan, so to me, it was a nice bit of Murakami. Not as satisfying as one of his epic tales, but still quite good.