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clairescotia's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. Kind of felt like the origin story/precursor the Wind-Up Bird Chronicles
_so's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
cavemanking's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This was my first Murakami book so forgive me if my thoughts are a bit scattered. Still processing some stuff and I’m sure my views will expand or change once I read more of his works.
“An unnamed advertising executive receives a postcard from a friend and casually appropriates the image for an advertisement. What he doesn’t realize is that included in the scene is a mutant sheep with a star on its back, and in using this photo he has unwittingly captured the attention of a man who offers a menacing ultimatum: find the sheep or face dire consequences.”
This story is constantly walking a tightrope over destruction. If it had any more of any of the elements it has then it could’ve likely all fallen apart. It’s dreamy but not too dreamy. Funny but not too funny. Melancholic but not too melancholic. It exists comfortably as it is with all of these things coexisting inside of a conventional plot. Or what would be considered conventional if it were presented in a conventional presentation.
I was more familiar with the way the west views Magical Realism as a genre so reading this was a very refreshing perspective. I had no idea Murakami’s interpretation would involve so much in the realm of absurdism. Yes, Magical Realism usually has a bit of that but I tend to see the surreal overpower the reality. Here, though, the author seems to not be interested in getting you to confuse reality and the dream. Rather, he’s trying to get you to see the dream already existing in our reality. All it takes is one or two shakeups in the status quo for a person to see it. So the narrator may react to situations oddly or apathetic like you would in a dream, but it doesn’t necessarily make the situations themselves any less real. The beauty is still very much present and don’t let the dryness or periodic lulls in this story fool you. Parts of the story may seem apathetic to you at first but trust me when I say that this book has much more of a soul than anything I’ve seen resonate throughout a book in a while. The ending really shines in that regard.
Maybe I’ll add more to this review after I read some more of his other novels but I think it’s safe to say this story has gotten me interested in going further down the Murakami rabbit hole. Maybe I’ll see the Sheep Man there too.
“An unnamed advertising executive receives a postcard from a friend and casually appropriates the image for an advertisement. What he doesn’t realize is that included in the scene is a mutant sheep with a star on its back, and in using this photo he has unwittingly captured the attention of a man who offers a menacing ultimatum: find the sheep or face dire consequences.”
This story is constantly walking a tightrope over destruction. If it had any more of any of the elements it has then it could’ve likely all fallen apart. It’s dreamy but not too dreamy. Funny but not too funny. Melancholic but not too melancholic. It exists comfortably as it is with all of these things coexisting inside of a conventional plot. Or what would be considered conventional if it were presented in a conventional presentation.
I was more familiar with the way the west views Magical Realism as a genre so reading this was a very refreshing perspective. I had no idea Murakami’s interpretation would involve so much in the realm of absurdism. Yes, Magical Realism usually has a bit of that but I tend to see the surreal overpower the reality. Here, though, the author seems to not be interested in getting you to confuse reality and the dream. Rather, he’s trying to get you to see the dream already existing in our reality. All it takes is one or two shakeups in the status quo for a person to see it. So the narrator may react to situations oddly or apathetic like you would in a dream, but it doesn’t necessarily make the situations themselves any less real. The beauty is still very much present and don’t let the dryness or periodic lulls in this story fool you. Parts of the story may seem apathetic to you at first but trust me when I say that this book has much more of a soul than anything I’ve seen resonate throughout a book in a while. The ending really shines in that regard.
Maybe I’ll add more to this review after I read some more of his other novels but I think it’s safe to say this story has gotten me interested in going further down the Murakami rabbit hole. Maybe I’ll see the Sheep Man there too.
barbarajanna's review against another edition
4.0
I appreciated it, but it also made me feel rather sad.
annierscholes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sekiller's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
davechua's review against another edition
4.0
Early Murakami is far more interesting than his recent books. The narrator of the audiobook was irritating, however, using American accents for numerous characters.
fergoose_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
murakami makes reading a an absolute pleasure rather than other writers (garcia marquez i’m looking at you) who make it a chore
kelly_jeanne's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0