Reviews

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

giulicale's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

grotesking's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

parallel lines walk together, so close to each other, so similar but never met.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

ikarilost's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

batmanbussy's review against another edition

3.0

3.5/5 i'm not a fan of Oedipus and INC3ST, enjoyed the intertwining stories and the cats tho and how it felt like a dream

elliyapanis25's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

youngthespian42's review against another edition

3.0

2.5 rounded up to a 3. The language in this novel is truly moving at times but the magical realism stuff just kinda happens? Also there a lot of sexual content that is really bizzare and feels shoe horned in for no reason. I listened on audio so it was easy to speed up and not focus on parts that dragged but overall the experience was enjoyable. I think if I had been reading it I might have put it down due to the tedium of it all.

rthpr's review against another edition

This book was just too much, I got to the point where

Johnny walker is killing the cats

and I just had to put it down. Too weird for me, and too graphic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Sexual content

pc953's review against another edition

4.0

Kafka on the Shore was my first foray into the works of Haruki Murakami. I have been wanting to the area some of his works for years now and this seemed like the best place to start.

The best way I can describe the book is the feeling of being half awake and half dreaming. Not everything makes sense unless you give into the dream. This book takes you deep into a dream state in which the world doesn't make sense but that's okay.

I would say the book takes a while to get where it's going, but times not much of a factor here. There are parts of it, specifically those involving sex, that feel childish, but maybe that's just because the perspective matches the tone, and should I have read this book when I'm younger I'm sure I would have understood perfectly what he was trying to capture.

All in all, I'm glad I read this book, I wouldn't want to reread it but it left me wanting to explore his other works and get lost in another dream. Finally, as a bonus, it helped me appreciate some classical music such as the Archduke Trio, which was a lovely accompanimentto my reading.

hikikomorka's review against another edition

3.0

To moje drugie i ostatnie podejście do Murakamiego. Totalnie nie mój klimat.

sucharita's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0