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dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence
Moderate: Incest, Blood, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This has to be one of the oddest books I have read in a long time. With that being said, the philosophical nature wrapped in a sometimes extremely awkward coming of age story is a nice intellectual twist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Incest, Rape, Blood, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Read the content warnings! I don't usually, since I don't have any strong triggers, but holy smokes I probably would've skipped this book if I looked at that first.
I generally like weird, absurdist, existential stories, but this one was simultaneously too weird and not weird enough. There are so many horrible things thrown in (graphic animal cruelty, incest, sexual assault, murder, etc) that it was distracting from the plot, which was otherwise fairly linear. They took away from the storyline, IMO. I liked the absurdity, but it was overshadowed by the incessant depictions of incest and pedophilia.
There are two concurrent storylines that overlap, despite the characters' paths never crossing. It felt a bit like reading two books at the same time.
It was well written, just not for me.
I generally like weird, absurdist, existential stories, but this one was simultaneously too weird and not weird enough. There are so many horrible things thrown in (graphic animal cruelty, incest, sexual assault, murder, etc) that it was distracting from the plot, which was otherwise fairly linear. They took away from the storyline, IMO. I liked the absurdity, but it was overshadowed by the incessant depictions of incest and pedophilia.
There are two concurrent storylines that overlap, despite the characters' paths never crossing. It felt a bit like reading two books at the same time.
It was well written, just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, Dysphoria
Minor: War
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a book, after finishing which you are left wondering - why in the world I started reading this! I am not a fan of this sort of magical realism. I do not even call this magical realism. The whole book is extremely gloomy. And there are unnecessary and bizarre sexual scenes, which for once let’s say you ignore. But the story doesn’t lead anywhere, in the end it leaves you confused and wondering for answers with which the novel started! It is just one big gloomy book which you are better off not reading. This book is not for me.
I only gave this one 2 stars because of Nakata’s storyline.
This one truly disappointed me!
I only gave this one 2 stars because of Nakata’s storyline.
This one truly disappointed me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Violence
🤢🤢🤮 that’s how I felt about half of the book. I enjoyed Nakata’s storyline.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Possible incest
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Though I loved the sheer weirdness of this book, it was a little bit of a difficult read for me. I enjoyed the mystery and the room for the reader to interpret stuff themselves. Though I do think the very ambitious plotlines could have been brought together more coherently, and explained a little better.
I found the sexual scenes, especially the ones including the 15-year-old Kafka, extremely difficult to read. They felt unnecessary and very very wrong. Not a fan.
I did like the role of cats in this book, and Nakata was such a wonderful character! Just altogether a confusing and very mixed reading experience.
I found the sexual scenes, especially the ones including the 15-year-old Kafka, extremely difficult to read. They felt unnecessary and very very wrong. Not a fan.
I did like the role of cats in this book, and Nakata was such a wonderful character! Just altogether a confusing and very mixed reading experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
I really really enjoyed this book. I loved all of the characters, they all had their own struggles and all were working to overcome them - I especially liked the relationship between Hoshino and Nakata, which often had me laughing out loud, giving a nice break from the heavier story of Kafka.
The Oedipus stuff and sex scenes were of course uncomfortable, which is why I docked the score down from 5 stars, but I understand this is a core part of Murakami’s writing and whilst I don’t understand it myself I’m sure someone much more literary-minded would be able to explain to me why it is that he writes about it.
Last note, loved the representation of a trans-character, and reference to non-binary!
The Oedipus stuff and sex scenes were of course uncomfortable, which is why I docked the score down from 5 stars, but I understand this is a core part of Murakami’s writing and whilst I don’t understand it myself I’m sure someone much more literary-minded would be able to explain to me why it is that he writes about it.
Last note, loved the representation of a trans-character, and reference to non-binary!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was a challenging read for me, but i did enjoy it. i do wish we could’ve seen at least a bit of interaction or the paths of kafka and nakata finally crossing. this was a dense book with a lot to unpack, and i almost wish i could’ve read it in a classroom setting with a teacher or professor guiding me through it to add to the reading experience. enjoyable read though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Moderate: Incest, Rape