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adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book reminds me of an ongoing spiral into otherworldly states. I still cannot fully comprehend what I have read, but I can see everything before my eyes and feel as though I have witnessed a masterpiece. Evidently, Murakami understands the broadness of art, including music, as a way to bring about mood and atmosphere into situations. I still can’t put my finger on it. Yes, it was somewhat boring at times, but the absurdism and surrealism pulled me back, making me want to read on for longer. I can, however, understand why there are people who do not like this book. It’s strange, somewhat gross and some bits are challenging to read. However, that is what makes this book stand out from the rest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, Murder
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Não sou uma pessoa do realismo-fantástico, porque gosto quando as coisas fazem sentido e se interligam no universo onde decorrem. Só li outro livro de Murakami - After Dark - que é ligeiramente diferente do que ele costuma escrever, deste modo, achei que não ia gostar muito do livro. Aliás, em várias passagens não gostei do livro. É sempre difícil ler sobre abuso sexual e animais torturados.
Contudo, ao virar a última página do livro e sem ter respostas para o que quer que seja, veio-me à cabeça o quanto gostei de conhecer algumas componentes importantes da cultura japonesa e a forma como são exploradas: a sombra e o espírito.
"Nos sonhos começa a responsabilidade". A forma como na história as personagens são enfrentadas com os seus segredos e demónios mais profundos, como são obrigadas a cumprir o seu destino - a responsabilizarem-se por ele - para poderem encontrar a paz - a sua metade, a sua sombra, sossegar o espírito que nasce da escuridão.
"A felicidade é uma alegoria; a infelicidade uma saga."
Este livro merece uma segunda leitura, uma vez que a primeira não dá para absorver e pensar em tudo. Algumas reflexões às vezes pareciam atiradas para as páginas, mas não deixam de ser relevantes.
Também tenho algumas coisas a apontar sobre a escrita de Murakami - nomeadamente descrições de certas personagens e o seu papel -, mas penso que preciso de ler um pouco mais dele para poder tecer uma opinião mais concreta.
Contudo, ao virar a última página do livro e sem ter respostas para o que quer que seja, veio-me à cabeça o quanto gostei de conhecer algumas componentes importantes da cultura japonesa e a forma como são exploradas: a sombra e o espírito.
"Nos sonhos começa a responsabilidade". A forma como na história as personagens são enfrentadas com os seus segredos e demónios mais profundos, como são obrigadas a cumprir o seu destino - a responsabilizarem-se por ele - para poderem encontrar a paz - a sua metade, a sua sombra, sossegar o espírito que nasce da escuridão.
"A felicidade é uma alegoria; a infelicidade uma saga."
Este livro merece uma segunda leitura, uma vez que a primeira não dá para absorver e pensar em tudo. Algumas reflexões às vezes pareciam atiradas para as páginas, mas não deixam de ser relevantes.
Também tenho algumas coisas a apontar sobre a escrita de Murakami - nomeadamente descrições de certas personagens e o seu papel -, mas penso que preciso de ler um pouco mais dele para poder tecer uma opinião mais concreta.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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:
Yes
murakami having a trans man as a major character was not something i expected!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Murder
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Emotional abuse, War
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Incest
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, Murder
Minor: Rape
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Misogyny, Rape
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
halfway through and my thoughts are: i do not like the weird freudian oedipus shit going on. I groaned so hard when they mention Oedipus. The themes prior to that were so strong I was praying it wouldn’t go that way, but I was unfortunately correct.
Murakami’s writing style is amazingly enchanting and I love that about his books, but I feel that's whats kept me from not dropping this book. He’s able to draw you into such a vivid scene that feels like you're in a dream with his surrealism. It feels as if he tries too hard to incorporate the controversial aspects of humanity-which can be amazing when executed properly- in a way that just feels like someones repressed sexual urges being smeared all over the paper. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, it all feels almost like a bad dream. Hazy and murky, primal and bizarre. I understand the appeal of the story as a whole, it’s beautifully written at times and it does an amazing job of bringing everything to life despite how strange. I’ve never frowned so hard at a book than at a lengthy scene of a woman describing her sex dreams being moody from her period causing her to abuse her elementary students. like what was the point of that.
after finishing this, I have more questions than I had before. spent awhile just sitting there thinking. It has beautiful main themes regarding time and the passage of it and the way in which we each perceive the world. Oshima consistently repeats that everything is a metaphor, and I feel that's a main idea of the book. Everything that happens is a metaphor. I love the concept of Kafka being not only a lover from the past but something new, but I dislike the incest oedipus themes regarding it. I love the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but he really did not need to fulfill those prophecies.
Overall, I think I like it more than before, but there's just so much within that threw me off.
Nakata is an amazing character to me, but I'm still puzzled by what exactly his actions represent at times, I know it doesn't only represent HIM, but the symbolism of the impact of his actions onto other characters. I wish Murakami didn't butcher female characters when writing them, but I will give him credit for writing a trans character in a relatively tasteful manner compared to other writers in my opinion. Beautifully written at times, insanely immersive and just utterly bizarre. Meant to leave you confused and thinking.
Murakami’s writing style is amazingly enchanting and I love that about his books, but I feel that's whats kept me from not dropping this book. He’s able to draw you into such a vivid scene that feels like you're in a dream with his surrealism. It feels as if he tries too hard to incorporate the controversial aspects of humanity-which can be amazing when executed properly- in a way that just feels like someones repressed sexual urges being smeared all over the paper. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, it all feels almost like a bad dream. Hazy and murky, primal and bizarre. I understand the appeal of the story as a whole, it’s beautifully written at times and it does an amazing job of bringing everything to life despite how strange. I’ve never frowned so hard at a book than at a lengthy scene of a woman describing her sex dreams being moody from her period causing her to abuse her elementary students. like what was the point of that.
after finishing this, I have more questions than I had before. spent awhile just sitting there thinking. It has beautiful main themes regarding time and the passage of it and the way in which we each perceive the world. Oshima consistently repeats that everything is a metaphor, and I feel that's a main idea of the book. Everything that happens is a metaphor. I love the concept of Kafka being not only a lover from the past but something new, but I dislike the incest oedipus themes regarding it. I love the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but he really did not need to fulfill those prophecies.
Overall, I think I like it more than before, but there's just so much within that threw me off.
Nakata is an amazing character to me, but I'm still puzzled by what exactly his actions represent at times, I know it doesn't only represent HIM, but the symbolism of the impact of his actions onto other characters. I wish Murakami didn't butcher female characters when writing them, but I will give him credit for writing a trans character in a relatively tasteful manner compared to other writers in my opinion. Beautifully written at times, insanely immersive and just utterly bizarre. Meant to leave you confused and thinking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Blood
Minor: Child abuse, Grief, Death of parent
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest
Minor: Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism