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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Was definitely a pleasant experience, but some passages felt a bit too... metaphysical.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Not sure I "got" it, I'm afraid. Really tried to like it though.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The storylines in this book were really engaging, but I had a really hard time with all of the sexism and misogyny. No female characters are ever developed outside of romantic/sexual relationships and they seem to only exist for male pleasure. The protagonist rapes a woman in a dream and while it’s named as rape it isn't ever be denounced and there is no accountability. Unfortunately, I think this is a pattern across Murakami's writing -- I tried to start reading another novel of his and couldn't get past the first chapter where the male narrator kept objectifying women. His work, overall, is a no from me.
“It's all a question of imagination. Our responsibility begins with the power to imagine”.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
One of the absolute best books I've ever read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the last time I’m going to say this is the last Murakami book I’m reading. You do not need to make every single character obsess over classical literature, western philosophy and Beethoven, it’s painfully pretentious mere name dropping references for the sake of it. Putting the strange incest and awful female characters aside, this one really just is bad. It tries to be philosophical and deep and meaningful which seems appealing at first and until you realise it’s just chatting absolute shit. I do think perhaps with these kinds of books it sounds beautiful in Japanese but the way he talks about metaphysical concepts and breaking boundaries of logic and reason sounds like it’s written by someone who reads philosophy in their own time Interpreting as their own but not having a clue about the arguments themselves. If you want to read Murakami just read After Dark and move on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual content
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Violence