Reviews - Kafka on the Shore

12.7k reviews for:

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami

4.03 AVERAGE

jess_eve's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

pancoke's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense 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

nerd_alert's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

phoebemei's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-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

brockseng's review against another edition

4.0

While not as good as 1Q84, it was still a fantastic read. Murakami has quickly become a favorite of mine.

siljaaghhh's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

emillie_parrish's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I considered reading Murakami's latest novel, then read a review suggesting that it was typical Murakami, except longer and slower. Despite having read a lot of Murakami's recent novels, I realized I hadn't read his most famous works.

Kafka on the Shore is still incredibly poignant despite having come out in 2002. It is an exploration of identity, understanding, love, and loss. It is about making choices, being responsible for our actions, and doing what is required even when it's difficult.

Content Warnings

anamcrc's review against another edition

4.0

I found this book incredibly interesting in many ways. Murakami explores many themes: rite of passage, forbidden romance, the concept of gender, omens, spirits and the signification of dreams — to name a few. I felt a bit underwhelmed by the concluding chapters, which is why I give it four stars. By the end of the novel, I felt like I knew some of these characters so intimately that their “conclusions” seem “insufficient” but that might also be the beauty of the prose as it leaves certain elements to the imagination of the reader. To each their own! Still an excellent book and very well written.

laurazz's review against another edition

3.0

Comecei gostando muito, mas depois de certo ponto o livro me perdeu. Tenho vontade de reler futuramente

noachifer's review against another edition

4.0

mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Really weird.

More...