Scan barcode
travelling_bookworm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“As time goes on, you'll understand. What lasts, lasts; what doesn't, doesn't. Time solves most things. And what time can't solve, you have to solve yourself.”
---------------------------------
Another addition to my TBR list almost exactly a decade ago, I seem to have forgotten that Dance Dance Dance is the sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase. Now, it has also been an alarmingly long long time since I read that one, so the events in this book were even stranger and more dreamlike than a classic Murakami. The characters, the places all seemed faintly familiar, like staring through a thick mist. Just another layer on top of the Murakami dreamscape, I suppose.
This book, like many other Haruki Murakami stories, is cynical, mysterious and tense with a wry sense of humor and a poetic, chilling depth to its narration. However, what put it over some of the other books for me was that I listened to it as an audiobook ( a first for me for Murakami’s books). It was just perfectly done. Excellent narration that not only complimented the story itself, but made it even stronger.
My biggest and perhaps only problem with this book is how the main character talks about Yuki, a 13 year old girl. In fact, all women in this book are overly sexualised and seen through the most tedious male-gaze perspective possible. However, I find that Murakami’s early works all have this underlying problem which does get better over time (although there is still room for improvement). It does get distracting and distasteful at times, but I will overlook it in the grand context of the book, in contrast to its great narrative moments.
---------------------------------
Another addition to my TBR list almost exactly a decade ago, I seem to have forgotten that Dance Dance Dance is the sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase. Now, it has also been an alarmingly long long time since I read that one, so the events in this book were even stranger and more dreamlike than a classic Murakami. The characters, the places all seemed faintly familiar, like staring through a thick mist. Just another layer on top of the Murakami dreamscape, I suppose.
This book, like many other Haruki Murakami stories, is cynical, mysterious and tense with a wry sense of humor and a poetic, chilling depth to its narration. However, what put it over some of the other books for me was that I listened to it as an audiobook ( a first for me for Murakami’s books). It was just perfectly done. Excellent narration that not only complimented the story itself, but made it even stronger.
My biggest and perhaps only problem with this book is how the main character talks about Yuki, a 13 year old girl. In fact, all women in this book are overly sexualised and seen through the most tedious male-gaze perspective possible. However, I find that Murakami’s early works all have this underlying problem which does get better over time (although there is still room for improvement). It does get distracting and distasteful at times, but I will overlook it in the grand context of the book, in contrast to its great narrative moments.
usnebojemesa's review against another edition
5.0
never ceases to amaze me, even though I am finding some worrysome things in it, but alas
my 10th anniversary with one of my favorite books
my 10th anniversary with one of my favorite books
wojdeg's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
unaan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
drinkwater's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
anamslopes_'s review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
hardrockhope's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
althya's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
4.75
sir_luke_schande's review against another edition
4.0
Dieses Buch hat, wie von Murakami gewohnt, eine tolle Stimmung. Beim Lesen irritiert hingegen, dass er anfangs alles aus Wilde Schafsjagd vergessen zu haben scheint. Kikis Ohren tauchen erst nach der Hälfte, Ratte sogar erst nach dreiviertel des Buches auf. Yukis Ende wird ihr in meinen Augen nicht gerecht.
Trotzdem habe ich das Buch genossen. Murakami schafft es die Belanglosigkeit der meisten menschlichen Interaktionen deutlich zu machen. Dieses Buch mäandert scheinbar ziellos umher und es ist ein Vergnügen dabei zu sein.
Trotzdem habe ich das Buch genossen. Murakami schafft es die Belanglosigkeit der meisten menschlichen Interaktionen deutlich zu machen. Dieses Buch mäandert scheinbar ziellos umher und es ist ein Vergnügen dabei zu sein.
melodys_library's review against another edition
2.0
I trudged through 393 pages for what?
There’s a quote within this book that sums up exactly how I feel right now:
“They ought to have sealed the thing in a time capsule marked ‘Late 20th Century Mediocrity’ and buried it somewhere.”
There’s a quote within this book that sums up exactly how I feel right now:
“They ought to have sealed the thing in a time capsule marked ‘Late 20th Century Mediocrity’ and buried it somewhere.”