Scan barcode
A review by kolyass
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
One of my favourite books of all time. 4.5/5 stars though, because Murakami can’t restrain himself from subtly hinting at sexual things with his underage female characters. Seriously dude, get a grip. This isn’t helping your story.
I think Kumiko is the female character with the most agency in Murakami’s signature plot structure. Which is:
- Boy falls in love with a girl
- Girl can’t reciprocate that love, is being consumed by something evil within her and leaves the relationship
- Boy tries to defeat that evil, usually fails
Kumiko was the one to end her own suffering. She dealt the final blow, not Toru. I liked the final battle. You really get a sense of the strength of their marriage through this kind of teamwork. They are a very likeable couple.
I think Kumiko is the female character with the most agency in Murakami’s signature plot structure. Which is:
- Boy falls in love with a girl
- Girl can’t reciprocate that love, is being consumed by something evil within her and leaves the relationship
- Boy tries to defeat that evil, usually fails
Kumiko was the one to end her own suffering. She dealt the final blow, not Toru. I liked the final battle. You really get a sense of the strength of their marriage through this kind of teamwork. They are a very likeable couple.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship