malkiah 's review for:

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami
4.25
challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
 Reading *Men Without Women* feels like spending a night with a close friend, unfolding experiences with them. Murakami doesn’t rush his stories. They take their time, sweeping you off your feet somewhere along the way. The book comprises seven short stories that explore men grappling with loss, solitude, and the void left by women who are now absent from their lives. They start off heavy and direct, and become lighter and vaguer as the book progresses; allowing your melancholy to complete the experience.

The prose flows smoothly, but the stories leave you with more questions than answers. And maybe that’s the point. It feels like Murakami is trying to tell us that loneliness isn’t something to be solved or ignored but something to be understood and come to terms with. He describes the effects of loneliness and betrayal in its various forms, capturing the complexity of human lives and emotion. 

His writing is raw, at times heavy and vague; but within it lies this beauty and charm allowing you to feel its soul- pristine. 

I encourage everyone to pick up this book atleast once, even if you may feel that its not something you'd enjoy and read it with an open mind. Its truly one of a kind :) 
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