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mquzama 's review for:
South of the Border, West of the Sun
by Haruki Murakami
Set in post-war Japan, the book takes you through the journey of the Hajime, the protagonist. Growing up, he had a seemingly once-in-a-lifetime connection with Shimamoto. However, after he moves cities they grew apart, but it is safe to say he never stopped thinking about her, trying to find her in every other relationship he formed. Now, he runs a successful Jazz Bar, is married, and has a beautiful family. So, when Shimamoto reappears, he is faced with a conundrum. Does he leave the life he has worked so hard to build for the one person that (supposedly) completes him? Is it too late? Are the consequences too grave? South of The Border, West of the Sun is a captivating tale of how all this unfolds.
What I loved about the book is that, unlike most stories of forbidden love, love triangles, and everything that falls within that subgenre, Murakami does not vilify Hajime’s wife. He lets you contend with the protagonist’s decisions and the conflicting emotions behind them. Does he really love his wife, or did he just settle? Should he have married the wife to begin with? Does he love Shimamoto or is this just a fondness for the past? What should Hajime do? Should he bear his unhappiness, or should he leave and follow his heart? Is he even unhappy? How absurd is it that he feels this way?
Apart from its wonderful exposition of the tensions between our understanding of the past and present, Murakami’s book is a moving discussion of loneliness, fear, and hurt. It is almost impossible to ignore the way Hajime’s actions also wreck him as he hurts those around him. Pain begetting more pain. Unlike what he thinks of himself, the book reflects how people are worse at hiding than we think. How our fears and lies colour both our actions and words. We are more ourselves than we would like to acknowledge.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Murakami did not just dip into the forbidden corners of love and companionship but also added a layer of mystery. That is how you get me hooked!
More Reviews: https://mquzama.substack.com/
What I loved about the book is that, unlike most stories of forbidden love, love triangles, and everything that falls within that subgenre, Murakami does not vilify Hajime’s wife. He lets you contend with the protagonist’s decisions and the conflicting emotions behind them. Does he really love his wife, or did he just settle? Should he have married the wife to begin with? Does he love Shimamoto or is this just a fondness for the past? What should Hajime do? Should he bear his unhappiness, or should he leave and follow his heart? Is he even unhappy? How absurd is it that he feels this way?
Apart from its wonderful exposition of the tensions between our understanding of the past and present, Murakami’s book is a moving discussion of loneliness, fear, and hurt. It is almost impossible to ignore the way Hajime’s actions also wreck him as he hurts those around him. Pain begetting more pain. Unlike what he thinks of himself, the book reflects how people are worse at hiding than we think. How our fears and lies colour both our actions and words. We are more ourselves than we would like to acknowledge.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Murakami did not just dip into the forbidden corners of love and companionship but also added a layer of mystery. That is how you get me hooked!
More Reviews: https://mquzama.substack.com/