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isathecowgirl 's review for:
Kafka on the Shore
by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have a lot of thoughts about this.
firstly, to state the obvious: I really really do not like how Murakami writes women. I’ve read two other books by him and didn’t love the way he wrote his female characters but this book in particular had me really annoyed with the female characters. They exist purely to be sexual objects for the male characters. Even the trans man character had his genitals referenced a lot. Women who express self autonomy become kind of a joke in the book, as seen with the two feminists who visit the library and are mocked by Oshina.
Next: the incest plot lines?? Why Kafka had to sleep with his mother and ‘sister’ was already a weird and icky plotline but then the rape scene of Sakura really was so ew.
With all that said (any wow is that a lot to say) - I did still enjoy the book. I really loved Nakata’s character and plot line, his chapters were my favorite to read and the magical realism was beautiful written.
Overall, I like Murakami as a writer, I enjoy his prose, the details he used to describe ordinary things, and how easy it is to get sucked into the world he builds. I just wish he would stop writing women! I’m fine with male authors just not writing women if they can’t make them as complex, self serving and autonomous as their male characters.
The book was a really interesting, dream like journey. It’s confusing, philosophical, wistful and has a lot of heart. It’s a good read - as long as you can get over the incest!
Next: the incest plot lines?? Why Kafka had to sleep with his mother and ‘sister’ was already a weird and icky plotline but then the rape scene of Sakura really was so ew.
With all that said (any wow is that a lot to say) - I did still enjoy the book. I really loved Nakata’s character and plot line, his chapters were my favorite to read and the magical realism was beautiful written.
Overall, I like Murakami as a writer, I enjoy his prose, the details he used to describe ordinary things, and how easy it is to get sucked into the world he builds. I just wish he would stop writing women! I’m fine with male authors just not writing women if they can’t make them as complex, self serving and autonomous as their male characters.
The book was a really interesting, dream like journey. It’s confusing, philosophical, wistful and has a lot of heart. It’s a good read - as long as you can get over the incest!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape