This book by Haruki Murakami is such a good read. So much so that I couldn’t get my hands off it the minute I started. Even after I’m finished with the book, I’m still lingering over the story and some of the words.
Let me warn you however that this is an extremely kooky story. Nothing is straightforward in this metaphysical tale where cats talk, fish fall from the sky, memories are frozen in time and spirits slip out of their bodies to kill and make love. Some bits of the story are even ludicrous although I find them highly entertaining. I’ve got to hand it to Murakami who is able to dissect the human emotions in detail, using hallucinations, surrealities, dreams and telling it all in a cross cutting fashion.
No detail reviews here. If you like, you can read it at Metacritic. I’ve finished the book, but I don’t really get all of it in. But it’s okay. This is the kind of story that has to be read with some imagination. What I really like about it is that there’s a bit of everyone in the story. The wounded, the eccentric, the oddball, the damaged, the cursed, the unusual, the living and the dead. All making up for lost time. Ah yes, I can identify with some of these very closely too.
I am so elated to be acquainted with this excellent Japanese storyteller. After Milan Kundera, this is probably the next author whose books I’m going to devour with passion. It’s now my mission to hunt down all of his books and savour them in record time!
I have seen quite a few recommendations for this book already. I am going to have to get my hands on a copy.
Comment by Loong — Mon, 3 Apr 2006 @ 5:48 pm
It’s great you can find time to read. I used to read quite a bit but after becoming a mother, I hardly read books anymore because it’s hard to do anything without being interrupted every couple of minutes. It sometimes takes me half a day to finish reading the papers!
Comment by fuzzoo — Mon, 3 Apr 2006 @ 9:17 pm
I’m one who prefers non-fiction to fiction.. what more if it needs a lot of imagination.. I won’t have that kind of creativity to ‘imagine’
Comment by zara's mama — Mon, 3 Apr 2006 @ 11:19 pm
I have been debating whether to get this book for eons! Somehow the first two pages did not engage me enough so I have been putting it on hold. Going by your recommendation, maybe I give it a shot this time.
There are many books by Murakami that are highly recommended. It would be another long marathon to cover all.
Comment by domestic rat — Tue, 4 Apr 2006 @ 10:41 am
Yeah, I read that this isn’t his best so I’m eager to read his others, especially The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Some found Kafka too quirky but I love it.
Comment by sesame — Tue, 4 Apr 2006 @ 11:26 am
It’s been on my to read list. But I’m too distracted by fashion mags
My brain is rotting away.
Comment by the diva — Tue, 4 Apr 2006 @ 10:54 pm