Train Reads #1
March 23rd, 2007
I suddenly found myself speedreading, trying desperately to finish a chapter before the MRT came. With each chapter alternating between the personalities of Kafka and Nakata, and the impending intersection of their lives and unveiling of mysteries, I was once again immersed in the words of Haruki Murakami. A fan of his unfailing metaphors, Murakami had me at Norwegian Wood.
When I started reading Kafka on the Shore, I was a bit letdown. It was slow, it seemingly wasn’t as compelling as his other works. But as the hodgepodge of magical realism, talking cats, military reports and absurd characters (think Johnny Walker and Colonel Sanders) slowly unfolded into the parallel events in the lives of a young boy and a simpleton, with a dash of the philosophical skimming the surface of reason, I suddenly found myself turning page after page, in a cadence similar to Kafka’s relentless foray into the woods.
After finishing the book, one couldn’t help but think of the randomness of events, that when made sense of, form the cohesive storyline of your life.
Read the real reviews here.
Above image is from Amazon.com.
Popularity: 15% [?]
March 27th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Hi! I’ve read many books of Haruki Murakami (all his books that our biggest province library has in the deep archives, to be exactly). Before my visit Japan I didn’t interest in Japanese literature so much. But afterwards - a lot. I still remember that nice time with his books - every evening I was immersed in the mystic world of Haruki sometimes loosing the sence of time.
Someone find his books too unreal, someone too fascinating the others too odd. The question here is to recommend this book to read or not, I would rather say “yes” you should try it maybe it fits you.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Hey Zhake. Yes, I would definitely recommend it. What are the other books of Murakami’s that you’ve read?