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nyky's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Lot of subtext about life in general in this novel. This would have been 5 stars except for 2 things: 1) lackluster ending, which I find is common to the coupler books of Murakami I've read. Everything is great until the ending and then it doesn't wrap up cleanly, thought that may be the point. 2) Weird sex stuff like ghost sex and rape. I don't know what the point of these weird and disturbing scenes are in Murakami's work but I think the book would be way better without.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
valjeanval's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I picked this one up at the library to celebrate Banned Books Month. I've read a bit of Murakami in the past, so I expected some weirdness, and I was right to expect it. This book is an Oedipal myth, and it gets very mythy with talking cats, personality displacement, and portals to pocket dimensions. I couldn't see the exact reason why it was banned, but probably statutory sex scenes with people who may be mother/son but it could also be the fact that it features a trans man who is particularly nuanced and treated like a human being by basically every character. You just never know with book banners.
My husband often asks me if I'm liking whatever I'm reading, and I often found that questions hard to answer with this one. This book is profoundly uncomfortable and occasionally horrific. It's also Murakami, so there's a great deal I probably need four or five re-reads to interpret. Did I like it? Kind of? When I wasn't horrified? It's hard to explain. I had similar feelings after 1Q84. I like reading Murakami, though, because it really makes my literary interpreter brain kick into gear. Even when I don't understand points of the story, I enjoy thinking about them and why they are there. This book made me think about Japanese civilians in WWII, Greek Mythology, classical music, poetry, libraries as memories, memories as libraries, why people help others, capitalism, philosophy, and lots more, so it felt worth my time. That said, definitely check out some trigger warnings before reading this one.
My husband often asks me if I'm liking whatever I'm reading, and I often found that questions hard to answer with this one. This book is profoundly uncomfortable and occasionally horrific. It's also Murakami, so there's a great deal I probably need four or five re-reads to interpret. Did I like it? Kind of? When I wasn't horrified? It's hard to explain. I had similar feelings after 1Q84. I like reading Murakami, though, because it really makes my literary interpreter brain kick into gear. Even when I don't understand points of the story, I enjoy thinking about them and why they are there. This book made me think about Japanese civilians in WWII, Greek Mythology, classical music, poetry, libraries as memories, memories as libraries, why people help others, capitalism, philosophy, and lots more, so it felt worth my time. That said, definitely check out some trigger warnings before reading this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Incest
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
booksense's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Murder
mishsofil's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Certain scenes were definitely an uncomfortable read, as expected with Murakami… Otherwise the pacing was quite good once i got into it, I liked jumping between the different stories and seeing them connect by the end!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Incest and Rape
bobbijo104's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, and Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
kdalton15's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Favorite Murakami by far. The characters, metaphysical and surrealism that is typical for Murakami shines.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Rape, and Abandonment
mdumler's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Not my style at all, really struggled to finish it, I was frequently uncomfortable in ways that I didn't really feel contributed to the story. Definitely should have done trigger warnings for animal abuse, murder, rape, and relations with a minor
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Murder
gracekuehn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Rape
ambivalentneb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My favorite book I’ve read thus far, at the start simple but it slowly gets more and more metaphysical until it’s confused and then it all just falls into place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Rape, Grief, and Murder
Minor: War
bitofadisgrace's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Listened to an audiobook so definitely missed out on some of the beauty of the prose. I can understand why many people loved this book, with it's philosophical explorations and the coming of age themes. It was a bit difficult and honestly boring to get through at certain points for me, and I feel like I'd have to re-read to really understand, but I don't really have any wish to at this point. Just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape