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koreanlinda's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I knew going in that the stories written by Haruki Murakami were sad, but this was deeper than sadness. In my view, the central theme in his novels is a sense of emptiness. Life is mostly mundane, purposeless, and boring. We are too scared to acknowledge and express our innate desire to connect with others. When we attempt at it, we often fail.
On the other hand, I felt bitter around the protagonists because they didn't seem to have real struggles such as childhood trauma or financial troubles. I can easily dismiss them as privileged brats. However, if one of the purposes of reading books is to understand people's experiences that differ from mine, this book hit the right point for me. It makes sense because the protagonists are cis straight Japanese men in their 20s living in Japan with comfortable incomes. I never lived such a life.
Everyone lives a different life. If these men are having a hard time with their lives, I can't deny or invalidate it. One thing that I could not figure out until the end was the meaning behind the twins. Why twins? Just for exoticism? If not, did they symbolize something? I am used to Murakami using nameless flat female characters as props to advance plots, but the use of twins added an enigma to my reading.
Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in June 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda
On the other hand, I felt bitter around the protagonists because they didn't seem to have real struggles such as childhood trauma or financial troubles. I can easily dismiss them as privileged brats. However, if one of the purposes of reading books is to understand people's experiences that differ from mine, this book hit the right point for me. It makes sense because the protagonists are cis straight Japanese men in their 20s living in Japan with comfortable incomes. I never lived such a life.
Everyone lives a different life. If these men are having a hard time with their lives, I can't deny or invalidate it. One thing that I could not figure out until the end was the meaning behind the twins. Why twins? Just for exoticism? If not, did they symbolize something? I am used to Murakami using nameless flat female characters as props to advance plots, but the use of twins added an enigma to my reading.
Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in June 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism
chantal18's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual content