Reviews

Przygoda z owcą by Haruki Murakami, Anna Zielińska-Elliott

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alisarae's review against another edition

Uhhh this book is so weird. I liked it more than the first two books in the Rat series, but another reviewer said it best: reading Murakami is like having a dream, and writing a review about it is like trying to tell someone about a dream.

irxren's review against another edition

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2.0

A Wild Sheep Chase takes readers on a trippy journey that blends elements of a detective story, mythology, fantasy, and philosophy. While it can be enjoyed on a surface level as a fable, a closer look reveals a rich allegory. The symbolic nature of "the sheep" could be seen as a reflection of post-war Japan. Simultaneously, the protagonist's pursuit of the sheep becomes a quest for self-discovery, exploring his emotions and the meaning of his existence. Murakami excels in portraying alienation, a theme that resonates with me personally.

Yet, despite my appreciation for these themes, I found myself grappling with confusion throughout the book. I couldn't shake off this constant feeling of confusion. It was like navigating through a fever dream that made absolutely no sense. I found it hard to stay engaged because the writing often felt dragged out and rambled on.

bbrassfield's review against another edition

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4.0

Somehow in my first time through the fantastic novels of Haruki Murakami I missed Dance Dance Dance and when I realized it was related to A Wild Sheep Chase, my aging memory being what it is (read: bad) made it necessary for a re-read of Sheep Chase. This early Murakami novel is not one of my favorites and yet it is still fantastic. Murakami is just that good of a storyteller. His fictional creations never cease to amaze me. What other writer is going to write a scene where a sheep asks to come inside and possess another's body and mind? A sheep. Exactly. I feel like I'll need to revisit these thoughts after I've read Dance Dance Dance since the main protagonist's journey is not yet finished.

November 2016: After reading Murakami's earliest novels in Wind/Pinball last year and getting to read about younger versions of the Rat, J and the protagonist of A Wild Sheep Chase, I decided to read Sheep Chase for the third time. I have to say the magic at play in this novel is even more magical for having read Wind/Pinball. It makes sense given that Sheep Chase is a continuation of the characters and their stories that Murakami first begins in his two earliest novels. I love passages in the Dolphin Hotel where the unnamed protagonist and his girlfriend interview the wonderfully crazy Sheep Professor before they make their way to the cabin where they hope to find the Rat. The story of the Sheep who possesses people to its own ends, seemingly nefarious, grows even more interesting with time, at least to this reader. And of course the Rat is the ultimate hero of the tale as he thwarts the plans of the possessive Sheep demon, or whatever supernatural entity it might be. I have this feeling that the Sheep might represent the horrors of war and of Japan's past, but I have yet to do any scholarly reading in regards to Sheep Chase, but we see Murakami visit these themes in his amazing novel Wind-up Bird Chronicle. To sum, reading Murakami is always such a joy.

vermiglio's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

jessiedev's review against another edition

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5.0

Tied for current favorite with Hardboiled Wonderland.

acmarinho3's review against another edition

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4.0

Gosto sempre de ler Murakami. Os seus livros são sempre obras que me agradam, despertam e aconchegam. São sempre uma viagem bonita. Não considero dos seus melhores livros - mesmo assim não desiludiu.