Reviews

I was looking for a love story. Since this book is about an affair, I did not find it romantic. It capitvated me but I found the main character enraging.

julianiem19's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

halflois's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I think it’s well-known that H. Murakami tend to write women in a sexist, misogynist way, and I also know that affairs are somehow normalized in early japan. But it doesn’t make it grate on me any less. I am fond of his other books, but this one endlessly annoyed me. While it gave me a lot of reflective moments, and sure, the writing is great as always, but I still found Hajime insufferable.

bookswitharrah's review against another edition

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5.0

‘South of the Border, West of the Sun’ revolves around Hajime, he who was one of the few unusual 'only child' in a typical family of two or more siblings in Japan. He met Shimamoto, a girl who has polio and loves books & music - both commonly shared being an “only child”. They were unseparated till the age of twelve until Hajime’s family decided to move away. Hajime never got tired of thinking Shimamoto and gravely hoped to cross paths with her again – this longing greatly influenced his life and his relationship with women as he grows old. Of course, Shimamoto reappeared right before Hajime's eyes, stunningly ready to rock his life and marriage after twenty five years. Lies, excuses, betrayal escalated and Hajime desperately fell in love with Shimamoto in the process, he even decided to leave his wife and his two daughters to start a anew with her. Hajime and Shimamoto got away to his vacation home, spent the night together and exchanged promises but Shimamoto was gone the next day – her absence almost drive Hajime insane.

Okaaay! I’ll probably stop here, I can’t bring myself to continue describing more of what happened and the ending was – a total ‘wow’. The book quipped my interest of Hajime’s being an only child”, I was also an only child for almost twelve years before my brother came. After reading few chapters, I smelled disaster and was predetermined that Hajime and Shimamoto meet halfway in a twisted fate but the novel pinned me to the point that I felt Hajime’s emptiness, it was deep and painful. It was depressing enough that it got my mind wondering blank and lost for a while - a first for me. Hmm, the blurb in goodreads was a cheat! Put in pleasantly simple words yet a page turner – I felt cheated! Reading “South of the Border, West of the Wind” by Haruki Murakami on my kindle does not give myself justice. I cry.

samiradi's review against another edition

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2.0

Ich glaube meine Erwartungen waren vielleicht ein bisschen hoch oder es war einfach nicht das richtige Buch oder die richtige Sprache für mich.
Zu anfangs fand ich sehr leicht in die Geschichte. In der Mitte des Buches konnte ich mich gut auf die Erzählung einlassen und vor allem im letzten Drittel wurde es spannend. Hajims Gefühle waren wirklich nachvollziehbar auserzählt, allerdings fühlte ich mich niemals so wirklich ergriffen bzw. Wirkte das ganz auf mich sehr inszeniert. Die im Klappentext angeteaserte Erotik war im letzten Abschnitt des Textes spürbar und auch ganz gut und spannend, aber trotzdem wurden viele Dinge hierbei und in dem gesamten Roman zu oberflächlich angekratzt. Die Figuren, vor allem shimamoto, hatten schon ihre reizende Charakteristik & die Thematik (ich Spoiler nicht) ist ganz gut fantasiert, aber so eine tiefere Auseinandersetzung hätte mir auch gefallen.

Den Stil würde ich irgendwie als nüchtern emotional beschreiben. Eine recht schlichte aber gute Sprache. Gefällt mir ganz gut. Ist nicht mein letzter Murakami!

Laberrababer ich hoffe anderen gefällt es einfach mehr. Und wie ich sehe, scheint das ja der Fall zu sein :-)

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