Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami

338 reviews

hannxm's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Incest

Minor: Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

wheatsquares33's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

Note: I listened to about the first 60% as an audiobook (which was very well done!), but then I realized that I could read it faster than I'd listen to it, so I bought it physically and read the rest. 

Very good book, there's a lot a lot to unpack here. Murakami says that it requires multiple readings, and yeah it's very that.

More than anything, it's a very surreal story. And in a way that I very much enjoy, I love stories that throw everything at the wall--some things symbolically, some just for fun. It's very cool.

I finished the book satisfied, but there are still some questions I need to answer, and I'm fine with that.

Even without the more esoteric content, this was a very enjoyable listen/read. I love Nakata and Hoshino and Oshima, all great characters. It's just a good coming of age story at its core, and there's a lot to dig into alongside that. 

Some moments like the uh Johnny Walker cat chapter and some of the sex stuff are unpleasant and a bit excessive. But it does all kinda contribute to the flow of the story?

So hang pretty baller book. Will probably read again someday

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, and Rape

barkfreely's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.75

I nearly threw up on the tram while reading this book because of the cat section (iykyk). Horrific, still affected me the second time - and haunts me even years later. Well written in Murakami's typical minimal and yet equally detailed, descriptive style. You can visualise what's happening - the world is paved very meticulously. Very interesting, wild and tumultuous narrative; it draws you in. Made my skin crawl at points; times where I hated to see the ideas but couldn't stop. 

Humans being human, emotional, illogical and impulsive, violent, caring and gentle - even within the backdrop of unexplained phenomenon. Classic Murakami.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, and Sexual assault

sushcore's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

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.

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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

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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

noeul's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death and Emotional abuse

Minor: War

cheynanigans's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Incest

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death

emma_succubus's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Murakami's books are always a convoluted mess that leave you a bit like you just had a very realistic dream. This book is no different and leaves you a bit lost in the end. I think a very appropriate way to end this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pedophilia and Blood

Minor: Death of parent and War