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alisarae's review against another edition
One of my fave Murakami novels. Don’t believe the haters. The first 75% is really slow, but not uninteresting. Then there is a part that is surreal, and I dislike surrealism, but it doesn’t last long. The ending is lovely.
borjabilbao's review
3.0
La realidad es que el libro me ha gustado mucho. Pierde dos estrellas por
a) La decisión de la editorial de dividir en dos el libro. Y encima me he dado cuenta que en inglés lo han sacado en un único tomo.
b) Que Murakami se pase la mitad del texto volviendo una y otra vez sobre los mismos temas. Que cansino.
a) La decisión de la editorial de dividir en dos el libro. Y encima me he dado cuenta que en inglés lo han sacado en un único tomo.
b) Que Murakami se pase la mitad del texto volviendo una y otra vez sobre los mismos temas. Que cansino.
samyuuu's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
3.75
justin311's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bbrassfield's review against another edition
4.0
This novel is a rare case of something I felt I couldn't write about inititally, hence just a rating on goodreads. Killing Commendatore is a masterwork to be sure and the most meta of his fictional works as he really gets into ideas and perception in creative ways with the characters. It's pretty incredible all things considered in that you find some familiar Murakami themes but he's also branching off into new territory in terms of character creation and main plot devices.
The Commendatore in the title is a character in a painting titled Killing Commendatore and also an Idea that becomes a character in the main plot when this Idea suddenly appears to our main protagonist. This device allows Murakami to take the story into new terriotry, both literally and metaphorically and mostly it all comes together nicely.
Our main character is a portrait painter who after his wife asks for a divorce leaves Tokyo and takes up residence in the rural mountain home of a famous painter now confined to a nursing home. Shortly after taking up residence, the portrait painter finds a wrapped work in the attic that turns out to be the painting in the title. Our portrait painter is mesmerized by this masterwork and takes it out of the attic and displays it in the studio where he works. All sorts of interesting events follow.
My favorite character in the story is Mr. Menshiki, whose character name represents the 'absence of color.' Now this is where a better understanding of Japanese would help but the English translation gets enough of the essence here to build this fascinating character.
There is one particularly haunting scene where the young girl who may be his daughter has snuck into Menshiki's giant house only to become trapped inside when she fails to leave before he returns. At one point she is hiding in the closet of a room that is a time capsule, frozen in dedication to the girl's mother. As Mariye hides in the closet something that is and is not Menshiki stands just outside the door for an indefinite amount of time. The suspense in this scene is killer and Mariye only learns from the Commendatore that what was out there was only partly Menshiki. Like the Man in the White Subaru Forester, a painting begun by our protagnoist but not finished, we never learn exactly what Menshiki is and to me that is part of the brilliance of Murakami.
As with most of Murakmi, the reader is also treated to wonderful writing about classical music and food. When it comes to describing food, Murakami is the opposite of George R.R. Martin and describes just enough to set the mood (and make you hungry). Martin will tell you down to the original atom the origin of the meal. In Killing Commendatore, Mozart's Don Giovanni plays a key role in such a way that led me anew to appreicate the late composer's masterwork.
While this is not my favorite Murakami, at least not until I read it a second time, KC is a powerful work of fiction that has much to say about ideas, perceptions and human relations, both real and imagined. Not to be missed.
The Commendatore in the title is a character in a painting titled Killing Commendatore and also an Idea that becomes a character in the main plot when this Idea suddenly appears to our main protagonist. This device allows Murakami to take the story into new terriotry, both literally and metaphorically and mostly it all comes together nicely.
Our main character is a portrait painter who after his wife asks for a divorce leaves Tokyo and takes up residence in the rural mountain home of a famous painter now confined to a nursing home. Shortly after taking up residence, the portrait painter finds a wrapped work in the attic that turns out to be the painting in the title. Our portrait painter is mesmerized by this masterwork and takes it out of the attic and displays it in the studio where he works. All sorts of interesting events follow.
My favorite character in the story is Mr. Menshiki, whose character name represents the 'absence of color.' Now this is where a better understanding of Japanese would help but the English translation gets enough of the essence here to build this fascinating character.
There is one particularly haunting scene where the young girl who may be his daughter has snuck into Menshiki's giant house only to become trapped inside when she fails to leave before he returns. At one point she is hiding in the closet of a room that is a time capsule, frozen in dedication to the girl's mother. As Mariye hides in the closet something that is and is not Menshiki stands just outside the door for an indefinite amount of time. The suspense in this scene is killer and Mariye only learns from the Commendatore that what was out there was only partly Menshiki. Like the Man in the White Subaru Forester, a painting begun by our protagnoist but not finished, we never learn exactly what Menshiki is and to me that is part of the brilliance of Murakami.
As with most of Murakmi, the reader is also treated to wonderful writing about classical music and food. When it comes to describing food, Murakami is the opposite of George R.R. Martin and describes just enough to set the mood (and make you hungry). Martin will tell you down to the original atom the origin of the meal. In Killing Commendatore, Mozart's Don Giovanni plays a key role in such a way that led me anew to appreicate the late composer's masterwork.
While this is not my favorite Murakami, at least not until I read it a second time, KC is a powerful work of fiction that has much to say about ideas, perceptions and human relations, both real and imagined. Not to be missed.
xcain's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bruinuclafan's review against another edition
4.0
Classic Murakami blurring the line between reality and supernatural just at the margins. Does not tie off all loose ends. Easy read. I don’t think we ever learn the main character’s name, but his personality is well developed. As is Menshiki’s. The Yuzu part of the story I found odd and not entirely believable.
sminismoni's review against another edition
3.0
So I would probably give this one 3.5 stars. It’s been a while since I last read Murakami, and certainly weird and cryptic are par for the course with his work, but this one was just a little bit too opaque. At the end of the day, there were too many unanswered questions and the point of the whole thing was obscure. On the plus side, Murakami writes beautifully as always, and his use of motifs and images is accomplished. The colour white crops up again and again, as do tunnels, holes, crevices, caves and darkness. Pregnancy, paternity and the process of birth are referenced, as is death, loss and re-incarnation. As for the negatives, well, it was very slow. The novel moved along at a snail’s pace. The 13 year-old girl’s preoccupation with her breasts was over-done and unrealistic; clearly written by a man. And as mentioned, there were too many loose ends when the novel finished. I wondered what the general mystery about Menshiki actually was; it was constantly alluded to but never resolved. And why the whole back story of the artist Tomohiko Amada (including the suicide of his brother) was all that important – other than being the impetus for the painting in the attic. So, somewhat frustrating and very, very slow.
laura1laura2's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
danangj's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25