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maisydaisymo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kmr2209's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bluereen's review against another edition
3.0
“Our lives are like a complex musical score, … It's next to impossible to correctly interpret these, and even if you could, … there's no guarantee that people would correctly understand, or appreciate, the meaning therein…. Why must the workings of people's lives be so convoluted?”
***
My first book for 2024! It’s classic Murakami where you have this lonely male protagonist and a woman he finds himself obsessed with. Tsukuru’s introspection takes the fore as Murakami carefully weaves his feelings of loss and trauma together with the inner workings of classical music. It is a journey of friendship, healing— but mostly the protagonist’s mundane life and how he comes to terms with his past. I thought the reference to the title was apt and cleverly introduced in the book.
***
My first book for 2024! It’s classic Murakami where you have this lonely male protagonist and a woman he finds himself obsessed with. Tsukuru’s introspection takes the fore as Murakami carefully weaves his feelings of loss and trauma together with the inner workings of classical music. It is a journey of friendship, healing— but mostly the protagonist’s mundane life and how he comes to terms with his past. I thought the reference to the title was apt and cleverly introduced in the book.
alisarae's review against another edition
3.0
I was fundamentally disappointed with the plot mostly because I don't have any vested interest in lingering on past relationships gone askew, but all the other Murakami hallmarks were there to redeem it. The linguistic style is smooth and calculated, the pace moves in a contemplative and careful manner, and as always, it gave me a desire to go live in Japan and be an introspective, clean, reserved, polite person. And listen to records and pet cats.
It's no 1Q84, but I haven't given up on beloved Murakami yet!
Full review on Papercuttts.
It's no 1Q84, but I haven't given up on beloved Murakami yet!
Full review on Papercuttts.
spaghedward's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
schwimfan's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spiritlesscatalyst's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bbrassfield's review against another edition
5.0
Reading a Murakami novel is one of life's simple but great pleasures and Colorless Tsukuru is no exception. Throughout this book reminded me of his earlier South of the Border, West of the Sun (and to a lesser extent the beautiful Norwegian Wood) in that there is a tone of deep melancholy that runs through the story as we find Tsukuru in the present deeply scared from events in his adolescence that he scarce understands. It is only at the behest of a girl he cares deeply about that he decides to go in search of answers by revisiting those once closest to him from his past, for the first time in sixteen years. What follows is a voyage of discovery that will see Tsukuru journey from Tokyo to his hometown of Nagoya and then on to Finland. What he discovers is both heartbreaking and liberating, both for the character and for the reader. Along the way we are treated to some wonderful reflections on swimming (as a swimmer myself I really enjoy these) and the ephemeral nature of life, death and time itself. The name Tsukuru translates to build things or to create and in our story Tsukuru is an engineer who builds train stations and one of my favorite passages finds Tsukuru going to Shinjuku Station just to watch the whole thing function with the precision of a well-made timepiece. This passage made me wish we had a rail system in the US that could rival that of Shinjuku Station and others, not to mention a comprehensive rail system throughout the country that would make travel much easier for those who choose not to or cannot afford a car. I'm guessing Japan doesn't have the number of politicians bought and paid for by the oil and auto industry as we do here in the States, but I digress. As with all of Murakami's work, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is not to be missed.
annierscholes's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-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? Yes
5.0