A review by aisclaradm
Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is surreal, confusing, and beautiful. I absolutely adore the writing style, and much preferred it to the other Murakami book I have read, Norwegian Wood. The strangeness of the story is done so well, and the different characters and their perspectives all add such a different flavour to the overall narrative. Admittedly, I have been left confused by many details of what actually happened during the book, but I feel that that’s half of the experience, and I’ll spend some time really thinking it through to figure it out.
Overall, an amazing book that would have deserved a full 5 stars, except that the way that women are written is absolutely vile — I have never seen a clearer example of rabid sexual objectification in such an unnecessary, uncomfortable, and graphic way.
Overall, an amazing book that would have deserved a full 5 stars, except that the way that women are written is absolutely vile — I have never seen a clearer example of rabid sexual objectification in such an unnecessary, uncomfortable, and graphic way.
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/injury detail, Blood, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Pedophilia, Gore, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Ableism
Minor: Chronic illness