Maybe disappointed is not the right word, as Murakami is never born to be disappointing. I read the novel in two days and when I closed the book, I knew it was going to be one of the books that I would not reread. Perhaps dissatisfaction is the feeling, it seems unresolved.
Murakami has always left me feeling incomplete, and that is exactly why I read him, yet this one seems to be rushed, like he’s finishing it up because he has passed his deadline and his editor is nagging him. Nothing wrong with that. And perhaps he’s a freaking genius that it’s actually what he wants the readers to feel, and I’m just too incompetent to understand that.
You can place these stickers on your forehead.
The third person narrative follows Tsukuru Tazaki, a reserved man who is trying to discover why he got kicked out from his group of friends in high school. Why is he doing that? He’s dating a smooth skin, ample breasted lady named Sara who told him to do so before they can get serious. That’s the motivation. The Want.
While he’s doing so, he caught the lady holding hands with an older man. It’s just that he’s willing to let that go and to continue further officialise the relationship. It’s not plausible. I wish there is a more emotionally invested confrontation in the novel of this issue–as all of the other ones are pretty elaborate, instead of just breeding through it.
Regardless, Murakami never fails to entertain. You’ll get sucked in to the hollowness of its soul. The crave, the emptiness of us. Plus if you buy the book, you get these awesome stickers. Make sure you listen to the classical song Murakami mentions in the book, the song that is played by one of the friends, Le Mal du Pays. The song is very soothing for sleeping, eating, writing, and dreaming. If you can’t take anything, take this.
Note: This post was originally written and published on Friday, January 2, 2015.
Featured image above (the title) is from Vintage Book Design.
