r/murakami

What's your favorite characters from all his novels?

By now for me it's

Toru Okada

Oshima

Max Kasahara

Mr. Nakata

Killing Commentatore Protagonist

This scene in Kafka on the Shore, where a portal to another world opens in the forest where Kafka is staying, made me wonder whether this is actually a common tale across different cultures. I live nowhere near Japan, yet older people here, many of whom have never read novels or watched tv, have described strangely similar experiences.

Among people who spent most of their lives in forests collecting wood or working in the jungle, there are stories about suddenly losing their way in places they know by heart, as if the forest itself changes. Some speak of crossing into another world or encountering an unseen “portal.” This year, there was even a mysterious death connected to such stories.

While reading Kafka on the Shore, I was struck by these parallels and started wondering whether this kind of tale exists universally across the world.

Yeah i know.... i could search it but i tried i searched on google went to blogs try to find videos explaining the story and nothing.I couldn't find any explanation.

I'm just confused i read the book twice and my understanding of the story i almost nothing. I don't know if i'm dumb. Can you please explained to me some meaning of these story can be subjective but i just want to try to make an little sense of what i just read

i know what are people are going to say murakami shouldnt make sense. But norweigan wood made sense, kafka on the shore i understood,Tsuruku tzaki i understood and etc but wild sheep chase is like the most nonsensical book i read in my life.

I want help please....

I just read this book for the second time as a late twenties adult. First time was when I was 18. I loved it the first time and it completely blew me away this time. The first chapter is seriously some of the best writing I have ever read IMO.

Anyways, it was my first Murakami book and I felt like it spoiled my experience with his bibliography ever since.

- Kafka
-Men without Women
-Hardboiled Wonderland
-City and Its uncertain walls
-After Dark

Were all good reads but completely different vibes from Norwegian Wood. I’m reading The Windup Bird now which I know is experimental but I’ve been wanting to check off as Ive heard its widely considered to be his magnum opus.

With so many books of his, it got me wondering if Norwegian Wood was one of its kind with the way its almost fully a romance/drama? Has he written anything else in this genre that certainly feels dream-like yet doesn’t employ much surrealism that upturns the plot?

Out of all the books I read in my life, I hate to say it, but this might be the one I like the least. It is very repetitive and the main character was boring and it just didn't really speak to me. I can't explain why I didn't like it that much in detail and argue my case because it has been 2 years since I finished it and my memory is hazy. However, recently I have been reading Dance Dance Dance (I am at page 200 so no spoilers please, I also did not read the prequel novel) and it made me think a lot about Killing Commendatore again (even though it isn't the last Murakami book I finished). The sheep man and his pitiful character made me think about Commendatores sacrifice and it being seemingly for nought because to me, it didn't really seem to me like Menshiki would harm Mariye. I get that he is a mysterious character where his motivations are uncler and he doesn't seem to know what he wants to do with her either but was there ever a threat of him molesting her or something? TBH, the main character expresses more creepy traits than Menshiki towards Mariye, but obviously, he wasn't a threat to her. Also, what was the signficiance of Mariye's (adoptive) father's ties to the cult, there are more prominent cult stuff in 1Q84 too, but I don't remember the significance in Killing Commednatore at all. Also, not only did it seem like the narrator risked both himself and sacrificed the commendatore as well (although he was a willing sacrifice) it seems like it did more harm than good because it seemed to have caused the affair partner's daughter to fall in to a dep depression, a completely innocent girl with a seemingly bright future was sacrificed (unknowingly by the narrator) just so what, Menshiki wouldn't be surprised by Mariye in his house, i dont remember Menshiki being that bad a guy. Do any of Murakami's other novels touch on this bedbound character? If I am wrong on the details please lmk

Hi all,
I am a long time murakami lover (the weirder the better imo), and my husband is ready to take his first dip into this wonderful world. I don’t want to lose him on his first go, so was wondering what I should recommend he reads first. He most recently read olga tokarczuk’s drive your plow and empusium. He also liked “before the coffee gets cold” and “under the eye of the big bird”. I’m thinking while sheep chase, Norwegian wood or Kafka on the shore, but open to all suggestions!

This book is absolutely incredible! The finale, most importantly, is in my opinion a recall to modernism (epiphanies/moments of being). It is also full of symbolism.
I absolutely adore the psychological introspection of this wonderful but short novel. It builds in 200 pages what many can't build in a lifetime. The message is also incredible, I think it really resonates with my own life experience. I don't have much more to say, I am sorry. Perhaps more things will come as I reflect on the book. I just had to tell this!!!

Someone on a book subreddit I follow was going on about Murakami having “incel vibes” because he gasp writes about the kind of women he finds women sexually attractive. Here’s my thoughts.

Ushikawa has always been my fav antagonist and he's the only antagonist who made me feel bad about his past as well as his fate. It all start from here.. 1Q84 Book 3 Chapter 13 💀

"He never opened up to anyone about the thought that his ordinary life would never last. Deep down he was convinced that one day it would all too easily fall apart - his busy days as a lawyer, his generous income, his nice house in Chuorinkan, his not-bad-looking wife, his cute daughters, both attending private elementary school, his pedigreed dog. So when his life steadily fell apart bit by bit and he was left all alone, he was actually relieved. Thank God, he thought. Noth-ing to worry about now. I'm back right where I started.

Is this what it means to go back to square one?"

A lot of Murakami readers keep recommending these two books, read them both. They were the slowest, hardest reads. My two least favorite books. What did you all like about it? Why were they your favorites?

Do you think a film adaptation of Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World could work? If so, would it be better live-action or animated? Who would you like to see direct it? Any actors you could see in it?

As boring as the story was, I am glad the book fully explained how the mysterious town works and gave it a fitting ending. Everything else was like watching paint dry...Anyone else feel the same?

This may be a hot take here, but my favorite Murakami by far is The Rat trilogy. Hear the Wind Sing was great, Pinball was a bit of a low point in the trilogy for me but still good, and Wild Sheep Chase instantly became one of my favorite books of all time.

That being said, the other Murakami I've read doesn't hit the same, not even Dance, Dance, Dance.

Aside from this trilogy, I've read:

• Kafka on the Shore
• Sputnik Sweetheart
• Norwegian Wood
• South of the Border, West of the Sun
• Dance Dance Dance

I'm looking for suggestions similar to the Rat Trilogy specifically. Doesn't have to be by Murakami (in fact I'm thinking it's better if it isn't, since none of the other works I've read have especially interested me.) Any ideas?

just read Kafka and it truly changed me. my bf died 6 months ago and I found so much comfort in ms saeki’s story and all the spiritual elements of the forest city. when I suddenly lost my love, I know I felt desperate to find him again, and it felt very unrelatable so I felt held by this book. I know I could just pick up another murakami book but I’m specifically looking for something that would scratch the same itch if that’s possible so I wanted to see if anyone has any suggestions. Thank you.

Is it a sin to split and bookbind 1Q84? I want to know your thoughts. As a frequent traveller, I'm struggling to commit to this book because it is thick af.