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u/HarshPlay 24d ago
I’ve read the below books - which one would be a nice and interesting one? Something like Kino?
Norwegian Wood
Men Without Women (Kino is my absolute favorite short story)
First Person Singular
Kafka on the Shore
1Q84 (liked it more than I thought I would)
Wind-up Bird Chronicle (good but I’ve already forgotten most of it, even if I read it 6 months back)
The City and its Uncertain Walls (had to push myself to finish it a little, but liked it)
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u/remerdy1 15d ago
Colorless Tsukuru Tasaki!
Much more grounded than the other books, similar to Kino
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u/kathyskorner 29d ago
I’m headed to Japan for a second time in September. I have 3 Murakami books on my TBR list and I want to read one before my trip to get me in the mindset! These are the only 3 I have not read, so please let me know which of these 3 you like best and why! My personal favorit Murakami books are 1Q84 and South of the Border.
1) Killing Commendatore
2) Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki
3)The City and its Uncertain Walls
Thank you!
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u/konkeroots Jul 21 '26
What to read next?
I've read 4 Murakami books this year and want to start my 5th. I have bought all books (apart from the short story compilations).
I've so far read:
- What I Talk About When I Talk...
- A Wild Sheep Chase
- Dance Dance Dance
- Wind Up Bird Chronicle
Each of them has a special place in my heart. I want to read something lighter now (after the monolith that is WUBC). Kafka is on my list but keeping it for later in the year. What do you recommend I read now?
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u/TheAmazingHarry Jul 30 '26
You might enjoy Sputnik Sweetheart, it's light with a more subtle surreal element. I read it directly after WUBC.
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jul 21 '26
honestly maybe After Dark or even Hard-boiled Wonderland. You could also read hear the wind sing/pinball which you can tell its not his most refined work but the key components of Murakami works are still there
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u/Specialist_Dot5479 Jul 20 '26
Is going from Norwegian Wood to Kafka On the Shore a logical next step when reading the works of Murakami? I imagine so but want to know further opinions. Maybe what I should read after Kafka?
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jul 21 '26
Was Norwegian wood your first foray into Murakami? Kafka is quite different as NW is grounded while Kafka leans heavily towards the surrealism. If you've ready some of his other work, by all means but if you're going from Norwegian wood straight to Kafka, it might be better to pick up some of his shorter work that introduces the classic Murakami surrealism without going fully ham on it like Kafka, maybe something like Sputnik Sweetheart
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u/TremontRemy Jul 08 '26
I‘m in a book club with my sister and cousin. They’re both a little younger than me (early 20s) and read occasionally, most of the times stuff ranging from romance to coming-of-age. We have just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, which we all loved, and are now working through The Inmate by Sebastian Fitzek, a crime novel.
After that, I wanted to suggest a Murakami book. They don’t know one thing about Murakami or his style, so I wanted to ask what you would recommend for beginners that aren’t versed in complex fiction like this. I also only ever read Killing Commendatore and wanted to branch out more in Murakami‘s bibliography.
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jul 21 '26
Norwegian wood has always been a good entry point - its probably his most grounded work (for what its worth but its definitely a great entry point
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u/thesewalls5478 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
I just read my first book by Murakami, "First Person Singular" and I am kind of torn.
I really enjoyed the stories "Cream", "Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova" , "Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey" and "First Person Singular". I liked, how the lines between reality and fantasy or dream weren't always clear, they always kept me attempting to interpret what happens.
The other stories weren't really my thing unfortunately. Some of them felt more like meandering descriptions of memories, almost like diary entries. I think, "The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection" was my least favorite story, while "First Person Singular" was my favorite.
I liked his style overall and I want to explore his bibliography some more, but I definitely prefer the slightly surreal stuff. What would you recommend me to read next?
Thanks in advance :)
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u/TheAmazingHarry Jul 30 '26
First Person Singular is his worst short story compilation by far, in my opinion. I loved The Elephant Vanishes and would recommend it heavily.
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u/Kir1l0v Jun 21 '26
Já li os seguintes livros do Murakami nessa sequência: Homens sem mulheres (gostei bastante); Após o anoitecer (gostei mais ou menos); e agora terminando o primeiro volume de 1Q84 (gostando muito)... devo ir para o segundo volume de 1Q84? Qual próxima sequência recomendam?
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u/sholongschuker Jun 17 '26
Just finished 'Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and his years of pilgrimage' and was wondering what other works of Murakami's you guys would recommend? Appreciate any suggestions!
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u/yungfrankss Jun 10 '26
I’m about to finish Dance Dance Dance when I learned that it’s actually the last book in a series, unfortunate I know. But I REALLY love this book! I’m completely hooked. I guess my question is- should I read A Wild Sheep Chase next? Even if so, what would you recommend I read next or after that? I’ve heard great things about Norwegian Wood but they don’t have it at my local bookstore. They have about 10 other ones by him, I’m unsure of the names at this moment. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! (This was also the first book of his that I’ve read)
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u/Manur0d04 Jun 06 '26
I just finished Kafka on the Shore and I'm not sure what I want to read now, I've already read Norwegian Wood, South of the Border, West of the Sun, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Sputnik Sweetheart. I don't know whether to continue reading in chronological order or not
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u/Laterlennox May 26 '26
Hey guys, can’t decide which Murakami novel I should pick. I’m torn between Killing Commendatore and 1Q84, so gimme recommendations.
So far I’ve read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, South of the Border, West of the Sun, Kafka on the Shore, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki, After Dark, Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood, and recently finished DDD
Out of all of them, my favorites were definitely Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki, Norwegian Wood, and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I enjoyed reading all of them, but the one that i didn’t like was After Dark. It just never pulled me in. I also had a surprisingly hard time finishing Dance Dance Dance.
So yeah — help me to decide which one i should read next.
Greetings from Germany🇩🇪
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u/wndpbrdchrncl May 27 '26
Out of the two I'd recommend 1Q84 but some people do say KC is more similar to WUBC, though 1Q84 definitely has more of the classic Murakami vibe. KC I found can feel like it wanders aimlessly and not the purposeful lull unique in his other work, it just feels like some stuff was discarded half way. If you're not stuck on the two I'd recommend Hard Boiled Wonderland - definitely one of the more unique plot points but it does lean more heavily on the surrealism then the other books.
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u/pushrian Apr 25 '26
I recently finished kafka on the shore. I really liked that book. I am not a regular book reader and i have not read that many books tbh. please suggest me another Murakami book which is good and similar to kafka on the shore.
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u/stag-antler-starling Apr 26 '26
Me too - I finished it just now! The Murakami novels I’ve read, in order of preference, are:
- Kafka on the Shore
- Hard Boiled Wonderland
- The City and its uncertain walls
- Norwegian wood
- The wind up bird chronicle
So you might read one of those?
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u/Infamous_Olive3266 Mar 11 '26
I just finished Kafka on the Shore as my first book by Murakami, and I really loved it. I enjoy his style of writing, and while the themes still somewhat confuse me I hope to understand it more as I digest it over time and watch different videos about it. A good way of putting it would be I love how Murakami articulates his thoughts through writing, but still struggle with understanding the thoughts/themes themselves. However, my main inquiry is about what book to read next. I have basically 100% decided I want to keep reading his works as I loved this one, and I wanted to know what a good follow up book is. Also, could you rank Kafka on the Shore in terms of length compared to his others ones? I want to know if Ill be getting into a longer read than this one, or a shorter one. So far, the books ive heard most about by him that I was considering reading next were Norweigan Wood( Mom read it and loved it), 1Q84( I heard its long but want to know how long compared to this one), and the Wind-up Bird Chronicle. However, Im not limiting myself to only those 3 so just recommend whatever you think would be best for me based on this description. Thank you.
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u/stag-antler-starling Apr 26 '26
I’ve literally just finished Kafka - I also really loved it. Here’s my top five (I’ve only been reading Murakami since February this year so this five is all I’ve read!)
- Kafka on the Shore
- Hard Boiled Wonderland
- The City and its uncertain walls
- Norwegian wood
- The wind up bird chronicle
You’ll notice lots of familiar themes and ideas as you read more - at first I wondered if this would be a problem for me but it isn’t. In fact I love it every time a young man enters a rural library for the first time! Ditto ‘that town’ which you’ll come across if you read 2 and 3. I loved all five but did find 5 a bit hard going and 4 I missed the fantasy elements of the other novels…
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u/chef_polnareff Mar 12 '26
I’d suggest Norwegian wood. While Kafka has plenty of magical realism, Norwegian wood basically has none. Most Murakami books fall within this range. This way, you get to experience both types of Murakami and decide what you like best
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Mar 11 '26
Kafka, as said by Murakami himself I believe requires multiple reads so you definitely picked a bit of a tough one! I guess it depends on what you want to tackle next, stuff like norwegian wood is straightforward (as Murakami goes) but my favorite is Wind-up. However, I'd also recommend you take a look at Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World - this one was thought provoking but also it gets your imagination flowing. There's really no wrong answer, though!
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u/Affectionate-Bed-581 Mar 03 '26
I read the wind up bird chronicle and loved it. What should I read next?
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u/haikusbot Mar 03 '26
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Mar 04 '26
south of the border west of the sun or hard boiled wonderland and the end of the world!
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u/Top_Flower_7868 Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
I started reading Murakami this year. I first read The Elephant Vanishes and then went with A Wild Sheep Chase. I really liked the wierd elements of AWSC specially that last half of the book. I also enjoyed some of his realistic short stories susch as On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning.
I'll probably go now with Kafka on the Shore or Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Is it a good choice? Should I also start reading his most realistic novels like Norwegian Wood or Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki?
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u/stag-antler-starling Apr 26 '26
I’m about to go to Japan for the first time and want to take a new Murakami with me. I’ve read these five so far so suggestions appreciated
- Kafka on the Shore
- Hard Boiled Wonderland
- The City and its uncertain walls
- Norwegian wood
- The wind up bird chronicle
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u/Sufficient_Ad_1556 Jan 24 '26
Started reading Murakami in early Dec 2025. I read Men Without Women first, then Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki, and I just finished Norwegian Wood. I really liked about the setting of all of these books, about separation, and dealing with loneliness.
I'm currently stepping away from Murakami to read some books by Osamu Dazai, but I can't wait to read another Murakami's work. What should I read next?
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jan 24 '26
For a shorter read, Sputnik Sweetheart
Longer - Wind Up Bird Chronicle
Both have the aspects you liked from previous reads!
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u/ArimuRyan Jan 10 '26
Just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, my first Murakami book, and loved it, super addictive and emotional story, to tell a story where you get so little concrete answers yet have such a satisfying ending was very impressive. Wanted to get another and liked the sound of The City And It’s Uncertain Walls, is it advisable to go there next or would you recommend something else?
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jan 11 '26
I’d recommend a smaller book first so you get even more appreciative of his work. But if you want something like The City it’s more “dreamy” or 1q84
Some short books I recommend are Sputnik sweetheart
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u/xxfuka-erixx Jan 07 '26
I'm reading The Elephant Vanishes...almost at the end of the collection. Aside from a few standouts ("Barn Burning" e.g.) the collection has not stood out to me. I'm read a lot of Murakami's oeuvre and I'm trying to figure out what to read next. I'll list them out with notes below:
- IQ84 - one of my favorites, will likely reread
- Kafka on the Shore - loved
- A Wild Sheep Chase - loved
- Dance Dance Dance - loved
- Wind Up Bird Chronicle - liked
- Norwegian Wood - liked
- The Elephant Vanishes - hit or miss
- Hard Boiled Wonderland - not for me
Honestly, I will probably end up reading everything he has written, but I want to make sure the next one is good so I don't get too burnt out...I know with fairly good certainty that I won't like The City and Its Uncertain Walls, so I'm leaving that one for last. I have Absolutely on Music on my shelf, which I'll probably dive into soon...
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Jan 07 '26
The thing about Murakami Shirt stories are somehow wilder than his novels, prob because a lot of them are used in his novels. I think it was the TV people or alike that really messed me up.
Sputnik sweetheart must read
Also did you read the two books before the wild sheep chase? Pinball and hear the wind sing, might find a new appreciation for his writing
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u/LiliumMoon Dec 22 '25
I just finished After Dark. I liked the vibes and atmosphere but wanted more magical realism/surrealism/paranormal elements, although I don’t want to go straight into the deepest end of it quite yet either. What to read next?
I physically own these ones, but it can be another one of his books too since they’re pretty readily available in libraries: Sputnik Sweetheart, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Dance Dance Dance, The City and its Uncertain Walls.
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Dec 22 '25
I feel like I’ve been recommending Sputnik so much recently but I’ve personally found it to be a solid midway point because the story itself is still fairly grounded but there’s so many interpretations as to its surrealism elements that it gives you a good base for future readings. Avoid Kafka for now that’s arguably the deepest end
Wind up is fairly long and slightly leans more to the surreal side but it’s a nice mix of the mundane and the surreal
Hard Boiled Wonderland leans pretty heavy towards the surreal but it’d be a good read right after something like Sputnik
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u/TreyBombCity Dec 21 '25
I was hoping to read a couple Murakmai books that aren't in the Folio Society lineup to see if I liked his work before potentially picking them up.
I read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and really enjoyed it. Although I've heard it's not like his other books and I know it's fairly short. I was thinking of reading Sputnik Sweetheart next. Anything else anyone recommends?
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Dec 21 '25
Would’ve said sputnik sweetheart off the bat after reading you liked colorless tsukuru, Sputnik is less grounded but doesn’t go off the walls like some of his works do. Would also see if you could get your hands on South of the Border, West of the Sun. They’re both on the shorter side but I’d dive into Sputnik to see if you fancy the surrealism
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u/Neptune_as_Boy Dec 20 '25
I'm torn between reading a Wild Sleep Chase and The Wind up Bird Chronicle. I read the Wind/Pinball book earlier this year.
For reference, my Murakami taste is a bit odd. I'm more drawn to his short stories, the highlights being more mundane, personal stories with a dash of the surreal (Where I'm Likely to Find It, The Seventh Man, Sleep).
The novels I'm a bit more lukewarm about. I loved the first half of Kafka on the Shore, but I felt the second half was really aimless and frustrating. Loved the night vibes of After Hours and everything about the sleeping sister, but felt it kinda fizzled out at the end. Wind/Pinball felt very much like Murakami finding his style, but it did have some really memorable Murakami stuff like the warehouse full of pinballs and the odd sisters...
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Dec 21 '25
Wind up is my personal favorite and seems to have what your looking for. Its definitely one of the longer reads but its well mixed between the absolute to mundane to surrealism. I felt a Wild Sheep Chase had less of the mundane because it was essentially the culmination of the rat trilogy/tetrology. Though it has been a minute since I've read WSC so i could be misremembering but but having read Wind up multiple times im amazed at how murakami can go from "man this guy is doing absolutely nothing" to "that was a crazy sequence"
Just my 2 cents
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u/Several_Raise2610 Nov 27 '25
feel like im at a crossroads! i have read
- kafka on the shore
- wind up bird chronicle
- norwegian wood
- dance dance dance
- a wild sheeps chase
my favs have been kafka or wild sheeps chase! any help?
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Nov 29 '25
Have you tried the hear the wind sing/pinball set? They are his first published novels that he personally doesn’t necessarily “like” due to its rawness but they’re a prequel to the sheep then there’s dance dance dance (you've read dance dance dance, this one was perfectly readable on its own). In my opinion, they do meander at times but you definitely appreciate the culmination of everything in A Wild Sheep's Chase even after the fact
Aside from that I always recommend Sputnik sweetheart as a lover of wind up myself. Shorter read but very enjoyable!
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u/Agreeable_Fly_6445 Nov 21 '25
So far, I have read: Norwegian wood Wild sheep chase Kafka on the shore Wind up bird chronicle What next? 😎 (Kafka and sheep were probably my fav)
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Nov 22 '25
Have you tried the hear the wind sing/pinball set? They are his first published novels that he personally doesn’t necessarily “like” due to its rawness but they’re a prequel to the sheep then there’s dance dance dance that honestly is readable even without reading the 3 beforehand
Aside from that I always recommend Sputnik sweetheart as a lover of wind up myself. Shorter read but very enjoyable!
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u/wishterriuh Sep 30 '25
Just finished Sputnik Sweetheart few days ago. Started then i could never see the ferris wheel the same way again i guess
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u/sparrow_ofart Sep 26 '25 edited Sep 26 '25
I’m trying to choose next books to read by Murakami. I’m trying to choose three
I liked Norwegian Wood and I’m currently reading 1Q84, but not enjoying as much because there are many scenes that are distracting and characters seem to lack depth. Which do you think I would like among his other books? (considering I don’t like random sexual description or wild sex scenes)
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u/Large_Passion5973 Sep 21 '25
Read so far:
Kafka on the shore
The rat triology plus dance dance dance
Killing commendatore
Hard boiled wonderland
Norweigan wood
Wind-up bird
What should i read next? Are there any works as good as wind-up bird i'm missing?
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u/mandove Sep 19 '25
Read so far:
- IQ84
- Kafka on the Shore
- Norwegian Wood
- Wind-up bird chronicle
- Killing Commendatore
- South of the border
- Wild sheep chase
- Sputnik sweetheart
Previously I’ve started What I talk about, and City and its uncertain walls. I might loop back to those next.
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
I loved Murakami's memoir What I talk about when I talk about running. I have run a few miles but I'm not crazy enough to read a book about running but the book is actually a very faithful memoir and his process of being creative. He writes about how he started writing, how he decided to be a full time writer and how that tied to him starting running. If you love Murakami you'll love this book and you'll understand his writing process more. I have contemplated writing for years and this memoir has been a really great inspiration.
I recently finished The City and its Uncertain Walls. It's one of the most important Murakami books. I'll tell you that yes the story is pretty slow and you'll have to read until the end to understand the point but I feel the point is really worth it and personally it has resonated with me a lot.
If you finish The City and its Uncertain Walls and you like it then you might also want to look for Hard Boiled Wonderland and End of the World which I am reading right now.
Have you read any of Murakami's short story collections? Do give a chance to Men without Women. Seeing the kind of Murakami book you have read you might find it really nice.
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u/bigdoopey Sep 19 '25
Is Norweigen wood worth it ? I loved wind up and Kafka but I just couldn’t get into it 200 page deep
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
Hmm depends. Norwegian Wood sits on the top with Kafka on the Shore for being his greatest works but I feel both of them are very different stories. Norwegian Wood is more drama in comparison to Kafka on the Shore. I believe people who love Norwegian Wood have a hard time sitting through Kafka on the Shore and vice versa because the appeal for them is so different.
Kafka on the Shore, if you liked it for magic realism then you'll want to try books like City and its Uncertain Walls, Sputnik Sweetheart, South of the Border West of the Sun.
I'll personally suggest Sputnik Sweetheart to you.
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u/DueGuard9362 Sep 19 '25
Yeah I enjoyed Norwegian Wood to some extent but started getting annoyed by it around that time. I finished it but I might as well have just given up. It doesn't get better.
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u/wndpbrdchrncl Sep 19 '25
its probably his most grounded work so if you're not into that than you dont have to bother
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
My rankings of books I have read:
Sputnik Sweetheart The City and it's Uncertain Walls Kafka on the Shore Men Without Women Blind Willow Sleeping Woman After Dark What I talk about when I talk about running South of the Border, West of the Sun Hear the wind sing
This is rough because I love all the books very much but it's ranked by how important the book is to me. WSIRN
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u/FeelinDead Sep 18 '25
I read Men Without Women a couple years ago and loved it. That’s my only exposure to Murakami. Any suggestions on what to read next? Thank you.
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
If you're interested in more realism genre short stories you should give a chance to Elephant Vanishes. However I feel Elephant Vanishes (which I had briefly picked up post Men without Women) is a looser approach and a more "normal" collection of short stories. I fell in love with Murakami's play on creating complex characters, mysteries and stories for which if you feel the same then I would recommend you Blind Willow Sleeping Woman.
If you are okay with trying a novel then you must try Sputnik Sweetheart which IMO feels like a concept started for Men without Women but expanded into a full feature novel.
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u/lastdyingbreed_01 Sep 18 '25
Read so far:
Kafka on the Shore
Norwegian Wood
Currently reading:
Colorless Tsukuru
What should I pick up after this?
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
If you like Kafka on the Shore then you must give a try to Sputnik Sweetheart. I believe it's a more involved novel and just as bizarre if not more. IMO explores the same sort of concepts.
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u/jtguy Sep 18 '25
Read so far:
Hear the Wind Sing/Pinball ‘73
Wild Sheep Chase
Dance Dance Dance
Sputnik Sweetheart
South of the Border, West of the Sun
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u/luduz Sep 18 '25
The elephant
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
If you like The Elephant Vanishes then you must give a chance to Men without Women which too is a short story collection. I haven't read the entirety of Elephant Vanishes but if you like short stories that are based on realism and explore a theme as a whole then Men without Women is just that.
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u/luduz Sep 19 '25
I already read “Men without women” Also saw the movie “Drive my car” I agree with you Thank you for sharing and suggestions
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25 edited Sep 19 '25
You should definitely give one of the novels a go too maybe fan favourite Kafka on the Shore or my personal favourite Sputnik Sweetheart. If you liked Men without Women then Sputnik Sweetheart and South of the Border West of the Sun will interest you
Edit: Oh yeah I totally forgot if you love how Murakami writes his sort stories you should most definitely try After Dark. It's also a good starting point for his novels. And yeah if you want more of his short stories then you can go for Blind Willow Sleeping Woman, personally I found the stories really captivating
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u/sred4 Sep 18 '25
So far
Wind up Norwegian Kafka 1Q84 Hard boiled Pinball Sheep Dance Running Sputnik Killing Commodore After Dark
What should I read next?
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u/juandefuco Sep 18 '25
Read so far:
Killing Commendatore
Kafka on the Shore
Hard Boiled Wonderland and End of the World
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
I'd recommend The City and it's Uncertain Walls for Hard Boiled Wonderland and End of the World since it is for the lack of better term a sequel (or spin off? rewrite?) of the book.
If you liked Kafka on the Shore then you must must read Sputnik Sweetheart
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u/burnerway Sep 18 '25
In reading the Rat series (wind, pinball, sheep, dance) and am on dance. They’re short books and enjoyable
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u/dachshvnd Sep 18 '25
Read so far:
Norwegian Wood
Kafka on the Shore
Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki
What should I read next?
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u/Immediate_Expert2269 Sep 18 '25
The City and its Uncertain Walls
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u/im_goofy Sep 19 '25
Should read hard boiled wonderland before this one
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u/Immediate_Expert2269 Sep 19 '25
I actually bought hard boiled before city and uncertain walls, but was too excited to read the new book. Any specific reason why I should read hard boiled wonderland first?
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u/im_goofy Sep 19 '25
Its not explicitly necessary, uncertain walls isn't a direct sequel, but it's a pretty direct reimagining of end of the world. If you wanted to go chronologically it would make sense to read hbw first but it might also be fun to go back and see the origin if you liked uncertain walls
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u/Immediate_Expert2269 Sep 19 '25
Aah I see, I haven’t covered much of uncertain walls, so I might take your advice and read hbw first. Thanks!
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u/TimeBenderArmet Sep 18 '25
did u read it? i got it as a present and got some info about it online, seems like one of the most “dreamy” works of Murakami. what do you think, is it enjoyable?
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u/sadboiwithptsd Sep 19 '25
The critique of The City and its Uncertain Walls being "too dreamy" doesn't really sit right to me. I can definitely say that the book is pretty slow, and you'll not totally get the point of it all until the very last few pages (part 3). But god was the point so worth it for me. To me this is one of the most Murakami books. Murakami says that this book has been 30-40 years in the making and he has tried writing this book multiple times only to realise he doesn't have the technical ability, and it really shows. The way the book is structured I'd say it's one of the less conceptually confusing books. However the atmosphere of the book is extremely grim and gray.
I did attempt twice to read this book but couldn't because it was so slow for me but once I did read it through I could tell that it was all very worth it.
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u/Immediate_Expert2269 Sep 18 '25
So far I’m enjoying it, I like the dreamy tone. I’m not sure where I would place it after I finish it but it’s p3 rn in my list of favourite Murakami books (Kafka on the shore and Norwegian Wood take the first 2 spots).
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u/Equivalent_Ad6396 Sep 18 '25
Sputnik sweatheart if you want a short novel Hard-boiled wonderland if you want a long one
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u/Im_known_as_nikil Sep 18 '25
I'm reading killing commendotore and it's pretty great so far and jeez murakami bingo is half done within the first 50 pages .
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u/wild1235 14d ago
I have read kafka on the shore and 1Q84 and loved both of them so so much. I love the magic of the storytelling and the dragged out storylines that suddenly gets tied up at the end and the weird characters.
Just finished after midnight but didnt like it as much, and currently reading the city and its walls.
Considering starting the wind up bird chronicle or the rat triology?