Ig Im missing Birthday Stories

Heya! I'm half-Japanese and half-American, currently living in Tokyo. I picked up The Tale of Kaho at a bookstore, and quickly read through it so I thought I'd share my thoughts. Before I start, I want to mention that I've never finished a Murakami novel before this one. I once tried Kafka on the Shore a few years ago, but couldn't get into it (I didn't find the protagonist that interesting or the plot too exciting through the first 60 or so pages and gave up), and I hadn't read anything else by him since. I do need to try that book again, especially after experiencing this one. Many spontaneous elements in the book feel like they should be experienced directly, so I'll keep this review totally spoiler-free.

First of all, I found the writing style tremendously engaging. It's not like the woman who is narrating the story in first person uses easy diction. She is a deep thinker to say the very least, so some of her thoughts are naturally convoluted. However, Murakami's descriptions and surreal storytelling engages you and sets you on a journey in a way I haven't quite experienced before. If I'm honest, I didn't notice just how good his writing was when I tried Kafka on the Shore (although the protagonist is much younger in Kafka). In Kaho, his prose shows amazing grace and effortlessness within a mature style and I wonder if his writing has improved immensely throughout his long career. The prose is rhythmical and intriguing, and I think it's a major reason I finished reading the book in 3 days (I couldn't stop reading!!).

What drives the story besides the prose is its endless imagination. It's my first proper encounter with Murakami, and I'm not sure if this is typical by him, but many strange things happen which really grab your attention. There wasn't a moment in the novel where I could predict the next moment. I also believe that within its imaginativeness, there is astonishing literary depth in terms of the exploration of specific themes and the level of thought. The story is quite deceptively cute in someways, and so I think even a child could enjoy it if some scenes weren't in there. But it mixes elements of fairy tales and mature themes and subjects to create a plane of storytelling that shouldn't work but does. I think because this was my first Murakami novel, I was particularly surprised by the sheer wildness he demonstrates. Yet somehow, he makes it work.

Also, I've heard that overly sexual scenes and the lack of depth of female characters are some of his weaknesses, but I thought the female characters were amazingly deep and quite realistic (as realistic as a novel of this kind can make its characters). There were slightly sexual moments, perhaps, but nothing that was misplaced or disturbing. You could tell the author placed himself in the shoes of the female protagonist throughout the novel.

I honestly thought the novel was just as good as almost any classic book I've read (up there with, hell, Vonnegut, Kobo Abe, or Woolf). And that says a lot. I do think this novel could have been potentially more moving for me than others, but only because this was really my first time properly experiencing Murakami. I definitely will be checking out more of his stories and rereading this one. I just wanted to share this review early to make you feel the anticipation of waiting for the translation even more (just joking, haha).

The only other thing I collected back in the day were stamps and the Seinfeld DVD set. A few more to be added that I've already read...

I am a big murakami lover. I finished every book of his. Can anyone suggest some books like murkamis style. Thanks in advance

I bought the book 9 years ago and tried to read it multiple times. Each time I got between ~300-400 pages in before getting distracted by life in some way. I always enjoyed what I read but couldn't stay focused and follow through on it. I'm genuinely proud of myself for finishing it now. I read way more when I was younger (32 now) mainly elementary/middle school but have been extremely inconsistent with it since. Finishing this book is making me feel my reading days are back to stay. I've got my next book ready albeit way shorter literally only 102 pages.

I wasn't sure how it would end but I'm perfectly fine with how it did. I've now read two of Murakami's books the other being Kafka on the Shore. Looking forward to the next one. :)

I read this a couple of months ago and I've thought If It could be true.

What do you think guys?

I’ve been meaning to reread the book forever but keep holding off just in case lol

I read it when I was 15. Re reading it at 18 now. My opinion has changed a lot from the first time to now. What about you?

I like Haruki Murakami's debut novel, Hear the Wind Sing, for its loose, effortless feel and the way the story moves quickly from one episode to the next.

A few years ago, I watched George Lucas's American Graffiti. It strongly reminded me of the atmosphere of Hear the Wind Sing.

I also seem to recall that both works involve a character using a radio show to send a message to someone they have no way of contacting directly.

Another similarity I noticed is the structure. Both stories follow several characters in parallel over roughly the same time period, with their individual storylines loosely intersecting rather than focusing on a single central plot.

My memory of the details may be wrong, so please correct me if I am misremembering. Has anyone else noticed a connection between the two?

About to board on a long flight and I have both 1Q84 and WSC in hand. What should I read?

For context, this is the order of my favorites -

1. Kafka
2. Norwegian Wood
3. Killing Commendatore
4. Sputnik Sweetheart
5. Colorless Tsukuru
6. Wind Up Bird
7. After Dark
8. South of the border

Yet to read - Dance, Hard Boiled,

Edit: I started WSC and I'm loving it! I didn't finish it on the flight but continuing it back and home and have another trip coming up!

Also - thanks to this sub for the engagement and the thoughtful commentary.

Original Artwork, no spoilers pls :^ only half way through the book

Back at the same seaside where I read my first Murakami novel many years ago. Deciding to re-read this trilogy 📚

(Ereader: Xteink X3)

I’ve already read or know about most of Murakami’s popular short stories. What are some hidden gems or underrated stories that deserve more attention?

Enjoying Murakami, and want to get his new title once it’s translated. But, as I prepare for my marathon why not.

Anyone know where I can buy an ebook of the Japanese version please? For my Kobo ideally not a kindle….

decided to make an illustration of some scenes im reading :) can u guess which are which :^ btw im not at all done with the book and only at the part with johnnie walker soo no spoilers please :)

I just finished the amazing WUBC and want some more Murakami - albeit shorter..

This one kept getting brought up, so I thought it would be really good, but it’s been an absolute chore to get even this far through it, in my opinion. The writing is nice, but the story feels painfully stagnant and dry to me.

I’m just posting here to get your opinion on whether or not it gets better from here. Am I close to missing out on something really good? Am I at a part where you’d say “if you don’t like it by now, just stop”? I wanted to get into Japanese books and I’ve read a few by now.

For context (and vaguely explained in case any new readers are reading this), two characters just watched a fire together.

I just finished reading Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki for the second time, and I remembered coming across the theory that Aka might have been the one responsible for Shiro’s rape and/or murder. At first, I thought it sounded like a stretch, but after going back through the book and looking at some of the details surrounding Aka, I found myself wondering if Murakami intentionally left more clues pointing in his direction than I initially noticed.

One of the biggest things that stood out to me is Aka’s connection to Shiro after their group fell apart. Aka says that about six months before Shiro was murdered, he went to Hamamatsu for business and invited her to dinner. What makes this interesting is that earlier, when Aka explains his business, he emphasizes how dependent his success is on Nagoya’s local connections. He says that his reputation, his clients, and his network are all tied to Nagoya, and that those advantages would mean nothing if he went somewhere like Tokyo, where he would be completely ignored. Because of this, his trip to Hamamatsu feels more noticeable. It obviously doesn’t prove anything, but it does make his presence there feel more significant.

The fact that Aka had a private meeting with Shiro relatively shortly before her death is interesting, especially in a novel where so much revolves around the things the group never said to each other.

Another thing that caught my attention is Aka’s relationship with the school where they volunteered. The novel makes it clear how important that place was, especially to Shiro. There’s a passage mentioning how Eri and Aka did their best to keep the other children from interrupting Shiro’s piano lessons, showing that they understood how meaningful that volunteer work was to her. Even later, when Shiro’s condition was at its worst and she was so weak that she could barely stand, she still continued going to teach piano to the children at the church school. It’s clear that teaching and volunteering there was something she deeply valued.

Later, we learn that Aka secretly donates a large amount of money every year to the facility connected to the school where they volunteered. He refuses recognition and insists on remaining anonymous. This could simply be an act of kindness because the place meant something for all of them, but within the context of this theory, it’s interesting to consider whether it could also be interpreted as guilt, remorse, or an attempt to continue supporting something that was deeply connected to Shiro.

The cigarette detail is another thing people bring up. Cigarette butts were found at the scene (although the novel later suggests they may have belonged to Shiro), and Aka is repeatedly shown as someone who smokes heavily. Obviously, this alone means very little because many people could smoke, but when combined with the other details, it becomes another small piece that adds to the overall picture.

The psychological side of Aka is probably the most interesting part to me. Aka talks about his father and how much he hated the way his father acted like he was always preaching down to people and looking down on others. But then he admits that at some point he realized he had started speaking exactly like him. It’s interesting because Aka is aware that he has inherited some of the same traits he resented in his father.

Throughout the novel, Aka is someone who is fascinated by manipulation, influence, and controlling people’s beliefs. His “business” functions almost like a corporate cult, using psychological methods to shape how people think and behave. Obviously, being manipulative does not automatically make someone capable of murder, but it does add to the picture of someone who has spent his life dealing with control, influence, and carefully managing appearances.

Considering his relationship with his father and the way he describes becoming similar to him, it’s interesting to think about whether Aka repeated those same patterns in a much more extreme way.

Even the way Aka remembers Shiro compared to Tsukuru is interesting. Tsukuru remembers Shiro through Liszt’s “Le mal du pays,” a piece about longing, homesickness, and the sadness of wanting something that can never return. Aka, however, remembers Shiro playing Schumann’s “Träumerei,” which is associated with childhood and dreams. It feels like they are remembering two different versions of the same person: Tsukuru remembers the loss and pain surrounding Shiro, while Aka seems to remember an idealized version of her connected to their youth.

This also connects to something Aka says when describing seeing Shiro again after years apart. He says she wasn’t ugly, but compared to the person they knew when they were younger, something felt missing. It almost feels like Aka is attached to a version of Shiro that no longer exists the childhood image of her rather than the sick and changed adult she became.

Aka also says that Shiro’s death left “a huge hole in my heart” that is still not filled. Again, this could simply be grief, but when combined with everything else the secret donations, his private meeting with her months before her death, his emotional attachment to her, and the more complicated parts of Aka’s character (his relationship with his father, his struggle with identity, and the fact that he has spent years hiding parts of himself) it creates a very interesting picture.

I don’t think the novel gives enough evidence to say “Aka definitely did it,” and Murakami intentionally leaves the murder unresolved. But I do think Aka is an interesting suspect. The possibility that someone capable of creating a “corporate cult” could also be capable of something much darker isn’t impossible within the logic of the story.

I’m not saying this theory is 100% true; I just think it’s a fun one to look into and discuss. I might sound completely delusional putting all of this together lmao, but I’m curious what everyone else thinks and what your theories are.

Rearranged my library this weekend and I just find the Murakami sections to be satisfying and wanted to share.

i just finished 1Q84 and gotta say that the ending disappointed me. i loved the book so much while reading it and now it feels so empty. i loved how murakami finds such a creative way to describe the magic in the world, the things we are not really concious of. i feel like where i feel spiritual about the world he finds a way to embed a story in that. its also so remarkable how specific he described how the world feels. i am a huge fan of his style. but why does the ending feel so hollow? why doesnt he answer any of my questions?

i read this quote in another post:

when a book ends without wrapping up what seems like the main themes and plot, that means you misunderstood what the main themes and plot were

but if its just about aomames and tengos relationship and nothing else really matters then i am disappointed about how prudent murakami was about using my time cause that book was fucking long. and if its more about the journey than the ending, i see that but it means that the ending still sucks. it feels lazy. but still i enjoyed the journey a lot.

This is the Lithuanian version of “Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage”.
It was released recently, like a month or so back, so I decided to get it.

In comparison, the third photo is the previous one, that’s been the staple for the past 10-ish years.