Haruki Murakami

[Anonymous No.13117955]

What's your favorite Murakami novel?

[Anonymous No.13117961]

>>13117955
norweigan wood, it was pretty good.(only one I read)

[Anonymous No.13118885]

>>13117955
The one where the first chapter contains someone listening to some obscure classic music piece to tell the reader right off the bat that this novel and its characters are just as insufferable and phony as Murakami is

[Anonymous No.13119418]

>>13117955
>What's your favorite Murakami novel?
Probably Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, or South of the Border, West of the Sun. What makes it difficult to pick a favorite isn't because they're all top notch per se, but because so many of them have the same premise of "lonely man with an overwhelming sense of ennui, who also likes music & literature, meets an extraordinary woman who changes his life."

[Anonymous No.13119446]

Why does Kafka on the shore have a pedo vibe to it?

[Anonymous No.13119568]

>>13119446
Fifteen year old Kafka just wanted to /ss/ with Sakura and Ms. Saeki.

[Anonymous No.13119577]

>>13117955
They're all rubbish. Read Kazuo Ishiguro instead

[Anonymous No.13120471]

>>13117955
i actually liked 1q84 more than most but it's not the fave.

norwegian wood for fiction

underground for non fiction

[Anonymous No.13120617]

>>13119446
because there was a pedo vibe in it

[Anonymous No.13121642]

>>13117961
Same here. I liked it quite a bit. I don't really get the whole "muramaki gey lul" trope-hate. I recently got 1Q84, After Dark and South of the Border, West of the Sun. Which one would be better to read first?

[Anonymous No.13121790]

I would say Kafka on the Shore or A Wild Sheep Chase.

[Anonymous No.13121838]

I read Kafka on the Shore, Norwegian Wood and Hard Boiled Wonderland. Enjoyed them all but probably liked Kafka the best

[Anonymous No.13122848]

I’ve read kafka and wind up bird... I actually prefer wind up bird, it seemed a lot less pretentious or at least the main character seemed less pretentious. Kafka was an autistic pseud and I only really liked the cat man and his friend

[Anonymous No.13122981]

>>13122848
>cat man and his friend

Based and man alive pilled

[Anonymous No.13123537]

>>13117955
he sucks

[Anonymous No.13123565]

>>13122848
i thought Kafka was okay but too many "clever' philosophy references

[Anonymous No.13123702]

>>13120617
good answer

[Anonymous No.13123707]

>>13121838
i've read these three and a few others
kafka is my favorite, but hard boiled wonderland is a special book imo

[Anonymous No.13123952]

>>13118885
I always get them confused because they are so themaicly simuller.
Btw did you know he owned as ran a jazz bar before he was a writer?
the one with the well was good, which was that? Also the one where the 20something women who is implied to be hisnlost sister jacks the kid off. Murakami writes the best sex scenes.

[Anonymous No.13124529]

1Q84, only because it's quintessential Murakami. It's a summary of all his themes, all his character archetypes and quirks in a single book. Whirlwind bird chronicles is probably the one I enjoyed the most overall, not sure why though.
I liked Norwegian Wood too, but it's nothing more than a coming of age novel, a very good one, but it still has flaws I can't detail without going deep into spoilers.

His other books are fine, but they get very samey after a while.

[Anonymous No.13124539]

The only one I've read was After Dark and I hated it, should I try Dance Dance Dance or is it the same shit?

[Anonymous No.13124570]

>>13124529
this. if you don't say 1Q84, you're just being contrarian

[Anonymous No.13124807]

>>13117955
Sputnik sweetheart. Kind of fucked me up for a day, who the fuck just dissappears like that.

[Anonymous No.13124879]

>>13123565
I like the stories and a lot of the style of Murakami but I’d like it a lot more without the clumsy references.
Anyone know similar books?

[Anonymous No.13125254]

>>13124807
Same here. The entire ferris wheel chapter was kind of disturbing. If you ask me, Miu had something to do with her disappearance even if she will never admit it.

[Anonymous No.13125264]

Dance Dance Dance, although Killing Commendatore is now a close second. I did like Ushikawa in 1Q84 though, it was interesting to see Murakami put so much focus on a character who isn't the exact same as every other main character in his books.

[Anonymous No.13125320]

>>13119577
>Kazuo Ishiguro
How can anyone stand his extremely passive main characters? I loved reading The Remains of the Day and An Artist of the Floating World, but reading his subsequent novels retroactively ruined the works of this unoriginal trash writer.

>>13120471
>underground for non fiction
Based

[Anonymous No.13125345]

>>13117955
Dance Dance Dance. Hardly ever see it mentioned.

[Anonymous No.13125351]

>>13124539
It's far superior

[Anonymous No.13125422]

>>13117955
Everyone read Norwegian Wood.
But what's the "underdog" novel from Murakami? the underrated one.

[Anonymous No.13125439]

I've only read Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and I really enjoyed it.

[Anonymous No.13125441]

Wind-Up Bird Chronicle or Kafka on the Shore; personally, I prefer the former. I cried for the last few chapters. In addition, I've read:
>Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
>A Wild Sheep Chase
>Norwegian Wood (hated it)
>Men Without Women
I'm putting off reading 1Q84 because I don't have the time currently and I'm afraid it will be the convoluted masterpiece Borges dreamed. I'd like to read Underground and Dance Dance Dance, though.

I don't know if others feel this way, but I like Murakami as comfort food. After the first third of the book, my resentment for his protagonists melts away and is replaced by this desire to see things through with them. Plus I enjoy that his references are pretty explicit, although the popular culture ones get old. I guess it's just different as an American.

[Anonymous No.13125443]

>>13124807
Yeah I agree, something about sputnik sweetheart is very eerie and quite disturbing. The usual Murakami veneer is there though, but underneath it was quite something else.

[Anonymous No.13125452]

>>13125439
Same. I'm still perplexed by the ending a little bit. I imagine both he and his shadow die an incomplete death, and he remains in the Town to reclaim a new 'mind'. Instead of an elephant factory, the Town becomes a workshop where he hand-makes elephants. I had the feeling that there's a connection for Murakami between understanding one's unconscious mind - encoded 'old dreams' - and the creative process.

[Anonymous No.13125619]

>>13125422
Pinball 1973

[Anonymous No.13126201]

>>13124807
>>13125254
>>13125443
I found both the music at the top of the island at night and the ferris wheel scene (especially) really disturbing.

[Anonymous No.13126408]

>>13117955
After Dark because is SHORT. Fuck reading more than a thousand pages just to reach some bizarre conclusion like "shit, I'm being attacked by a semen monster that came out of a dead old man" or "green extra dimensional hobbits".

[Anonymous No.13128132]

>>13124539
Read wild sheep chase before dance dance dance. It’s a quick read and it’ll make dance dance dance more enjoyable

[Anonymous No.13128142]

>>13125345
I love this book I always mention it in murakami threads

[Anonymous No.13128170]

I like his books but I always cringe when it comes to sex and women. His protagonists always have to fuck the whole female cast, they're often depressed and lost in life but for some reason they're irresistible to women of all ages.

Comes off a bit juvenile, I guess it's like anime harems but in literature.

[Anonymous No.13128533]

>>13128170
His sex scenes are GOAt

[Anonymous No.13129827]

>>13119446
Kafka on the Shore is basically an Oedipus complex turned into an absurdist novel.
>>13126408
Based.

[Anonymous No.13129854]

>>13119577
Ishiguro's and Murakami's style are hardly related.

[Anonymous No.13129862]

>>13125320
try The Unconsoled. it's his best, and much different

[Anonymous No.13129889]

I've never read any Murakami but I really want to read Hard Boiled Wonderland. Will I feel lost?

[Anonymous No.13129893]

>tfw haven't read Murakami

[Anonymous No.13130027]

His novels have a comfy vibe, that's all

[Anonymous No.13130217]

>>13129893
this. like an idiot, i bought 1Q84 without realizing it was 1100 pages. should've bought norwegian wood instead.

[Anonymous No.13130228]

>>13130217
if you start reading it youll finish it in like 2 days, it's harry potter tier readability

[Anonymous No.13130296]

a wild sheep chase

[Anonymous No.13130314]

>>13125345
Based and sheeppilled.

[Anonymous No.13131505]

>>13125439
>>13125452
This shit was so fucking kino.
I think I will reread it this summer.

[Anonymous No.13131537]

>>13123952
>well
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was also my favorite. Great for anyone super depressed

[Anonymous No.13132153]

>>13130217
its 3 books in 1 split into 300 or so pages, its easy to read so you can put it down after book 1 if you dont like it. Norwegian wood is quite different than 1Q84 (not that its bad I like NW better desu), kafka may be a better intro for 1Q84 and that type of Murakami's style

[Anonymous No.13132190]

>>13117961
same, loved it

[Anonymous No.13132305]

>>13124807
Best answer. It's very contained, and the fact that the dweeb is receiving the story instead of living it helps too. Wish he wrote more novella length stuff

[Anonymous No.13132366]

>>13117955
The best: Kafka on the shore

The worst: South of the border west of the sun(i love the title tho)

[Anonymous No.13132419]

>>13119577
>they both have Japanese names
ONE IS CLEARLY AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OTHER

I bet you think all asians look the same, faggot

[Anonymous No.13132433]

>>13131505
Hardboiled really was some cool shit. The parallel narrative was great and I actually liked the dialogue quite a bit. Oddly enough, i have a teacher that's a lot like murakami so it's fun reading him. Also cool, in japanese, the real world narrator uses boku to refer to himself, where as the dream narrator uses Ore, cool distinction

[Anonymous No.13132654]

can’t even touch his books because because they are too mainstream. my mom read some of his books 15 years ago and she said it was poor quality literature. i am satisfied with her review

[Anonymous No.13133226]

Really depends. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a master piece, but it's bulky. Norwegian Wood is completely different, yet touching on a whole different level.
South of the Border, West of the Sun is similar to NW, but much more focused and to the point. idk, they're all great desu.

[Anonymous No.13133247]

>tfw not a single yet promiscuous, depressed, late 20ies Jazz afficionado
tfw just a single, depressed late-20ies Murakami fan

[Anonymous No.13133272]

>>13121642
I need to pick it up again, but before I got too busy this year I would wait for night to fall, get buzzed, then read a chapter of After Dark while sitting by a window overlooking a streelamp. Indescribably comfy experience.

[Anonymous No.13133298]

>>13117955
I read Kafka on the shore. I don't think I'll be reading another one of his books.

[Anonymous No.13133304]

>>13133298

>pick up kafka on the shore
>discussions of freedom, time, etc
>everything boils down to a fucking rock

[Anonymous No.13133306]

>Murakami characters are all depressed and bookish functioning alcoholics who are alienated by society and have trouble forming meaningful relationships with others (just like me)
>His characters all have tons of sex still (unlike me)

[Anonymous No.13133362]

>>13133304
Read the book

[Anonymous No.13133372]

>>13133298
I’d give him another chance, Kafka is probably my least favourite of his that I’ve read. I’m not sure why it’s one of his most popular.

[Anonymous No.13133381]

You'd have to have IQ84 to enjoy that book

[Anonymous No.13134149]

>>13133306
same

[Anonymous No.13134801]

Norwegian wood was my favourite, Kafka and 1Q84 were fine and I could go either way with the fantasy vibe, is sputnik sweetheart good and is it in any way similar to NW?

[Anonymous No.13135726]

Only read 1Q84, norwegian wood and kafka on the shore, liked them all but thought 1Q84 was best. All the things that people criticized about it (plot lines, characters that go in weird, unresolved directions) I really liked, and it had an eerie mood that I liked alot. Liked Kafka the least of the three

[Anonymous No.13135946]

>>13125422
After Dark. Unusual style of Murakami and not so popular, also novella length. I really enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Anonymous No.13135956]

>>13132366
I really didn't enjoy South of the Border West of the Sun either. Waste of time.

[Anonymous No.13136106]

>>13134801
Bait

[Anonymous No.13136120]

>>13117955
Just finished Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, which apparently is his favourite. It gear changes back and forth between the the two story lines, and it speeds up and slows down within those story lines, so I found it requires a bit of effort. Didnt love the ending but a book to think about. Very solid book.

I really like the Rat trilogy, particularly A wild sheep chase, and I really loved Norwegian Wood, but NW doesnt have his sort of Magical Realism (or whatever its designated).

But my favourite was Wind Up Bird Chronicle.

Ive noticed some symbolic trends amongst his writing. There seems to be a lot of focus on ears as a body part, most obviously seen in Wild Sheep Chase, and the auditory. Hes always referencing music, but also bird songs.

And also depth and the underground and Wells, like in Wind Up bird Chronicle.

What it all means I dont know, but those two things stick out to me.

[Anonymous No.13137013]

>>13129889
Yes and no. It is fine, you're meant to feel lost for much of that particular novel. It's a detective story in some sense.

[Anonymous No.13137024]

>>13136120
I mean, he's a well-read Jazz enthusiast who lives in a city where everyone spends hours every day underground - together, alone. His recurring motifs make sense in context.

[Anonymous No.13137286]

>>13119446
Because the 15 year old main character explicitly has sex with the older librarian lady?

[Anonymous No.13138481]

out of the ones I've read
Windup Bird > Norwegian Wood > Kafka on the Shore

[Anonymous No.13138964]

I wished I didn't read "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running", changed completely my view on Murakami and now I know that he's an insufferable and pretentious faggot as a person.

BUT as a writer I like him a lot, a wild sheep chase it's a great book and one of my favorites ones. The only one I didn't like was Norwegian wood, basically the only Murakami's book that doesn't feel written by him.

[Anonymous No.13139514]

>>13119568
15 year old is hardly ss

[Anonymous No.13139972]

>>13138964
To your first point, how so? I'd like to read it considering I also like to run a lot.

[Anonymous No.13140269]

>>13138964
Please explain.

[Anonymous No.13140280]

>>13117955
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is a really underrated one.

[Anonymous No.13140441]

>>13138964
I agree. His life was too easy
>>13140269
Not that poster but basically after college he decided to open a jazz club instead of going to a office ["lol hard work long nights but lots of fun"] then one day he tells his wife he wants to write and she’s like "sure, whatever, lol" and then the very FIRST thing he writes wins a journal award and it was gold rivers ever after.
I didn’t find him pretentious, just insufferable about how easy his life was, or comes across in the book
>>13137286
>15 year old
>pedo
Nigga thier where European kings that went into battle and assumed thrones at that age, not a child

[Anonymous No.13140448]

>>13128170
It was especially hilarious that when he decided to use a female protagonist he still had her go out and fuck hot women.

[Anonymous No.13140451]

>>13140441
Sounds like the problem is your bitterness and not his life.