Mari sips her coffee in a diner and has a book for company.Soon, a young musician joins her and they realise that they are acquainted through Mari’s sister,Eri. After the young man leaves, Mari is jolted from her book by a lady who wants her help in translating the words of a Chinese prostitute who has been beaten in a hotel.The prostitute can’t speak any Japanese and Mari can speak Chinese.Mari decides to accompany the lady and help the prostitute.Meanwhile,Eri is sprawled in her bedroom in deep sleep and strange things happen in the room. Actually,Eri is gripped by a strange illness-she has been sleeping continuously for the last 2 months.
As the night unfolds,Mari has several conversations with the hotel manager,the helps and the young man.Everything is so surreal and unsettling that you really start wondering whether some part of the book is fantasy-especially the part where the narrator describes the scenes where Eri is sleeping. This is most definitely not a book for someone who puts the plot ahead of everything else in a book.It is for someone who likes meandering words .A huge part of the book is devoted to vivid descriptions of simple human actions like brushing teeth or unbuttoning of a shirt or some other arcane detail which we normally wouldn’t give too much importance to . Infact,the whole book is like some really slick art movie in black and white with the lead characters moving around with bone-wrenching slowness.
Of course,you have huge doses of philosophy thrown in and most of the book is in the form of dialogue between people.I really didnt want to like Mari or Eri or the young man or the other characters.But at the end of the book,I realized that my involvement with the characters had grown and I found myself wanting some form of closure for the feelings and emotions the characters go through.That is probably the strength of the book-it just grows on you. The words are beautiful and pull you into deep pools of contemplation.
Despite the slowness and the gloom,i think i enjoyed the book. Yet a deep,unsatisfactory feeling is lingering on even several hours after i finished reading the book. 4/5 for the master of gloom and surrealism.
I am not reading this anytime in the near future. Sounds too dark for me – at the moment.
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After Dark is a potent and diturbing work. Haruki Murakami is also called as J.D. Salinger of Japan.
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Definitely not my type. I like 'feel good' books and movies.
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I have one book by this author on my shelf, Which i have to read someday.
I was not able to tackle the book as I had thought 😦
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Words..yeah,it is a little dark,but do give it a shot sometime!
SG.. have you read his norwegien wood and kafka on the shores?
Geeta.. i like feel good movies and books too.. this was just sitting innocuously on the shelf taunting me to read it
Veens .. read it soon and tell me what u think.. which book is it,btw?
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I read one book by Haruki, and did not like it too much. It was too abstract for me – and I'm not sure I understood everything the author wanted to say. The book was South Of The Border, West Of The Sun.
I have his short story collection Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. It has been on my shelf since ages. I do read it off and on, but haven't been able to complete it. I just don't get what he is trying to say.
Would love to discuss the book with someone who likes Murakami. I am sure there is much more to the stories than meets the eye.
I have heard a lot about Murakami from fans of his work, and think I should give him a fair shot, though it is very difficult at times.
That said, lovely review. The book sounds too dark for me, though.
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Priya.. yeah,i found it really abstract and dark too.. and the first 10-15 pages took me almost an hour to finish. South of border is supposed to be one of his masterpieces..i am not sure if i qualify as someone who likes Murakami yet,but i am definitely planning to read more of his stuff.. atleast i am not as intimidated by his books like i was before.What are you reading now?
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I really need to read some Japanese fiction – I keep reading such great reviews.
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I adored it. I loved Kafka on the Shore even more. I loved the surreal feel of things happening in the night.
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Good review. Might read but not sure.
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Carrie.. u must!! this was my first translated japanaese book and i want to read more.
Avdi.. thats next on the list!!
A.. thanx.
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I am reading cecelia ahern's the book of tomorrow. 🙂
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priya..i havent read any of Cecilia's books.. long overdue
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He's definitely someone you like or consider weird. I enjoyed Kafka On the Shore, and either you consider 'it rained fish' or a 'talking cat' awesome, or plain crazy. I chose the former.
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Well,raining pigs does collude to “crazy”.. but i have heard mostly good things about Kafka on the shore.. so i'll reserve my judgement till i read that !
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I generally avoid gloomy books because it is difficult to get my mood alright immediately. Your review makes me want to read this one though!
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Vaishnavi..grab this book !!you wont be disappointed !
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