Nick's review
Kafka on the Shore
by Haruki Murakami
Nick's review
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Nick's review
rating:
recommended for: People who like Japan, cats and philosophy
An expansive, fantastical read, which like many of Murakami's books, immediately draws you into a bizarre story, in this case the parallel worlds of 15 year-old runaway Kafka Tamura and Mr Nakata, a man who can't read but can talk with cats.
The book, through alternating chapters, shows how closely the worlds of dream and reality, memory and history, metaphor and actuality, are intertwined and the devastating consequences of what can happen when these opposites are bridged.
Leading you from the quiet suburbs of Tokyo to the rural idyl of Shikoku island this is a thoroughly engrossing read, revolving around an intriguing, metaphysical idea of how memory and reality relate. Throughout the course of the book the characters are drawn onwards by this concept.
Laced through with Murakami's usual pop culture references, it also has a lot of humour, tragedy and intense sexuality. Thanks to it I have been encouraged to read more about Greek Tragedy and the philosophy of Hegel.
Perha...more
The book, through alternating chapters, shows how closely the worlds of dream and reality, memory and history, metaphor and actuality, are intertwined and the devastating consequences of what can happen when these opposites are bridged.
Leading you from the quiet suburbs of Tokyo to the rural idyl of Shikoku island this is a thoroughly engrossing read, revolving around an intriguing, metaphysical idea of how memory and reality relate. Throughout the course of the book the characters are drawn onwards by this concept.
Laced through with Murakami's usual pop culture references, it also has a lot of humour, tragedy and intense sexuality. Thanks to it I have been encouraged to read more about Greek Tragedy and the philosophy of Hegel.
Perha...more
