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About the author
Haruki Murakami
579 books131k followersHaruki Murakami (村上春樹) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards.
Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after working as the owner of a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy and Dag Solstad as his favourite currently active writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long distance runner.
His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been criticised by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after working as the owner of a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy and Dag Solstad as his favourite currently active writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long distance runner.
His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been criticised by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
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August 21, 2025
2.5 ستاره ⭐⭐
تقدیم به کتاب کافکا در کرانه
حقیقتا الان که تموم کردم. به دیوار خیره شدم از تعجب، این کتاب انگار هیچی برای گفتن نداشت اما با این وجود باز یه سری حرف برای گفتن داشت.🙄
نمی دونم منظورم چطوری برسونم. انگار که از اون مدل داستانهاس که می‌دونی چیزی از توش در نمیاد ولی یه چیزی تو وجودت می گه نه باید بخونی ببینی بقیه اش چی میشه.
خب بذارم بگم بقیه اش چی میشه. هیچی نمیشه😂👌🏽
خود کتاب روایت غیر خطی دوگانه داره. که از زبون دوتا شخصیت اصلی روایت میشه. مسلما انتظار داریم آخر کتاب این روایت ها بهم برسن.درسته! میرسن. اما نمیرسن.🚶🏽♀️💔
خود کتاب رو من زبان اصلی خوندم ولی با محتوایی که ازش خوندم موندم چطوری ترجمه شده! نصف داستان باید سانسور کنن.👀
چون توصیفات جنسی بی مورد و فلسفی توی جاهای نامربوط بیش از حد بود.
این اولین کتابی بود که من از موراکی خوندم. ادبیات ژاپن واقعا عجیب غریبه یا شاید خود موراکی واقعا عجیبه؟
آقای موراکی کرکتر پشت کرکتر میاره، همین جوری از تو هوا پیدا میشن. یه سری حرفای فیلسوفانه میزنن دوباره محو میشن.🤨
یعنی هیچ پایان درست حسابی به این بنده خدا ها نمی‌داد. بعد یه حرفایی میزدن که با خودت می گفتی چرا باید همچین حرفی بزنی؟؟؟
آخه چرااا😵💫💭
مثلا معلم ناکاتا چرا باید از رابطه جنسی خودش یا اینکه چرا پریود بوده به یه پرفسور بگه؟ یا قهوه چی داستان چرا باید از بتهوون حرف بزنه بعد محو بشه ؟اینکه روسپی فاحشه ای راجب هگل حین انجام کار برای مشتریش حرف بزنه. یا یه گربه از این ناکجا آباد بیاد یه سری حرفا بزنه بعد بره.
وووو......
تا فردا میتونم بی منطق بودن خود داستان توضیح بدم.😂
درسته کتاب سورئال هست اما نمیشه عیب ایرادات معماها و پلات ها رو به پای سورئال بودنش بذاریم.
یه نویسنده خوب همیشه جواب خواننده اش رو میده یا حداقل برای احترام به داستان خودش گره داستان باز می کنه.🤷🏽♀️
جزئیات داستان واقعا با حوصله نوشته شده ولی خودمونیم از یه جا به بعد کلافه کننده شد. ولی شخصا از جزئیات کلافه کننده اش خوشم میومد.
رشد شخصیتی خود کافکا آن چنان به دل نشست. سوالات اون جور که باید جواب داده میشد. نشد!
ولی... ایده گربه سخنگو رو دوست داشتم و اینکه دیالوگ‌های قشنگی داشت. بیش از حد قشنگ بودن. مخصوصاً این دیالوگ:
and closed her eyes. "My life ended when I was 20. Since then it's been merely a series of endless reminiscences, a dark, winding corridor leading nowhere. Nevertheless, I had to live it, surviving each empty day, seeing each day off still empty. During those days I made a lot of mistakes.No, that's not correct - sometimes I feel that all I did was make mistakes. It felt as though I was living at the bottom of a deep well, completely shut up inside myself, cursing my fate, hating everything outside. Occasionally I ventured outside myself, putting on a good show of being alive.Accepting whatever came along, numbly slipping through life. I slept around a lot, at one point even living in a sort of marriage, but it was all pointless. Everything passed away in an instant, with nothing left behind except the scars of things I injured and despised.
با خوندن این تیکه انگار برگشته بودم به 20 سالگی خودم و می گفتم این دقیقا من بودم.⏳
این دو نیم ستاره رو هم فقط بخاطر دیالوگ ها دادم چون پلات و داستان خاصی نداشت.😐👌🏽
خلاصه که حس خاصی به کتاب ندارم ولی تجربه بدی هم نبود. برای خوندن به کسی واقعا پیشنهاد نمیدمش چون اتلاف وقت به تمام معناست.❌🤦🏽♀️
تقدیم به کتاب کافکا در کرانه
حقیقتا الان که تموم کردم. به دیوار خیره شدم از تعجب، این کتاب انگار هیچی برای گفتن نداشت اما با این وجود باز یه سری حرف برای گفتن داشت.🙄
نمی دونم منظورم چطوری برسونم. انگار که از اون مدل داستانهاس که می‌دونی چیزی از توش در نمیاد ولی یه چیزی تو وجودت می گه نه باید بخونی ببینی بقیه اش چی میشه.
خب بذارم بگم بقیه اش چی میشه. هیچی نمیشه😂👌🏽
خود کتاب روایت غیر خطی دوگانه داره. که از زبون دوتا شخصیت اصلی روایت میشه. مسلما انتظار داریم آخر کتاب این روایت ها بهم برسن.درسته! میرسن. اما نمیرسن.🚶🏽♀️💔
خود کتاب رو من زبان اصلی خوندم ولی با محتوایی که ازش خوندم موندم چطوری ترجمه شده! نصف داستان باید سانسور کنن.👀
چون توصیفات جنسی بی مورد و فلسفی توی جاهای نامربوط بیش از حد بود.
این اولین کتابی بود که من از موراکی خوندم. ادبیات ژاپن واقعا عجیب غریبه یا شاید خود موراکی واقعا عجیبه؟
آقای موراکی کرکتر پشت کرکتر میاره، همین جوری از تو هوا پیدا میشن. یه سری حرفای فیلسوفانه میزنن دوباره محو میشن.🤨
یعنی هیچ پایان درست حسابی به این بنده خدا ها نمی‌داد. بعد یه حرفایی میزدن که با خودت می گفتی چرا باید همچین حرفی بزنی؟؟؟
آخه چرااا😵💫💭
مثلا معلم ناکاتا چرا باید از رابطه جنسی خودش یا اینکه چرا پریود بوده به یه پرفسور بگه؟ یا قهوه چی داستان چرا باید از بتهوون حرف بزنه بعد محو بشه ؟اینکه روسپی فاحشه ای راجب هگل حین انجام کار برای مشتریش حرف بزنه. یا یه گربه از این ناکجا آباد بیاد یه سری حرفا بزنه بعد بره.
وووو......
تا فردا میتونم بی منطق بودن خود داستان توضیح بدم.😂
درسته کتاب سورئال هست اما نمیشه عیب ایرادات معماها و پلات ها رو به پای سورئال بودنش بذاریم.
یه نویسنده خوب همیشه جواب خواننده اش رو میده یا حداقل برای احترام به داستان خودش گره داستان باز می کنه.🤷🏽♀️
جزئیات داستان واقعا با حوصله نوشته شده ولی خودمونیم از یه جا به بعد کلافه کننده شد. ولی شخصا از جزئیات کلافه کننده اش خوشم میومد.
رشد شخصیتی خود کافکا آن چنان به دل نشست. سوالات اون جور که باید جواب داده میشد. نشد!
ولی... ایده گربه سخنگو رو دوست داشتم و اینکه دیالوگ‌های قشنگی داشت. بیش از حد قشنگ بودن. مخصوصاً این دیالوگ:
and closed her eyes. "My life ended when I was 20. Since then it's been merely a series of endless reminiscences, a dark, winding corridor leading nowhere. Nevertheless, I had to live it, surviving each empty day, seeing each day off still empty. During those days I made a lot of mistakes.No, that's not correct - sometimes I feel that all I did was make mistakes. It felt as though I was living at the bottom of a deep well, completely shut up inside myself, cursing my fate, hating everything outside. Occasionally I ventured outside myself, putting on a good show of being alive.Accepting whatever came along, numbly slipping through life. I slept around a lot, at one point even living in a sort of marriage, but it was all pointless. Everything passed away in an instant, with nothing left behind except the scars of things I injured and despised.
با خوندن این تیکه انگار برگشته بودم به 20 سالگی خودم و می گفتم این دقیقا من بودم.⏳
این دو نیم ستاره رو هم فقط بخاطر دیالوگ ها دادم چون پلات و داستان خاصی نداشت.😐👌🏽
خلاصه که حس خاصی به کتاب ندارم ولی تجربه بدی هم نبود. برای خوندن به کسی واقعا پیشنهاد نمیدمش چون اتلاف وقت به تمام معناست.❌🤦🏽♀️
May 22, 2025
I don't think it's ever easy for me to describe any books by murakami. this book was a fascinating experience, it takes the reader into its own world to the point that putting it down is the most difficult thing in the world! the words are simple and you'll get comfortable reading it like someone's reading it aloud for you. though I think murakami has a habit of leaving the readers mostly in the dark to solve the mysteries themselves...I have so many questions and so many whys that I had to think about when I closed the last page, and as for my second book of this author...I kinda expected it. but all together I loved the secrets, the mystery and all the plot twists I couldn't expect!
September 30, 2024
A beautiful journey. A journey of time.
July 7, 2024
Wooow. That was interesting.
I was going into this this book, with the knowledge, that it was going to be confusing. So i was expecting everything and nothing at the same time.
I would say weird is a better description of the book. Its really weird. But Not confusing. Confusing would mean Id have no clue whats going on, but you do. At least concerning, being Able to follow the Story. Its written really nicely. Its Not very hard to read and has you thinking about a few Things. If i dont forget i'll Talk about that later on. Also the characters are very simple. Murakami has worked Out these characters very Well, dont get me wrong, but theyre Just your day to day people With some Special Features about them. A Runaway, an old man who lived a simple life, a Truckdriver, a sad Woman who lost her Lover, a trans man born in the wrong Body. Overall very relatable characters. And i wouldnt say its a Fantasy novel. Thats what makes it so Special. Most Things i read, really lean into the Fantasy Thing or they make it about Our reality. This book gives you a setting in Our world with a Lot of fantastical Elements. I cant describe it. Because Theres a Lot of supernatural Things Happening. And it still doesnt feel Like its the Point of the book.
You defenitly dont get bored with that book, beacause there is sooo much Happening, so many Side Story, that at some Point you Kind of Thing what the actual fk. I Love it and i hate it. Because There is so much Happening, so many mysteries that need solving, that one book cant do IT all, and it doesnt. It leaves a Lot of Things unsolved and i think its the perfekt way to end the book. Because i would have been Kind of Mad if i everything Just solved perfectly in this weird as book. But also i kind of want the solution to all the weird Things that happend.
There are a Lot of Things morally wrong in this book that dont get called Out to be morally wrong. Which was kinda hard for me to grasp. But also i think that was one of the Things of the book. To question that, to question oneself too. And the meaning of life and the engine behind it. I think it wants to Tell you Not to stay Put in the reality that you build for yourself, but to venture further and question what Kind of Things are possible and never to narrow your Kind of Vision and be Open to Things. Also how to Deal with the past and the Future.
I Heard while i read the book, that murakami is Not really good at writing about women. And yes i need to say they were right. The woman in the book we're very shallow compared to the men. Maby Miss saeki as an interesting Character, but even her life ended when her man left the Word. And basically the only propose of the women in that book was to be used for Sex at some Point. So pretty shallow.
What was pretty surprising for me though was the Kind of understanding for trans and gay people. It was still treated as a tabboo thing in the society they lifed in, very Common for Japan, but in general the characters in the book in general were very neutral or at least Not judgy about that.
I Liked the book Overall. Ive never read anything Like that. So it was a good Change ^^
I was going into this this book, with the knowledge, that it was going to be confusing. So i was expecting everything and nothing at the same time.
I would say weird is a better description of the book. Its really weird. But Not confusing. Confusing would mean Id have no clue whats going on, but you do. At least concerning, being Able to follow the Story. Its written really nicely. Its Not very hard to read and has you thinking about a few Things. If i dont forget i'll Talk about that later on. Also the characters are very simple. Murakami has worked Out these characters very Well, dont get me wrong, but theyre Just your day to day people With some Special Features about them. A Runaway, an old man who lived a simple life, a Truckdriver, a sad Woman who lost her Lover, a trans man born in the wrong Body. Overall very relatable characters. And i wouldnt say its a Fantasy novel. Thats what makes it so Special. Most Things i read, really lean into the Fantasy Thing or they make it about Our reality. This book gives you a setting in Our world with a Lot of fantastical Elements. I cant describe it. Because Theres a Lot of supernatural Things Happening. And it still doesnt feel Like its the Point of the book.
You defenitly dont get bored with that book, beacause there is sooo much Happening, so many Side Story, that at some Point you Kind of Thing what the actual fk. I Love it and i hate it. Because There is so much Happening, so many mysteries that need solving, that one book cant do IT all, and it doesnt. It leaves a Lot of Things unsolved and i think its the perfekt way to end the book. Because i would have been Kind of Mad if i everything Just solved perfectly in this weird as book. But also i kind of want the solution to all the weird Things that happend.
There are a Lot of Things morally wrong in this book that dont get called Out to be morally wrong. Which was kinda hard for me to grasp. But also i think that was one of the Things of the book. To question that, to question oneself too. And the meaning of life and the engine behind it. I think it wants to Tell you Not to stay Put in the reality that you build for yourself, but to venture further and question what Kind of Things are possible and never to narrow your Kind of Vision and be Open to Things. Also how to Deal with the past and the Future.
I Heard while i read the book, that murakami is Not really good at writing about women. And yes i need to say they were right. The woman in the book we're very shallow compared to the men. Maby Miss saeki as an interesting Character, but even her life ended when her man left the Word. And basically the only propose of the women in that book was to be used for Sex at some Point. So pretty shallow.
What was pretty surprising for me though was the Kind of understanding for trans and gay people. It was still treated as a tabboo thing in the society they lifed in, very Common for Japan, but in general the characters in the book in general were very neutral or at least Not judgy about that.
I Liked the book Overall. Ive never read anything Like that. So it was a good Change ^^
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2024
Kafka on the Shore is surreal, layered, and complex, yet Murakami masterfully weaves these elements together without fully resolving them. His writing is suggestive, leaving much to the reader’s interpretation, which adds a unique beauty to the narrative, as readers are invited to draw their own conclusions. This allows the story to flow in a way that feels both fragmented and cohesive, like a grand epic untethered from traditional linearity.
The mind is a library, with memories and dreams as the books that fill its shelves. What's fascinating is how the mind often can't distinguish between dreams and waking life, blurring the boundaries between the two. This interplay between reality and dreams is central to Kafka on the Shore. At times, it’s difficult to discern whether events are unfolding in the real world or within a dream. One particularly interesting moment is when the younger Miss Saeki, in the dreamlike 'Entrance,' tells Kafka about a library with no books (having burned all her memories). This theme of blurred boundaries between reality and dreams, and the importance memories is a key aspect of the novel.
The two narratives unfold like a symphony, where different elements dance and collide without actually clashing. One story moves with a fast, loud rhythm, while the other is slower and more deliberate. Fate and destiny weave together like a golden thread that binds them. The two protagonists, Kafka and Nakata, contrast each other in many ways, with one being the inverse of the other.
Murakami’s brilliance lies in creating this superposition of narratives, where one rises as the other falls, until they converge at a pivotal moment. The surreal, dreamlike atmosphere of the novel allows Murakami to explore morally ambiguous situations, where the line between right and wrong becomes blurred. Some readers may find aspects of the novel unsettling, but within this ethereal, almost mythic world, anything feels possible.
At its core, Kafka on the Shore is a deep reflection on the search for identity and the struggle to come to terms with past traumas. Kafka’s journey is both physical and psychological as he contends with unresolved feelings about his parents and the weight of destiny. Nakata’s lost past and simple existence reflect the fragmented nature of memory and humanity’s inherent need for understanding. Although their stories are separate, they share themes of loneliness, trauma, and the quest for self-discovery.
Murakami’s prose is fluid and elegant, seamlessly shifting between Kafka’s first-person perspective and Nakata’s third-person narrative. The novel thrives in abstract spaces, where talking cats, raining fish, and ghostly figures mirror the inner worlds of the characters, turning metaphors into tangible realities. True to Murakami's style, the novel doesn’t offer clear resolutions but invites readers to engage with its complexities. It challenges readers to embrace ambiguity and search for meaning in the unresolved, much like life itself. Kafka on the Shore is a captivating exploration of fate, memory, and the human mind, blending the surreal with the personal in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
The mind is a library, with memories and dreams as the books that fill its shelves. What's fascinating is how the mind often can't distinguish between dreams and waking life, blurring the boundaries between the two. This interplay between reality and dreams is central to Kafka on the Shore. At times, it’s difficult to discern whether events are unfolding in the real world or within a dream. One particularly interesting moment is when the younger Miss Saeki, in the dreamlike 'Entrance,' tells Kafka about a library with no books (having burned all her memories). This theme of blurred boundaries between reality and dreams, and the importance memories is a key aspect of the novel.
The two narratives unfold like a symphony, where different elements dance and collide without actually clashing. One story moves with a fast, loud rhythm, while the other is slower and more deliberate. Fate and destiny weave together like a golden thread that binds them. The two protagonists, Kafka and Nakata, contrast each other in many ways, with one being the inverse of the other.
Murakami’s brilliance lies in creating this superposition of narratives, where one rises as the other falls, until they converge at a pivotal moment. The surreal, dreamlike atmosphere of the novel allows Murakami to explore morally ambiguous situations, where the line between right and wrong becomes blurred. Some readers may find aspects of the novel unsettling, but within this ethereal, almost mythic world, anything feels possible.
At its core, Kafka on the Shore is a deep reflection on the search for identity and the struggle to come to terms with past traumas. Kafka’s journey is both physical and psychological as he contends with unresolved feelings about his parents and the weight of destiny. Nakata’s lost past and simple existence reflect the fragmented nature of memory and humanity’s inherent need for understanding. Although their stories are separate, they share themes of loneliness, trauma, and the quest for self-discovery.
Murakami’s prose is fluid and elegant, seamlessly shifting between Kafka’s first-person perspective and Nakata’s third-person narrative. The novel thrives in abstract spaces, where talking cats, raining fish, and ghostly figures mirror the inner worlds of the characters, turning metaphors into tangible realities. True to Murakami's style, the novel doesn’t offer clear resolutions but invites readers to engage with its complexities. It challenges readers to embrace ambiguity and search for meaning in the unresolved, much like life itself. Kafka on the Shore is a captivating exploration of fate, memory, and the human mind, blending the surreal with the personal in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
October 1, 2024
Before I start I think it's fair to mention I don't read often, so I have no knowledge or experience on how a book should be, therefore I went into this without any expectations and my review is just subjective.
It's a complicated piece in my opinion. Very fascinating how he chose to write these two stories parallel to one another. I love the story of Nakata and Hoshino, and I'm not so fond of Kafka as a character.
Murakami's way of depicting a 15-year-old is a bit gross. He hypersexualised the mind of a teen, and was a bit too graphic on scenes that were completely unnecessary. Usually when he was talking about someone, he'd make weird sexual comments about their looks or even just comments about their private parts, which felt unrelated to the plot. So I didn't enjoy that much.
Kafka's story is disturbing, and I don't mind the choice of the plot, I guess he had to write about this, whatever. But on the other hand, Nakata's story. Chef's kiss. I was emotionally attached to his character (and Hoshino's). I felt sad the book ended because of these two.
It would get a higher rating if Kafka's story wasn't so graphic and pointless.
I'll look into this book more, and try to understand it more deeply.
Thank you for your time.
It's a complicated piece in my opinion. Very fascinating how he chose to write these two stories parallel to one another. I love the story of Nakata and Hoshino, and I'm not so fond of Kafka as a character.
Murakami's way of depicting a 15-year-old is a bit gross. He hypersexualised the mind of a teen, and was a bit too graphic on scenes that were completely unnecessary. Usually when he was talking about someone, he'd make weird sexual comments about their looks or even just comments about their private parts, which felt unrelated to the plot. So I didn't enjoy that much.
Kafka's story is disturbing, and I don't mind the choice of the plot, I guess he had to write about this, whatever. But on the other hand, Nakata's story. Chef's kiss. I was emotionally attached to his character (and Hoshino's). I felt sad the book ended because of these two.
It would get a higher rating if Kafka's story wasn't so graphic and pointless.
I'll look into this book more, and try to understand it more deeply.
Thank you for your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2025
Venturing into Kafka's world was a wild dreamlike experience. Rich in surrealism, art, music and metaphors, Murakami unleashes a stream of events that are both wild in a comical (or absolutely horrifying) yet satisfying way that leaves you waiting for more. And no matter how hard you try to predict what is to come you are always going to be left with your jaws dropping and ideas that are open for interpretation and adaptable to your own understanding.
I now have a newfound love to a kind of music I never would have otherwise considered listening to and an appreciation for so many things that many of us take for granted. Sounds, smells, colors, things I never would have sensed to be precious as I would have typically perceived them.
As much as I rave, I still feel a lack for words in describing this book and Murakami's art.
I now have a newfound love to a kind of music I never would have otherwise considered listening to and an appreciation for so many things that many of us take for granted. Sounds, smells, colors, things I never would have sensed to be precious as I would have typically perceived them.
As much as I rave, I still feel a lack for words in describing this book and Murakami's art.
March 19, 2025
"You already know the answer to that."
"Cats know everything"
These two lines perfectly capture Kafka's mysterious and dreamlike essence on the shore. Every time a cat speaks in the novel, I find myself melting. The way Murakami weaves a surreal atmosphere, especially in the library scenes, makes me want to keep dreaming inside that world.
I feel a deep sense of immersion from the moment I start reading as if stepping into the protagonist's journey myself. The story has everything I love enchanting storyteller, a 10-15-year-old boy at its heart, and, of course, talking cats. Every element seems to hold hidden meaning, making it a challenging yet deeply rewarding read.
In the end, I finished the book feeling satisfied. Now, more than anything, I just want to hold my own entrance stone and hear what the cats have to say - because after all, cats know everything.
"Cats know everything"
These two lines perfectly capture Kafka's mysterious and dreamlike essence on the shore. Every time a cat speaks in the novel, I find myself melting. The way Murakami weaves a surreal atmosphere, especially in the library scenes, makes me want to keep dreaming inside that world.
I feel a deep sense of immersion from the moment I start reading as if stepping into the protagonist's journey myself. The story has everything I love enchanting storyteller, a 10-15-year-old boy at its heart, and, of course, talking cats. Every element seems to hold hidden meaning, making it a challenging yet deeply rewarding read.
In the end, I finished the book feeling satisfied. Now, more than anything, I just want to hold my own entrance stone and hear what the cats have to say - because after all, cats know everything.
June 3, 2025
Kafka on the shore - a well written book, i.e. structured in compact chapters, filled with characters that develop as the story goes on, smart in a way that the storylines reference to one another, the writing flows. Although the writing is mesmerizing, I had to pause once in a while to think about what happened and how it connects to other things or when I was grossed out by a vivid description of something revolting. In the end I found the story weird, and I wish I had someone to discuss and hypothesize the meaning of it all together. I could go for an alien-based or for a metaphysical explanation, but I suppose it would be a futile attempt. Maybe I understand those characters in the book a little better, who said they cannot put some things in words and therefore they should not try - it feels like that now, and it is somewhat dissatisfying.
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August 18, 2024I've just finished "Kafka on the shore". And I want to share with you the final amazing paragraph , it may be attractive for you to read this novel.
"Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That's part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads - at least that's where I imagine it - there is a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you'll live forever in your own private library."
Kafka
Haruki Murakami ❤️
"Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That's part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads - at least that's where I imagine it - there is a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you'll live forever in your own private library."
Kafka
Haruki Murakami ❤️
August 11, 2025
Desde el primer momento el libro me atrapó un montón, la manera de escribir del autor me pareció super interesante pero a medida que el libro avanzaba comencé a perder el interés, ya que, los personajes fueron muy lineales y esperé en todo momento que hubiera alguna sorpresa que explicara que estaba pasando realmente. Pero siento que nunca pasó y los ultimos capitulos tuve que obligarme a leerlos. Le daré otra oportunidad al autor pero al menos con este terminé bastante decepcionada, esperaba mas.
September 12, 2024
Just wrapped up Kafka on the Shore and I’m still processing it. The surreal scenes were wild, and I keep uncovering new metaphors every time I think about it. The forest part really stood out for me—something about the way it pulls Kafka deeper, both physically and mentally, had me completely hooked. It felt like being lost in a dream that’s too vivid to shake off. This one’s definitely going to be sitting in my head for a while, and honestly, I’m not mad about it.
March 15, 2024
Γενικότερα όλο το βιβλίο αποτελείται από πάρα πολλές κρυμμένες και μη μεταφορές. Σε κάποια σημεία είναι δύσκολο να καταλάβεις τι εννοεί ο Μουρακαμι και κάποια γεγονότα που εκτυλισσονται είναι λίγο "disturbing". Παρόλα αυτά, σε κάποια σημεία έχει πολύ ωραία νοήματα και με το που διάβασα μια ανάλυση του βιβλίου μετά, μπόρεσα να το καταλάβω ακόμα καλύτερα.
December 18, 2024
I don't know what to say , i don't know how i feel
At times i feel like i can connect the dots and understand the story and the correlation between the characters and sometimes i don't feel like theres any correlation between them.
But it was a beautiful journey that left me feeling nostalgic for sure.
At times i feel like i can connect the dots and understand the story and the correlation between the characters and sometimes i don't feel like theres any correlation between them.
But it was a beautiful journey that left me feeling nostalgic for sure.
May 30, 2025
this was the first Murakami book i read and had no idea what to expect. the characters seemed to be living a normal life but the unreal things were talked about like they were a very casual thing. I kind of expected to get to know about the other world more and lost interest when there were very few pages left and nothing getting revealed.
September 7, 2025
Reading Kafka on the Shore was unlike any other reading experience I’ve had. The book felt mysterious, almost dreamlike, where reality and imagination constantly blurred together. At times, I found myself deeply connected to the emotions of the characters, and at other times I was simply lost in the strangeness of it all - but in a good way, as if the confusion itself was part of the journey.
November 3, 2024
Very complicated which I loved, the characters are also complicated and you need to re-read some sentences to really understand and piece the book togheter
I enjoyed reading it so much but if you ask me what the plot was I do not quite remember
I enjoyed reading it so much but if you ask me what the plot was I do not quite remember
January 28, 2024
Very hard to follow, there isn't any specific theme it handled but very entertaining read
April 1, 2024
Murakami never dissapoints l.
July 2, 2024
Very difficult to keep track of events and was very difficult to built the storyline. The theme was not getting clear
September 4, 2024
Absurd
January 23, 2025
I read it three months ago and I don't know what happened yet...
February 8, 2025
Just wow… fate is interesting makes me reimagine my life and see the lines i suppose(?) everything is predestined in a way and i just have to accomplish it(?) that’s fate i suppose?
June 24, 2025
La vida es como la espuma, por eso hay que darse como el mar
July 11, 2025
It was really outstanding. but the character arc of nakata was not satisfying, he stood out as a gentelmen leading a simple life but i was not happy how he turned out to be in the end.
August 17, 2025
BANGER!!!
September 23, 2025
very intriguing and slow paced.
June 26, 2025
superb...must read
July 24, 2025
very weird yet captivating. you keep on going and hoping that things will make sense by the end, but they do not
February 23, 2024
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