Haruki Murakami fans discussion
This topic is about
Kafka on the Shore
Kafka on the Shore (2002)
>
Struggling with Kafka on the Shore
date
newest »
newest »
What do you expect people to suggest? Your only options are to keep reading, leaving the book alone for a while or to entirely drop it. Many people will tell you it's one of their favorite Murakami books, ultimately it's your choice what you're gonna do.
Kafka on the Shore was not my favorite Murakami novel either. I would rank it as second-tier among his works. Murakami really dispenses with a plot with discernible cause and effect in this one, and it shows. And I thought the historical narrative was underdeveloped in comparison to the Manchurian episodes in Wind Up Bird.Murakami's books are all interconnected somehow, like variations on a theme or themes. Sometimes when I read a Murakami story that I don't feel works as well as others, I look for the common thematic connections and how he varies them to get a better sense of Murakami as a whole. Try to make some discoveries outside the novel perhaps by comparing Kafka to other works by Murakami you have read. You could draw some interesting conclusions.
I loathe Kafka on the Shore. I thought it meandered horribly and that Murakami didn't quite know what he wanted to do with the characters or plot. There was also a character that I hated and he did things that made me sick. If you don't like it, just drop it. There are other Murakami novels for you to enjoy.
I like Kafka a lot. When I read the book it didn't totally resonate but then on a very long drive I listened to the audiobook and let it all sink in. It's one of my favorites now.
Then again you may like Kafka more as time goes by. My first Murakami book was 1Q84. At one point early on, I thought "this just isn't for me" and put it aside. Later I decided to keep going, since I'd already paid for it. Shortly thereafter, it hooked me hard, and 1Q84 became one of my favorite books, prompting me to buy and read everything Murakami ever wrote.
With Murakami, the challenge is always coping with the surreal disconnected plotting and meandering pace. Some books work better than others - Wind-Up is absolutely the best IMO, so reading anything else after that would be a let down. Kafka has its compensations, but the texture is pretty consistent throughout: it's not as though it suddenly changes and gets 'better'.
I'm with you on that as we'll. I am down to my last four chapters, and it is still a struggle for me. My foreshadowing skills may be weak because I yet to know how this book is going to end. I guess that's the beauty of it.
I ended up finishing it about 3 weeks ago and I'm glad I did, it was a very satisfying read. now I'm plugging away at 1Q84 though, and that's a bit of a different story. I'm on page 600 and I am losing interest badly.
I had that problem with Norvegian Woods...so i dropped it and retried it later in years, finding it fantastic!!Kafka was different...i actually loved it and the characters were so deep, linked and amazing that i finished the book in few days..... :)
Kafka resonated deeply with me upon reading. I loved the characters. I agree with Virginia, I thought the book was amazing.
I absolutely love both Norwegian Wood and Kafka! I started reading Murakami with Norwegian Wood (under the advise of my friend, who's another Murakami fanatic), and it simply blew me away. The inexplicable feeling of loss stayed with me even weeks after I've finish reading the novel. NW is one of my favourite Murakami novels not only because of its plot, but also because it was what got me hooked onto him in the first place. Kafka is a pretty heavy read in my opinion. The book has quite a number of pages (for me), the plot might get a little slow here and there, and there are lots and lots of metaphors and symbology thrown into the narrative. But it's one of my favourites, because even though I could only understand a part of the novel, I'm still gripped by that inexplicable sense of loss and grief. I remember having to put down the book for a few days because it got too depressing for me, haha.
Different readers, different experiences; I liked Kafka, was deeply irritated by the slack plotting of 1Q84 and thought Norwegian Wood was weak. Wind Up Bird is the clear winner IMO. Others may have very different experiences.
Did you read the two books in a row? Once I read
I don't read Murakami back to back, once I'm done with one of his books a read something different, after a couple of books I start missing his work and enjoy it much more.
Natalia wrote: "I don't read Murakami back to back, once I'm done with one of his books a read something different, after a couple of books I start missing his work and enjoy it much more."I agree. When I finish one of his books, I read something else for a while and give it some time.
Even though his stories are excellent, I think too much of them in a short period may give me brain damage. haha
I struggled with Kafka in the beginning as well. Went weeks between picking it up. But at some point, after maybe 100 pages, I literally couldn't put it down and read for hours on end and finished it in two days, ending up loving it. So if you're early on in the book, I'd give it some more time, but if you end up forcing yourself through it, its probably better to put it down :)
I finally decided not to finish it. It goes too long and lost its 'magic' after half of the book. I forced myself to keep reading but it's unbearable to read the story that seemed lead to nothing. Maybe it's not that bad but i don't suggest you to keep reading it either.
I think that's a mistake -- unlike some of his other works, Kafka does actually have a payoff at the end and it's worth the journey. But the great thing is, the book will still be there in 20 years when you feel like returning.
Jonathan wrote: "I recently blew through the Wind Up Bird Chronicle and absolutely loved it, it was touching, had momentum and suspense, and the right amount of surrealism and dreaminess.I started Kafka a couple ..."
Jonathan, I've had that problem with a few books. I think perhaps it's better to come back to it at a point when you're ready to concentrate a little bit more. Usually when this happens to me, I need to find a book that better fits what's going in my life. Usually, when I have a lot going on in my life, I need lighter, shorter works. I would switch to something else and then come back to it.
Barry wrote: "Kafka resonated deeply with me upon reading. I loved the characters. I agree with Virginia, I thought the book was amazing."Likewise, Kafka was my favourite Murakami read. Waiting patiently for his latest to be released.
Clare wrote: "Barry wrote: "Kafka resonated deeply with me upon reading. I loved the characters. I agree with Virginia, I thought the book was amazing."
Likewise, Kafka was my favourite Murakami read. Waiting..."
I almost want to say Kafka is my favorite too, almost, but oh I love them all.
Likewise, Kafka was my favourite Murakami read. Waiting..."
I almost want to say Kafka is my favorite too, almost, but oh I love them all.
I'm really looking forward to his next book although I've still got IQ84 to read.I still can't get Hoshino and Nakata out of my head and Johnnie Walker is one of the more menacing characters in recent literature I have read, not forgetting Oshima who is a truly captivating individual. Kafka is big on ideas but has such a richness of characterisation.
Wow I liked Kafka on the shore the best..it's in my list of five books that shook me..I also liked Norwegian wood best but these two are different. Kafka on the shore is such a nice book. I kinda liked it that there were two parallel stories..I mean you need to understand there are real things and surreal things like fishes rain and stuff like that which was great..It may not make sense but you get the idea.. the plot was just amazing and I was really knocked out after finishing it! And murakami wrapped things up so well in the end. Just continue reading it! :)
Nuengruedee wrote: "Wow I liked Kafka on the shore the best..it's in my list of five books that shook me..I also liked Norwegian wood best but these two are different. Kafka on the shore is such a nice book. I kinda l..."
Kafka and Norwegian Wood are two completely different types of books. Both are amazing in their own way.
Kafka and Norwegian Wood are two completely different types of books. Both are amazing in their own way.
I read this after reading 1Q84 first, then wind up bird chronicles, and so it felt like a slower paced book in many respects. it also follows all male characters, which felt at times as though I couldn't relate to them. It felt slow until the last few chapters when it all sort of came together, and overall I am glad I read it! The only time that I felt as though I practically had to skim read it was when Johnnie Walker came into the mix, and as a cat lover it was very hard to read.
Out of all Murakami’s books, Kafka on the Shore is the one that lingers most powerfully with me, even now, years after I read it. The book’s surreal otherworldliness allows your imagination to take you wherever you want, but it also has a satisfying plotline. It’s definitely worth reading through to the end.
I found Kafka on the shore a very unique book. Unlike any book I've ever read. I think that is very "kafkian" but the story is almost perfect.
Kafka on the Shore was my first exposure to Murakami. I liked it, although after Nakata's meeting with Johnnie Walker, it becomes increasingly surreal and difficult to follow. It's definitely a novel that requires multiple readings to understand. I have been told that you really need to know Murakami's other novel to understand Kafka. I am reading Hardboiled Wonderland now, and it has a much more straightforward plot. After I read a few more Murakami novels, I will revisit Kafka and hopefully be able to evaluate it better.
Kurt wrote: "Kafka on the Shore was my first exposure to Murakami. I liked it, although after Nakata's meeting with Johnnie Walker, it becomes increasingly surreal and difficult to follow. It's definitely a nov..."I would not recommend Kafka on the Shore for Murakami's beginners, but I guess that you are right you should re-read it again. Also about Hardboiled Wonderland, I believe that the book is not as straightforward as you might think, everything in Murakami's writing has a deeper meaning. I would recommend you to read 1Q84 before you read Kafka on the Shore again.
Gonçalo wrote: "Kurt wrote: "Kafka on the Shore was my first exposure to Murakami. I liked it, although after Nakata's meeting with Johnnie Walker, it becomes increasingly surreal and difficult to follow. It's def..."Thanks for the advice. I am planning on reading "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" next.
Hardboiled is definitely not straightforward!
I think regardless of the book, if it's not working out, but it down for a while -- possibly a year. I had that experience with Hardboiled Wonderland. I plan to go back to it sometime down the line.
I like Kafka, one of his works that I favor the most, as I think it is one of his simpler works. I know that it still has the mystical elements and surrealism in it, but somehow it doesn't mess around with my emotions that much, like Norwegian. But I think I can relate to how you feel for Dance Dance Dance. I guess I was kinda tired after having back-to-back Murakami novels, and I felt that Dance Dance Dance's plot and storyline have a certain annoying void that is attempted to be filled with redundancy over the same old issues that the characters have. It's tiring but nevertheless, I have to finish it so that I can finally have some sort of a closure for the book.
However, my point would be, I think it's normal for you to feel that way towards his works, especially after reading tons of his before. My advise would be stop reading it for a while, find some other books by him or other authors to read, then you can resume your reading again. Hope this helps :)
The one i loved the most of murakami. The best!
Kafka on the Shore, unlike Wind-Up, doesn't offer any answers (although I know Wind-Up isn't full of them). Murakami actively wants the reader to think about the characters of Tamura and Nakata, and how they themselves respond to the world of magical realism Murakami has created. You will have to read this book a couple of times to see how YOU answer the questions and themes presented in the book.
Is Kafka's father really a distant figurehead? Or Johnnie Walker the cat killer?
Can Nakata really speak to cats?
Did mackerel really fall from the sky due to a thought?
Is the Miss Saeki we first meet her true self or is the spirit version of her the real deal?
It's a fantastic story that paints great cross-cultural references between the East and the West, whilst simultaneously creating a fantastical piece of fiction that is both labyrinthine and ordered.
If you're struggling to get through it, I'd recommend taking a break from Murakami for a week or two, he requires your full attention to immerse yourself in his words.
Kafka is definitely my favourite so far, but I haven't tackled Wind-up and I positively loathed as far as I got in 1Q84 - I was stuck on a plane with the trilogy on my Kindle so read further than I would have - it felt so shallow and contrived. But Kafka had a magic and depth that was mesmerising. It inspired me to explore the surreal in my own writing and I'm hooked.
Virginia wrote: "Kafka is definitely my favourite so far, but I haven't tackled Wind-up and I positively loathed as far as I got in 1Q84 - I was stuck on a plane with the trilogy on my Kindle so read further than I..."I feel like any teenager who has ever felt like running away has a special place in their heart for the book.
Natalia wrote: "I don't read Murakami back to back, once I'm done with one of his books a read something different, after a couple of books I start missing his work and enjoy it much more."I totaly agree with oyu
Ahhhh I finished the book tonight and I want to say I had this feeling as well in the beginning. I felt like I'm in this circle and I kept trying to find answers or turning points in the story, some type of "ah that's the point of the story" kind of moment. Never reached it. I had mixed feelings towards the characters, sometimes I would hate Kafka so much for acting as a know it all and being confused at times. And sometimes I would hate Nakata for being so so repetitive ( I know this was part of his character). Finishing the book however, I realize that the whole story was chaos but I loved it. It wasn't about making sense and reaching a revelation, for me, it was about the simple surprises that showed up through out the story. The way Murakami writes always gets to me.
@kazo have a good opinion
Struggled page by page and pushed too hard and i am now done with about 90% of the book! Taking a break as I am tired of struggling so much to finish a fiction and trust me this has never happened to me before. I loved the 1st 2 books of 1Q84 and that prompted me to buy Kafka on the shore. I hope to finish it.
There is no need to struggle with Murakami. Just go with the flow.
There's nothing wrong with taking some time out with a book Anjanaa, life is to short to struggle with a book you are not enjoying. I did love Kafka but it may be worth coming back to it later when it feels right.
I agree with Barry, Anjanaa. I think that certain books fail to capture your heart if you are not ready for it. The timing might be off. But when you are ready you will yearn to get back to it.
Usually for me, I struggle with a Murakami book if I don't start it off with a good note. Since I have never been to Japan, whenever I start a Murakami book I take time to visualize the setting and character, sometimes I even google the name of town / city/ district the book is set in, to make it easier to visualize. Once it's all clear in my head the rest unfolds like a beautiful poem
Kafka on the shore is my first try at Murakami and it was worth it.I personally couldn't put it down, but I took breaks from it, just to see if the spell that it cast could last. To my surprise, it did and it was even better than when I had left it.
However, I'm sure many have had similar experience with a book, where at the start or half way it just seems like a struggle to progress.
Hope you eventually did finish Kafka on the Shore. I just did, last night, and if you haven't I'd say the same as many have suggested here, take time off and get back to it, but get back to it and finish it, coz it truly is a masterpiece.
FWIWI just posted my review- 5 stars. I place it just behind IQ84 and ahead of The Strange Library.
I think I have a handle on the story that is 'the real' story.
But I fear open discussion is a huge spoiler.
I started Kafka a couple of weeks ago, and while I am enjoying the style and the characters are very likable, I'm about 45% of the way into it and I feel like it's losing me slightly, because it almost seems like its grinding to a narrative halt. suggestions?