EVENT open for discussion: "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki..." Haruki Murakami

[Maggie]

Andrew wrote: ""As we go through life, we gradually discover who we are, but the more we discover, the more we lose ourselves."

I really enjoyed the novel, though was left somewhat flat following the slightly ambiguous ending...."

The ending is why I think there may be more to this story to come. Tsukuru never finds and confronts Haida, a huge whole in both his healing and the plot. Also, I agree with Kristen that Sara (a very Christian/European name, don't you think -- that alone made me question her because it sounds like a pseudonym created by a prostitute) never felt right for Tsukuru -- too pushy and insistent, too "my way or the highway," and too secretive. I not only didn't like her, I didn't trust her motives.

[Betty]

Andrew wrote: ""As we go through life, we gradually discover who we are, but the more we discover, the more we lose ourselves"..."

I think that quotation might refer to a similar one at the end of chapter 17. We can't go back; however, new paths open up before us. We are are carried forward by the "flow of time." That's reiterated elsewhere in the novel in that history can't be changed.

"We each have our paths to follow, in our places. Like Ao said, There's no going back.Sorrow surged then, silently, like water inside him...Pain struck him, as if gouging out his chest, and he could barely breathe.

As Eri says to Tsukuru in farewell at the cabin,

"You don't lack anything. Be confident and be bold. That's all you need."

Does he need Sara. Eri thinks that he does. He thinks so, too, to melt his frozen core. That stuff about the cold core comes soon after his heartfelt tete-a-tete with Eri. I wonder whether both Eri and Tsukuru are not pinning too many romantic hopes on Sara's and Tsukuru's friendship.

[Betty]

Maggie wrote: "...The ending is why I think there may be more to this story to come. Tsukuru never finds and confronts Haida..."

Currently reading the penultimate chapter. Regarding your comment about Haida, his mysterious disappearance seems like a strange omission. I wonder about Murakami's motive to leave open the mysteries about Haida and about Yuzu. What about Ao and Aka? Tsukuru promises Eri to revisit those friends. I agree with you that the present story is a cliffhanger. You know that Murakami's IQ84 was originally published in a sequence of three volumes.

[Betty]

Remembering that Colorless Tsukuru... doesn't contain the extensive surrealism of other Murakami novels, this story does contain several dreams. One of those in which, as in The Tale of Genji (also in Kafka on the Shore), and hypothesized by Tsukuru himself, suggests that his dark side, an uncontrollable, wandering evil spirit raped or strangled Yuzu. Some magical realism in an otherwise sort of logical plot.

Taking another poke at the character Sara's ardor for Tsukuru in chapter 18, at home Tsukuru wakes from dreaming of his formal, virtuosic piano performance, which he performs through the noisier, coughing, shifting audience. Despite the early hour 4 a.m., he phones Sara, who coughs and responds with underappreciation to his passion.

[[deleted user]]

Reflecting on the unanswered questions, I wonder if Murakami is asking us to contemplate death? A book ending is a kind of death. When we die, there is no finale, no resolution, no burst of enlightenment. The crossword we were working when we keel over doesn't finish itself. Mysteries and issues remain. So at the risk of being a contrarian, I felt the lack of resolution at the ending was kind of brilliant and I would be disappointed if he did a sequel. Leaving the questions unanswered keeps the novel more true to life.

[Betty]

Don wrote: "Reflecting on the unanswered questions, I wonder if Murakami is asking us to contemplate death? A book ending is a kind of death. When we die, there is no finale, no resolution, no burst of enligh..."

I don't know, Don. T falls asleep at the end, anticipating his mtg the next day with Sara. The way T fades aways into sleep(?) shares some characteristics with death's other dimension. Murakami has brought T from someone without the similar deep feelings for others to which he lives his passion for railroad stations/connections to someone with desirous feelings for Sara.

In the story, there are Yuzu's mysterious, violent death and Haida's death-like disappearance after the macabre fable of standing in. T's pilgrimage is much in the "flow of time", evolving his self-conception, yet recognizing the eternal in that flow. T could suffer from heart failure as he earlier was portrayed with some physical signs of that.

I'm still for the sequel! What I would alter is the last chapter. The detailed Shinjuku railroad description of the ending I'd place at the book's beginning. Then the story would continue from the past, moving forward from high-school through T's mid-30s, finishing up with the Eri episode and T's decision on the evening before that important next day.

Don, you made a good point. You'll have to ask Murakami.

[[deleted user]]

Asma wrote: "Don wrote: "Reflecting on the unanswered questions, I wonder if Murakami is asking us to contemplate death? A book ending is a kind of death. When we die, there is no finale, no resolution, no bur..."

Thanks Asma. You summarize it very well. Of course if he writes a sequel I will be reading it! As well as "The Strange Library" in December. Will The World's Literature do a group read of that as well? Description at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/gall...

[[deleted user]]

So will Murakami win the Nobel on Thursday? Oddsmakers have him in the lead: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014...

Personally, I'm guessing they will go with Assia Djebar.

[Betty]

Don wrote: "..."The Strange Library" in December. Will The World's Literature do a group read of that as well? ..."

Don, that new book isn't scheduled so far in 2014.

[Betty]

Don wrote: "...Nobel on Thursday?... I'm guessing they will go with Assia Djebar."

Perhaps; I hope so.

[[deleted user]]

Asma wrote: "Don, that new book isn't scheduled so far in 2014."

Asma - Amazon has it scheduled for December 2:
http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Library...

[Betty]

Don wrote: "Amazon has it...December 2: http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Library......"

Sure, December 8 works fine! Thank you for the suggestion.

[Kristen]

Amazon has it scheduled for December 2:
http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Library......"

Please count me in on that group read!

[Betty]

Kristen wrote: "Please count me in on that group read!"

Excellent, Kristen. Predicting that The Strange Library will have surprising events.

[Betty]

Nicola wrote: "...did anyone USE their transfers?"

Nicola, I haven't the slightest about transfers in the bound book; read the e-book and did not find any of them there. Did you use your transfers?