Kafka on the Shore is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
As their paths converge, and the reasons for that convergence become clear, Haruki Murakami enfolds readers in a world where cats talk, fish fall from the sky, and spirits slip out of their bodies to make love or commit murder. Kafka on the Shore displays one of the world’s great storytellers at the peak of his powers.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
As their paths converge, and the reasons for that convergence become clear, Haruki Murakami enfolds readers in a world where cats talk, fish fall from the sky, and spirits slip out of their bodies to make love or commit murder. Kafka on the Shore displays one of the world’s great storytellers at the peak of his powers.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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4
erica (Grade: B) A strange and unusual book following the convergence of a young boy and an old man, with mysterious references to Japanese wars, Beethoven and others, and Greek tragedies. Very dreamy without being a fantasy book, with several complex characters and a dry, clever sense of humour at times. Talking cats and fish that fall from the sky. I enjoyed it.
(Rated on Apr 23, 2014)
3
kvz.vaughn (Grade: B+) Very richly layered. I love the way that he weaves through time, space and an ensemble of fantastically developed and unique characters. I also really enjoy Murakami's ability to mix "reality" (that is, believable story line) with more fantastical fiction without taking the reader into science fiction/fantasy territory. A wonderful world he has created!
(Rated on Sep 3, 2013)
2
DasFreak (Grade: A) I love Japanese lit and I especially love Murakami. As with his other books, he skilfully narrates the connection between the real and the fantastic with one world "bleeding" into the other with its subsequent impact.
In this vein Kafka is reminiscent of 1Q84 with the competing narratives of the characters slowly pulling them in to a place where they'll meet. In Kafka however the character.
(Rated on Sep 3, 2013)
2
PogoMips (Grade: A+) I love this book, it's my personal favorite. I was hooked from the first page, and finished the book in two days.
(Rated on Sep 4, 2013)
2
Carcharodon (Grade: A–) It took a while, but eventually I fell in love with this book. Before I got there, it was one heck of a roller-coaster ride, but once it made it I felt that everything was worth it.
(Rated on Feb 7, 2017)
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