Kafka on the Shore

I listened intently though the entire book, replaying when I missed things or needed clarification. The performances were fantastic and varied, and I was intrigued all the way through. However, I found myself constantly wondering just what I was listening to… coming of age tale with taboo erotic undertones? Sci fi or alternate history novel? Alice-in-wonderland style head trip? Creature horror? Time travel, parallel universe, or occult fiction? Tragic tale of love lost? Or were all of these elements an intentional deconstruction of the medium itself? I still don\’t know.

If I\’ve been propelled through life by a continuously variable transmission, reading Murakami is like moving to a stick shift. And this is certainly an prime example of that. Murakami makes you shift your perspective. Nothing as trivial as alternate universes (although he did use those in 1Q84), but more of a radical shift in how you perceive and model reality. If there is such a thing. Many of Murakami\’s books take you to places that just require you to relinquish all control of your rationality. This one\’s a bit easier on you, having more of a standard narrative. It\’s only in the deeper contemplation of the story that you tend to lose your footing. This book is all about deep emotion, how emotion defies all logic and reason, and how it is at the very core of our existence. In this respect, it\’s a surprisingly uplifting and empowering book, which is, to me, pretty good for what may look like simple storytelling.

Good narrator. Hard to recommend this book for a couple reasons. On the low ground: The story drags. Conflict resolution is about the quality of vending machine food. Some parts lack any feeling, while others are overbearing with emotions. Complete randomness and poor plot devices. On the middle ground: There are some taboo moral and social ideals present that are not commonly approached in writing. Some parts are left void of detail for you to draw your own conclusions. On the high ground: Back stories are executed with skill. There are some great tie-ins to philosophy and art that strengthen the story. There is a scattering of moments that feel genuinely life-like. Overall, the misgivings of the story cause it to constantly toe the line between introspection and exhaustion. This book may simply not be my type and could be yours, but I believe I\’ve given an honest opinion of it here.

Kafka is my 3rd Murakami title and probably the one I liked best. So why am I done with Murakami for now? It has to do with how he handles the final act. In Wild Sheep Chase, Wind-up Bird, and now Kafka… he does a great job (albeit slow at times as others have mentioned) of putting together an interesting tapestry of characters and situations. Building up a storyline that compels you to listen for just a bit longer. Sometimes extremely mysterious characters are introduced, that have you wondering throughout the book how their story or influence will play a role in what\’s to come. But Murakami doesn\’t care. Perhaps they will come back and play a role. Perhaps they won\’t. It\’s not until that final page when we make the realization that the interesting character or storyline that we wanted to fully understand will forever remain a mystery. Sure, there\’s a basic storyline resolution usually with the lead character reaching a new level of self understanding, but just as many loose ends and questions will remain a mystery. For me, that\’s not enough payoff for the investment of time. Time to find another author.

Both of the voice actors bring all the characters brilliantly alive with their performances. The nuances of the language and simple elegance of the dialogue is not wasted, but cherished. I wholeheartedly recommend this reading of the book.

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