DOC 234—34/2
VINTAGE BOOKS
ISBN:9780679775430
this book came to me as a gift, during a significant time from a significant person.. and the book (literally) deteriorated (as pictured…) the more I read it – a creased spine worsening as the pages crumbled, simultaneous to a crumbling connection with the gifter. I won’t go any deeper, but the numerous, surprising overlaps and parallels of my personal life with Okada Toru’s own experiences helped deepen the immersion – lovely stuff. I will say though, there were moments in the plot and Murakami’s depiction of women that threw me off guard as I read.. And I ended up skimming those specific parts of the book. Still, I really enjoyed the reading experience – unforgettably dreamy as Murakami catapults readers into thinking philosophically. He plunges readers into the “well” through Toru’s literal well-entering journey, and pulls us out the moment you think you’re immersed enough. D
i see myself in multiple characters – Toru (he is a lost, jobless man in a deteriorating marriage, seeking solace from strangers that appear from nowhere..) then there’s May (a young, naively adventurous teenager who is curious of the world) and of course, Kumiko.. Toru’s wife commentary of herself, her inexplicable family relationship, her insecurities when compared to her older sister. May’s daring, twisted curiosity – her letters… All characters have their own unique struggles, but try their best to navigate through the uncertainties of life threatening to slip all their happiness away. there is no tangible solution that can necessarily “fix” any of their struggles, but that is also the reality — hard to go out on top, but it’s fine because at least they had their single moments of temporary bliss.
finally, as much as I was entranced by Murakami’s writing and the dreamy plot of the novel, it took me long to complete this book, and even longer deciding to write a review because completion of the book felt like severing my final connection to “that” person. This is the final string that I bound to myself and strung along for the past 2 weeks in an attempt to feel connected, to re-live joy I felt when I initially received the gift. The act of reading this specific book kept me connected to this special person, but now that I’ve completed it there are no words, no experiences, no prose, no plot, nothing to keep me bound to an already severed string..! ok enough…
***
with so many unanswered questions, im not sure i find the ending necessarily satisfying – but Toru’s adventures have taught me that the mystery is what makes this book as impactful and charming. i’d love to eventually read 1Q84 — have heard there’s a familiar character who reappears.. so it will likely be my next Murakami read!