Those who are fascinated by the writer and all that makes him tick may enjoy this after warming up to the narrative style, but those seeking guidance in the profession of writing may struggle to mine any gems of wisdom.
Highly recommended for devoted readers of international contemporary fiction. ["Those familiar with the author's inventive writing will certainly devour this, as will readers seeking challenging and thoughtful fiction": LJ 10/15/18 starred review of the Knopf hc.]
Those familiar with the author's inventive writing will certainly devour this, as will readers seeking challenging and thoughtful fiction. [See Prepub Alert, 4/30/18.]
Another fantastic collection from Murakami, rich with emotion and written with mastery. Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction, Japanese fiction, weird fiction, and domestic fiction and for older male readers.
This audio is well worth a listen and is a solid choice for adult collections. Since the novels are not truly sequential, a pause to let the first work settle in before continuing with the second is advised.
Whether prompted by devotion, curiosity, or obsession, every Murakami fan will flock to this double feature. For newbies, this duo is an unparalleled opportunity to experience his progression from start to phenom: read in four-part order and witness the maturation of an iconic genius. [See Prepub Alert, 2/23/15.]
In addition to a pseudomythology on the colors in Japanese names, interesting thoughts on polydactyly, death tokens, sexuality, and human auras pop up only to disappear into the fog of Tazaki's thoughts. Still, recommended for adult collections. ["Murakami devotees will sigh with relief at finding his usual memes—the moon, Cutty Sark, a musical theme, ringing telephones, a surreal story-within-a-story," read the starred review of the Knopf hc, LJ 6/15/14.]