Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
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A boy who runs away from a dysfunctional family where the mother abandons him and takes the adopted daughter away, an old dude who is unable to read or comprehend what we take for granted but who can converse with cats, are the two main characters in this book.
However, within this book, there are other "bit players" who play vital parts of almost parallel quests of the two main characters.
One is trying to find his way while attempting his darnest to get lost.
One who seems lost but instinctively knows the way.
Both on a quest that is weirdly wonderful.
Recommended. 4 out of 5 -
One part where Johnnie Walker kills cats and eats their hearts..made my stomach churn.
Great book though.Classical Murakami disjuncts in the plot.
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Perfect timing... this topic.
I do not understand the plot!
I mean, they don't seem to connect and make sense to me...
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World was much better... At least I could tell the other world was the narrator's subconscious. -
there is a "portal" to another world...
perhaps one where the lady Miss Saeki has wondered into (same place where the 2 soldiers went into) they found a physical place where they could escape to..
the opening of that portal, perhaps did the things to the children which mentally crippled Mr Nakata... but that is unimportant..
however, Miss Saeki has gone in there after the heartbreak of her lover's murder... and she has re-emerged, not totally whole (she has half a shadow, much like Nakata)
perhaps she was that woman in Kafka's theory, perhaps, it was an Oedipal curse which binds Kafka to Miss Saeki and Nakata... but ultimately, the quests of Nakata and Kafka will converge at Miss Saeki... and when they do, the journey of Miss Saeki will come to an end...
in there, so does Nakata's journey...
and at the end of Miss Saeki's and Nakata's journeys, Kafka's and Hoshino's begin...
there is a vague beginning, and clearly no end.. it is perhaps, just a slice of an extraordinary and surreal story...
there may not be a sense other than the parallel quests of Kafka and Nakata, and the strange conclusion...
still, it was an enjoyable read
Originally posted by MooKu:Perfect timing... this topic.
I do not understand the plot!
I mean, they don't seem to connect and make sense to me...
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World was much better... At least I could tell the other world was the narrator's subconscious. -
/me nod nodOriginally posted by the Bear:there is a "portal" to another world...
perhaps one where the lady Miss Saeki has wondered into (same place where the 2 soldiers went into) they found a physical place where they could escape to..
the opening of that portal, perhaps did the things to the children which mentally crippled Mr Nakata... but that is unimportant..
however, Miss Saeki has gone in there after the heartbreak of her lover's murder... and she has re-emerged, not totally whole (she has half a shadow, much like Nakata)
perhaps she was that woman in Kafka's theory, perhaps, it was an Oedipal curse which binds Kafka to Miss Saeki and Nakata... but ultimately, the quests of Nakata and Kafka will converge at Miss Saeki... and when they do, the journey of Miss Saeki will come to an end...
in there, so does Nakata's journey...
and at the end of Miss Saeki's and Nakata's journeys, Kafka's and Hoshino's begin...
there is a vague beginning, and clearly no end.. it is perhaps, just a slice of an extraordinary and surreal story...
there may not be a sense other than the parallel quests of Kafka and Nakata, and the strange conclusion...
still, it was an enjoyable read
I understand those parts... but is there a meaning?
The story just goes on... Nakata opens the entrance, Kafka goes in, comes out... or ah maybe because there's no proper ending so it feels empty to me. 
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sometimes, like in life, there doesn't have to be a meaning...
just like they said: if a gun is shown in the movie, someone will fire it..
it isn't like that in real life is it?