After Dark

After Dark is Haruki Murakami’s latest and it is another entertaining if not light, breezy noir entertainment. I don’t think it has the depth of novels like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles or Kafka On The Shore. But I enjoyed the nourish elements of a story of what goes on in Tokyo at night. It contains many of his signature details like his obsession with western culture, food, and what not. He has his usual understated everyman protagonist that takes the form of a female this time around. She ah decided to stay out all night in an entertainment district (perhaps Kabukicho) and encounters a string of oddball characters that don’t fit easily into the strict Japanese society. There’s a tedious subplot about the deep sleep of her beautiful Snow White like sister, that seems like a misfire and not very well developed. But I have to say I enjoyed it nonetheless-I guess you know what you’re getting and that could be the appeal.

Comments

[Edward]

I've now read the 'Wind-up Bird Chronicle' and 'Norwegian Wood'. I enjoyed the writing (perhaps because of the strange characters and events), but upon finishing each I felt as though I'd not taken anything away from either. All of the fantasy in the WUBC seemed to have no point in the end, and Norwegian Wood was fairly predictable from the outset. I'm starting to think Murakami is a bit overrated. I felt a bit similar after reading the Satanic Verses. Interesting enough to read (again strange and humorous characters and events - lots of fantasy), but all a bit pointless by the end. I guess I expect these types of books to contain more meaningful insights into life - like modern parables I suppose.

[MC]

A friend of mine and I were talking about just that point the other day, that there might be no great meaning in the "supposed" subtext of his story. While not profound I still enjoy his stories stylistically and as narratives. I rarely leave a book moved, entertained perhaps, but never challenged.