After Dark (Vintage International) by Haruki Murakami Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.75 You Save: $7.20 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of After Dark (Vintage International)
Book Review: I loved this book
Summary: 5 Stars
Like many other reviewers here I have read all of the English translations of Murakami's work. I am slightly surprised by the mixed/negative reviews here. At the same time I am a bit disappointed that we all haven't shared the same experience, because I loved this book. I think it is among his best work, and I think that it is a must-read for anyone looking to start on Murakami's literature. I lived in Tokyo and know Shinjuku quite well, so the description of the area is very evocative to me (you may already know that the look of Blade Runner is modeled on Shinjuku). Apart from that, I thought the dialog was nearly perfect, and that the expression of Japanese youth was very subtle but precise. Not to mention the sort-of love story and the sort-of love between the sisters. Both of these are very realistic and moving. Maybe my views are the exception here, but since the book is a short 200 pages, you don't have to invest too much time to decide for yourself. Book Review: Murakami's worst book to date
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm a big Murakami fan, having read and enjoyed all of his other novels. After Dark is such a big disappointment - the characters are paper thin, the story doesn't really go anywhere or have any great meaning, and the reader is ultimately left entirely unsatisfied by the insipid and dull text.
Thankfully, the book - really it's more a long short story - is so short that you'll get through it in a couple of hours. There were a few interesting scenes and things to think about, but not enough to really savour and want to go back and reread again.
If you're a big Murakami fan, naturally enough, you will still want to read this book - just don't expect anything close to his usual standard. If you're new to Murakami, I'd recommend reading any of his other books rather than After Dark.
Book Review: Don't pass judgment until you've read it for yourself
Summary: 4 Stars
There seems to have been a largely negative response to Murakami's most recent publication, "After Dark". I will agree that it is not in keeping with Murakami's usual style, but there again each of his works has its own distinct flavour. That is afterall what makes his literature so liberating - far from remaining in the same shape and style, each one evolves to become yet more elusive and fantastical. This is such an example of the genius that becomes Murakami, exploring a new medium previously untapped - that of the night, as the title implies. Think about it: most of his previous works almost always take place in the daytime. This can be seen as an experimental work, and as such won't be to everyone's taste, but can still give that satisfying buzz of philosophy, contemporary Japanese culture and realism, with a healthy jolt of the sublime. Bravo Murakami.Book Review: Quick and Fun, but not as good as Kafka
Summary: 4 Stars
Murakami's latest contribution to the area of fiction and translated by Harvard's Jay Rubin (who translates much of Murakami's work). This book takes place over one night in Japan and involves four main characters: Mari and Eri, two sisters the one of which is in a deep, powerful and perplexing sleep. This book interrogates what constitutes being confident and strong in yourself in a subtle manner, as well as taking a quirky poke at coincidence.
The book is a really quick read and takes place over a very short period of time. It is not as good as some of Murakami's other novels (it's a 3 star Murakami), but is still a cut-above your run of the mill novel (hence 4 stars overall). For me it was a decent addition to the list of Murakami novels, but not really as good a follow up to Kafka on the Shore as one would hope.
Therefore, don't let this be your first Murakami, read Kafka on the Shore, or Norwegian Wood, or Dance, Dance, Dance first.
Book Review: Magical
Summary: 4 Stars
A girl sitting on her own in a cafe late at night is approached by a boy she dated two years previously. Her beautiful sister sleeps as she has done for two months watched only by a mysterious man on an unplugged television. Another girl is violently beaten. The narratives connect and disconnect. Characters zoom in and out of focus as the night draws on and morning approaches. We observe the scenes as voyeurs looking through a camera tracking its movements. We hear the conversations and the strange, frequently surreal series of events flow. The beautiful descriptions conjure a melancholy feeling, an understanding of why the girl has chosen to sleep. Locations have a mystic and magical quality that disguise their humdrum ordinary nature and allow the novel to flow like a strange dream.
At times, this seductive fable is held back by lengthy passages of rather mundane dialogue but otherwise this is a bold and captivating story.