Kafka on the Shore Paperback – January 3, 2006

An Odd One, But A Great One

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Josef

April 24, 2017

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SPOILER FREE:
A few chapters in, I had no idea what was going on or why I was reading this. I finished it last night and couldn't believe no one told me about this sooner. Sure, it's strange and taboo, but it is certainly a good read. I think this would have been better to read when I was a bit younger (perhaps 15?), but it still resonates with you later in life.

This might be a prime book to read with a group, as there is a lot left to the reader to fill in. There are elements of magical realism, mixed with a vague afterlife, all within a backdrop of mundane realism. It's sad, thoughtful, funny, and all over a good read. worth it.

14 people found this helpful

Another winner from Murakami

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January 19, 2015

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Giving a quick plot synopsis is not exactly an easy thing to do for Kafka on the Shore, or any Murakami book. Let’s just say that Kafka on the Shore has many of the Murakami staples: lost cats, cats talking, eccentric types, alternating storylines, slacker types, American pop culture, music, wandering, and ventures into different realms. Kafka on the Shore follows two storylines: one a teenager named Kafka who has decided to run away from home, the other an odd, elderly simpleton named Nakata who experienced a strange incident as a child which left him with odd powers. As we progress further into the plot, Kafka and Nakata stories begin to coincide with one another. Both of these plotlines have the theme of the journey or wandering towards an unseen destination, the destination being both physical and metaphorical. I think this journey from both characters represents a part of finding oneself, coming to terms with one’s identity. This comment is probably a gross oversimplification, though, because there is a deeper transformation going on as well. Along the way, there a bevy of interesting characters: Miss Saeki, a mysterious woman who works in a private library; Oshima, her assistant who often spouts philosophical wisdom; Hoshino, truck driver and slacker type, Colonel Sanders, a “concept.”

The basis for the book’s title is the name of a song, “Kafka on the Shore” that Miss Saeki wrote when she was young and in love. Kafka reads through the lyrics and becomes enamored with the tune. The song’s lyrics mentions “little fish” raining from the sky and a girl’s “search for the entrance stone”, both which are part of this novel. In fact, the song is sort of an allegory for much of the novel’s premise.

I think my favorite quote that comes from this book is when Miss Saeki is speaking with the young protagonist Kafka on a book she wrote about lightening: “The book didn't come to any conclusion, and nobody wants to read a book that doesn't have one. For me, though, having no conclusion seemed perfectly fine.”

I thought this a fitting quote in some ways, as it seems to illustrate and depict not only “the quest” in Kafka on the Shore, but the entire Murakami reading experience. This is my third read from Murakami (I read Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle within the last year) , and what I’ve come to realize is that there are no easy answers or solutions in his works. There are few very definites; rather, metaphors come to be the basis for the plot. Emotion often is the central piece in directing a character towards a path. The search is always ongoing. Part of the journey of Kafka on the Shore is putting your own conclusions together. And this is what I love about Murakami’s books. He can take the trivial of life and combine it with the illogical, imaginative and symbolic and somehow make it all work. There is a poetic brilliance about the journey, one that takes us to two converging storylines to a new place and destination.

Perhaps Oshima, speaking philosophy to Kafka about tragedies, says it best when he quotes “Man doesn’t choose Fate. Fate chooses man.” This is indicative of Kafka on the Shore’s direction.

8 people found this helpful

This novel was recommended to me twice in one week by different people

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Frankster

September 8, 2017

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This novel was recommended to me twice in one week by different people. So naturally I bought a copy and gave it a read.

I just finished it and let me say, I love it. To be honest I cant pinpoint exactly what makes this book so extraordinary. It may be the fact that there are twists and turns you don't see coming. It may be the random scenes that occur that make no sense but someone work with the story. It may be that although there are two completely separate story lines, they somehow blend together so well. To be honest, it was probably all of that and some more. If you were to ask me the moral of the story or what the story was about, I don't think I would be able to tell you. But one thing I know for sure is that this is a book everyone should read. It is exciting, unlike any other books I read, and draws you in. You make connections to the story, and the characters are way ahead of the times. All and all, it is worth the read.

3 people found this helpful

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November 20, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I've now read Murakami's. This one is tops. You can say that the conversations, reflections, and dreams are too Americanized and Europeanized, but you don't mind it. From Beethoven to Prince to Coltrane, this story is full of music. Yes, it helps to know a little Kafka, but not that much, since the frustrations of The Castle and Trial aren't there. Magic, however, surrounds you.

3 people found this helpful

Extremely confusing, but very readable…
Not as good as Norwegian Wood or 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. Although confusing, I did enjoy it.

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