It is almost impossible not to come across a Harumi Murakami novel inside any bookstore. Ever since his debut novel, ‘Hear the Wind Song’ in 1979, he has written countless works, from short stories to fictional and non fictional novels, becoming one of the most important writers of this generation.

Murakami grew up near an international port in Kobe, Japan so he was exposed to different cultures as a teenager. He was mostly interested in American culture and made the rebellious attitude of the West an intrinsic part of his life. He went against typical Japanese customs by, growing out his beard and marrying someone his parents did not approve of.

One aspect that sets apart Murakami’s works from his contemporaries is his unusual writing style which is largely influenced by Western novelists’ writing style such as Fitzgerald with a combination of traditional Japanese writing which is normally serious and tragic. This creates a uniqueness where both Japanese and Western readers would find interesting, enticing and easy to follow.

Although his works usually lack the devices of suspense, the book remains irresistible because of its mysterious undertone. Readers would be surprised to find that they have made past a hundred plus pages convinced that they have discovered a significant breakthrough in the text but still not entirely sure what it is. This is what Murakami does to readers, he keeps them on the edge of their seats, waiting and wondering if they have reached the culmination of the story.

I recommend Kafka on the Shore for first-time Murakami readers. This book sums up the whole idea of Murakami’s writing style. Combining elements of magic realism into everyday life in such a natural way, while subsequently conveying themes of alienation and sense of loss. The plot centres around two very different characters with two very different story lines that will eventually converge. Kafka Tamura, a fifteen year old boy who runs away from his home in Tokyo with no destination in mind and Nakata, an illiterate man in his sixties who lives alone in the Nakano Ward of Tokyo. It is evident in Kafka on the Shore why many find his works so interesting. He utilizes fantasy in a perfectly effortless manner that he can get away with concocting scenes that might not be entirely realistic, but somehow it still makes the reader feel that it makes sense. This often leaves readers wondering if what just happened really happened or it only happened in the characters’ minds.

Upon reaching the end of the book, readers are left feeling that they have taken a journey of self discovery with both Kafka and Nakata since a lot of themes were dissected such as the exploration of one’s sexuality, the question of the purpose of life and the confrontation of human desires. However, like in most Murakami novels, there are a lot of loose ends that is still open to interpretation. As Kafka on the Shore drifts between reality and trance, making it seem sort of dream-like with lots of plots and subplots where he takes the reader in and then sometimes just leaving them hanging. At the end, the reader is left looking for answers and explanations as to why some things happened the way it did.

Although readers might often get frustrated by Murakami’s ambiguous tone and melodramatic events, one might even get more confused when reaching the last few pages of the novel, only to discover that all the questions in the reader’s head is not being answered. However, the reader can be able relate to the characters in their search for meaning and purpose even though the characters do not really fully grasp their purpose for living. The beauty in his books lie in the journey of self discovery, and not the journey’s end. Through these books, Murakami tries to get across the idea that even though one may feel lost and disoriented in this seemingly absurd world, the most important thing is to have courage and take life day by day in order to move forward.

References:

Anderson, Sam. “The Fierce Imagination of Haruki Murakami.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Oct. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/magazine/the-fierce-imagination-of-haruki-murakami.html.

“Author.” Haruki Murakami, http://www.harukimurakami.com/author.

Murakami, Haruki. Kafka on the Shore. Vintage, 2014.