Friday, February 12, 2016

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami

The Wind-Up Bird ChronicleThe Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A conversation with a friend reminded me that I had been meaning to read more of Murakami for quite some time now. He told me that he was then reading "Kafka on the Shore" and went to tell me in uncertain terms as to how he felt about that book. I tried drawing comparisons to the only Murakami work I had read till date, "The Elephant Vanishes" - a collection of short stories that I had thoroughly enjoyed and which had left me quite curious about Murakami's other works. While browsing the collection of Murakami's works, I came across "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" and remembered a part of it being a short story in the collection I had read. After much deliberation, I decided to make this the first Murakami novel that I would read. The ratings weren't bad and the name sure was interesting.

I am not quite sure what it was that Murakami wanted to do with this novel. It was an interesting mix of the natural and supernatural. There were prophesies and omens, battles fought in the brain, wars of yore, all coming together to make something that was never one fluid story. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and if taken in parts, the work was brilliant. But somehow it did not really feel like a "story" in itself. I cannot even begin to imagine what it was that Murakami was trying to convey here. Perhaps the limits to which desperation can drive a man, or maybe the extent to which someone can fight for something it loves. I cannot really be sure.

The story revolves around a certain Toru Okada who is currently takes care of the household while his wife, Kumiko works. They have lost their cat and while Toru goes around trying to find it, he meets women who add complexity to his life. He also receives help from a clairvoyant, Malta Kano and her sister Creta Kano. These women have been recommended by Kumiko's brother, Noboru Wataya. Creta comes close to Toru and tells him his story and how Noboru once raped her. Then Kumiko suddenly vanishes and Toru is told that she has left him for good. Toru does not believe it and thinks that Noboru is holding Kumiko against her will. With the help of two new friends that he acquires, Toru takes on Noboru in his quest to get back Kumiko.

I had really liked Murakami's storytelling in the first book of his that I had read. That one was a collection of short stories. I still think that Murakami writes beautifully. But I think I prefer his short stories to a full fledged novel. His story is rather pointless and it becomes a bit of a drag if one is forced to read hundreds of pages of pointless rant. In smaller amounts, these rants are beautiful food for the brain. Anyway, I think I will give him another shot before I decide whether to love him or hate him. For now, I will take a break.

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