Over the past week on the train I’ve indulged in two Haruki Murakami books:
A thin, slender book, which seemed somehow the right kind of book to take on my 6am train – however, in hindsight a collection of short stories was probably not the best Murakami novel to start with.
After the Quake is a collection of short stories showcasing different people’s experiences after the earthquake and focusing on the individuals friendships and relationships. Painting a picture. Elegantly written and incredibly imaginative. I love his style. That said, I felt like some of the stories were cut too short and the many isolated incidents left me feeling empty.
Having read After the Quake I was inspired to try out another of Haruki Murakami’s books – a more well known one this time - Norwegian wood.
Norwegian Wood
My boyfriend bought this book a while back, attracted simply by the Beatles reference. I was uncertain whether I would like it as we don’t really share the same tastes when it comes to reading material.
The story has a sort of sweet sadness to it – a tender love story told from the perspective of a man remembering his university days. The scenes and emotions are captured perfectly and I came away feeling a strong connection with the characters. A truely captivating book – I almost forgot to get off the train.
Worth a read.
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OOO, both sound fab! If you say they are worth the read, then I'll give them a go!! :)
ReplyDeleteNorwegian wood is the best of the two. I've just started another one of his books, but it is much more complicated plot. I guess Norwegian wood is just so much easier to relate to (still can't believe it is a translation).
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