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| (Photo found in Tumblr. I was a bit lazy and didn't feel like photographing my own book) |
I finally read/finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami. I know I took a really long hiatus from the novel, but I just couldn't help myself. At the time I started reading the book, I was in a state of mind that was not quite ready for a book so mind-bending. It wasn't the style of story I was accustomed to reading, and so I found it slightly difficult to continue. I was also at university - struggling through courses - and was already rather tired and unstable. The Murakami novel was only making my mind more messed up. So I dropped it, and finally this year I was able to finish it. I even have the commemorative date on my Instagram account as evidence. Yes. Yes, I did read all of it. And no, I never skipped to the last paragraph. I felt like an adult!
Anyway, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles is about a man whose wife suddenly leaves him, without explanation, and he goes on a rather epic journey to getting her back. I won't spoil anything, but the book is quite psychedelic and at times graphic. I could vividly picture every scene, and sometimes I didn't want that to be the case. The writing - a great job on the translator's part - is fluid and easy to follow. The plot draws you in and at every moment you want to find out what is going to happen next. The array of characters are all complex and fascinating. My favorite was definitely May Kasahara and Cinnamon. They were very different, personality wise, but I was quite drawn to them. I felt bad for both, and especially for May, whose life was really kind of shit. But I also thought that her future was the brightest. The main character was interesting. At times I wondered why he was going through all that trouble to find a woman I wasn't entirely sure loved him. Other times I wondered why he was so dense, and let things happen to him rather than happening to things (does that make sense?). Nevertheless, his determination and the events he goes through are so commendable that at the end I am proud of him for growing as a character.
Now, I can't say everything was answered. A lot was left to the imagination, I suppose. But that's the beauty of Murakami and his work. It isn't about conventional endings, or linear plot lines. It's about a story so enthralling that you are left quite at the end. Wondering to yourself what you would do if you were Toru. But you also wonder about the other characters who, although were not the focus, brought to much to the story. You sympathize with all of them, and their suffering becomes very real. That was why I had to put down the book. There was a lot of suffering, and I had my own problems to deal with. Luckily I got my life sorted, because I am really glad I read the book.