Kafka On The Shore: Book Review

Book: Kafka On The Shore
Author: Haruki Murakami
Genre: Magical Realism
Age Limit: 17+

Summary:

Kafka Thmura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father’s dark prophecy.
The aging Nakata, the tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down.
As their parallel odyssey unravels, cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghost-like pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbors soldiers apparently un-aged since World War II. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle- one of many which combine to create an elegant and dreamlike masterpiece.

My Review:

It took me a month to finish this book. I wanted to take my own time to consume every page written by Murakami. The story revolves around two characters who are not connected in any way. As we go further into the story a connection starts forming between them since this is a character-driven story. I really loved the character build-up. Simplistic characters going through life problems and all of that is infused with magic. Murakami creates a world for readers so that they can completely lose themselves in it. The story is not meant to end with a banger, it ends for the reader to figure out on their own. I could not believe that Murakami could write such a story. It’s so beautifully written and his writing style is immaculate. Kafka On The Shore was a comfort read for me, I wanted to get lost in the story and escape from reality. Throughout the book, there are magical elements that surprise you and then there are those humane elements that melt your heart.

What I Liked:

• Infusing magic with reality
• meaningful and deep world-building
• comforting and escaping story
• simplistic characters with diverse elements around them
• the immaculate writing style of Murakami

My Favourite Paragraphs From The Book:

What You Should Read Next:

• Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
• Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Star Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This has become my all-time favorite book now! I highly recommend reading this meaningful and alluring story! If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Happy Reading!
Rabhya.

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