I understand your frustration with this book in particular by Murakami. I had kind of the same feeling until I went through several parts of it again and it blew my mind when the pieces started coming together. I realised one thing after figuring out the major plots, Murakami's stories should be analyzed very closely because there are clues all around, scattered everywhere, if you miss those you are lost. Sputnik Sweetheart in particular is one such book and that's why I guess this has torn the fans, some love it to the core, some found it forgettable. So, I am going to list certain things which I figured out and most probably what Murakami had in mind - 1. Dream is a recurring theme in this book. Sumere again and again has laid emphasis on this when she talks to K and also how vividly she describes her own dream about her mother. So now there are 3 major dream sequences or hallucinations in the book which kind of form the major plots - 1st- When Mui tells about the night at ferrous wheel, She saw herself in her apartment and describes what Ferdinando was doing to her. If you read carefully, when Mui is beginning to narrate the story to Sumere, Sumere says that Miu's narration of the story was scattered. This means that even Mui wasn't very sure what exactly happened that night. What I pieced together was, Mui was raped that night and she was half conscious when it was happening, she pictures Ferdinando because she had been scared of him since a long time, but in reality it was someone else, somebody who might have been following her since long, may be the German guy she met before she was going to the carnival. How I am conferring this is because at the end of her narration she says she is not sure if it was really Ferdinando at the end. After being raped, she is still half conscious and traumatised at the same time, and she might have tried to run away from the rapist and sneaked into the empty ferrous wheel and hid there. As a coping mechanism, in her mind she created this storyline that she saw herself at her apartment making love to Ferdinando, but that wasn't true. The incident of rape is kind of confirmed by the abrasion marks on her body and her sneaking inside is confirmed by the questioning of the old man who had no clue about her entering the ferrous wheel at night. Although, I am still figuring our the mystery of her white hair. 2nd - K fell asleep in the hotel room in Greece while listening to Sumere's favourite music and million questions in his mind about disappearance of Sumere, esp. after reading her notes and in the dream he thought he could listen to music from top of the mountains and starts thinking may be Sumere followed the same music and went to the mountains. At this point the things which starts happening to him seems unreal and that's true because he's in a dream state and at the same time conscious about his presence (may be lucid dreaming). He couldn't find anything in conclusively because he is physically doing nothing but dreaming. (One also has to consider the jet lag he is having after a long journey to Greece.) 3rd - At the very end, K so desparately wants to be with Sumere now as he is falling deeper and deeper in loneliness without her presence and now without her girlfriend too. The only way he concludes to be with her is getting unconscious and dream again. He gets a phonecall from Sumere and the book ends with him saying how even the blood on his hands isn't visible anymore. Yes, he committed suicide and most probably by cutting his wrist and the call was just in his dream again. 2. Now the biggest question - What happened to Sumere ? This is what even Murakami leaves upon us to decide. My conjecture - 'cut the dog's throat' as Sumere says when the time comes to cross that bridge, while she confesses her love to Mui and Mui rejects her. She was so heartbroken and already traumatised by the recurring nightmare (and also messed up after quitting smoking all of a sudden as it used to relax her ever so loud mind), that she drifts off and may be committed suicide by jumping off from the mountain top as per the nightmare she sees about her mother. If one could recall, she says something incomprehensible in Mui's ears, the same way her mother does in her dreams before her mother gets sucked into the darkness. (In her mind, she might be able to meet the other Mui on the other side and she might fall in love with her that is the crossing of the bridge.)
I was also certain about the horrific incident that might have happened to Miu. To cope up with that she might have made a story of her own that could satisfy her own thought process. But the way you drew the other two inferences, it is really commendable. Hats off Man🌻
I found this book wonderful. It worked for me on every level, as pure emotion, as a meditation on loneliness, on the hopeless abyss that separates us from one another, how "love" can't bridge it, how it perhaps only makes it all the more painful, and a thousand other things. The episode w the kid somehow worked for me-it seemed to enable K's moral progression, for one thing, and do recall how the two of them throw that key into the river, and how the river, or specifically rivers flowing into oceans, served as a metaphor for that gulf, that abyss.
I think sputnik sweetheart is great for someone who never read murakami's book before. I feel its "lighter" to read compare to other books he wrote. Its a great book to get to know murakami's style writing....
I almost always recommend Norwegian Wood or South of the Border for Murakami newbies over this book, but I'm bias since this is my least favorite book of his by far.
I'm like half a year late but here's my 2 cents: In the book there's several passages where cutting a dog's throat is used as a metaphor for moving on, for strengthening yourself too, I feel. The part where K goes to help out his girlfriend's son and talks to him serves a few purposes: it ties into the books other themes with what is said, it draws a parellel between K and Carrot (the boy) and it leads to K cutting his dog's throa, as it were. At first I was wondering where Murakami was going with it too but it sorta clicked when i read the last few pages.
If you truly want to understand the story you have reread it. Just recently read it so I'll reread it again not now,but someday. The book is more like a puzzle. There are many questions left unanswered. So, you have to read between the lines, investigate and take your time in doing so. It also left me confused after reading it. You'll also need "time and experience" to better understand it. To relate to the characters feelings and emotions, especially K's and Sumire's you need to reflect on your own experiences. But, if you haven't felt K's and Sumire's feelings and emotions, have not had the same experiences you'd for surely never understand it and will be greatly confused. You need the 'experience' and experience takes 'time'. So read it again not now, but someday. You'll never truly understand the depth of it in one sitting. But, one thing is clear in the story that no matter how much you love someone even more than yourself and no matter how much you feel loved by someone. There's always that feeling of hollowness or emptiness in your being that could never be fulfilled even the greatest thing on Earth which we all know as 'love'. Knocking and echoing in your being. The world is imperfect because we are imperfect, and we will never be complete, and possibly only in dreams or illusion we can be and we can feel less lonely. "Blood must be shed" and some "things just happen". It is inevitable to not be hurt in this world because humans in it's nature is selfish because we all have desires, and once something is taken away from you it is also has taken a part of you that is gone forever. I can explain more about this book, but it's too long now. I think why some people like this book because they can relate to it, have experienced, and some realized something. It describes I must say one of the deepest confusion of human existence. And this made it one of my favorite books. I understand why some people do not like it. It is only natural for us to dislike something we do not understand. "Understanding is but the sum of our misunderstandings." I believe Murakami proved his point in this novel. He made the readers feel frustrated, confused, nothing and empty. Like his characters in the novel but not for the same reasons, but we all know that it is not a good feeling.
I loved this book because with every sentence I had visuals in my mind like I was watching the most beautiful movie yet. About the kid shoplifting part I unserstood it as: time passed (i think 6 months) and he described this event happening on that day with which he could tell us more about homself... I however did not understand the ending!! Or at least it left me with more possible outcomes!? Anyone?
I finished reading this and I didn't enjoy it at all. You don't get to know anything more reading it than you do reading the blurb.😑 This book was just flat, no plot development, no memorable characters. Glad that I found out atleast someone who felt the same about it and more comforted because its coming from someone who loves murakami.
After I read this book I have seen couple of review and thought that something is wrong with me but after seeing u r review God u r so honest and I completey felt same 🙏👍👍
I read this after WUBC and I think I only enjoyed it because it had several references to that book. I keep wondering what if Carrot was somehow young Cinnamon from WUBC, with his mother, Nugmet.
Hello :-) Thanks for the review. I have just finished reading the book in Danish (I am from Denmark) and I actually liked it! I did have a hard time relating to the characters and the first half of the book was just boring. I did not like his way of telling this "all-consuming love". I think it is because It didn't seem like love to me but more like an infatuation. I loved the ending though! I thought the scene up in the ferris wheel was so exciting. It was there I realised that the message in the book was about loneliness and emptiness. Miu sees herself with Ferdinando having intercourse. I don't interpret this as an actual thing happening. Murakami describes Ferdinando as a mystical person that as a shadow like character to him who follows. I think Ferdinando was the embodiment of the emptiness and loneliness she felt inside and that her having intercourse with him was an allegory of her internalising and becomes one with emptiness. The intercourse is also described very oddly. On one hand Murakami describes it as consensual because she takes part in the intercourse willingly. On the other hand he also describes Ferdinando humiliating her and mistreating her. To me this is definitely an allegory. I think this explanation makes good sense considering how summer disappeared. She disappeared after being rejected by Miu. I think it was then she truly realised that she was alone like a sputnik. This book made a big impression of me because I could relate to the feeling of emptiness. I have searched online on reviews and I have noticed how every reader who did not like the book never talk about the ferris wheel scene. To me that was most important part of the book. Please let me know what you think and how you interpret it :-)
i didn't really get the book but i am truly happy that i found your review . and yea i found the ferries wheel the best part in the book. also through out reading this book at times i felt scared... of baing empty like them even after having a job and leading a life (not that i am not empty nor lonely... just i don't want to continue living like this 😅)
Sputnik Sweetheart is so nice, you have to read it twice! Reading it after On The Road by Jack Kerouac really helped make sense of the relationships in the book. Now after reading some of the comments in this video, I need to read it again. I hope you do as well.
This is my take: *Miu was raped and invented this ferris wheel story as a coping mechanism. I think what really happened was that she got raped, and afterwards she ran away to the ferris wheel (the place she would always stare at from her window). She was basically dead on the inside after this. *Sumire killed herself, although I am not sure how. *K slit his wrists at the end and also died.
I think it had to happen to make realize K that he cannot continue his life, staying with his girlfriend and forget Sumire. He had to leave this woman, he realized that he has already made demage in that family’s life and he realized that he doesn’t wanna destroy that family, he doesn’t even love this woman, and no matter what life will bring, he will not able to love anyone else than Sumire, because they belong to each other. :)
Love the channel! No joke - after reading each Murakami book I come on here and check your opinion, and after every book I read, we have the complete opposite opinion (11 books in so far)! I loved Sputnik Sweetheart as I feel it captures the feelings of loneliness and melancholy really well. I also loved Norwegian Wood (my favourite Murakami, was gripped by every sentence) and the rat trilogy (again a great atmosphere developed across the trilogy, which could of been developed further, and great comedy in a Wild Sheep Chase). I wasn't a fan of After Dark, and I feel that Kafka on the Shore left too many questions unanswered. I also feel that 1Q84 was far too long, with no plot development.. indeed the 2 best elements of the plot, Fuka-Eri and Ushikawa were killed off far to quickly and underdeveloped in my opinion. The NHK fee collector was also good, but again underdeveloped. Colourless Tsukuru also started well, but I feel that is completely fell away in the second half, again leaving far to many questions unanswered. Just 2 more to go - Hardboiled and dance, dance, dance and then I've done the set!
Wow! Well honestly that means a lot that you come and watch my reviews after each one you finish - that's exactly what I'd hoped people would do!! And especially it means a lot because you have such differing opinions - most people don't like watching someone who says the exact opposite of what you say lol but thank you for your opinions! I must say I did love the rat trilogy a lot so we do have a similar opinion there haha I'll be interested in what you think of those last two! I will say Hardboiled, for me, is in dire need of a reread, because I did NOT understand that book on my first reading! I've now had it explained to me so I need to go back and see it for myself. and dance dance dance was probably murakami's most tearing book for me - I was very half and half with my feelings on it. thank you for watching and I'm glad you have been enjoying Murakami! :)
This was my least favorite Murakami novel. Sometimes I even forget that I read it. The only reaction it got out of me was an unemotional, "Oh, that's sad."
100% agree, that's exactly how I was. Honestly I read it only a week or so ago and I keep forgetting I read it already too lol, it just didn't have anything going for it, which is a shame! But every author has their ups and downs:)
Yeah. I think I might have liked it more if I didn't read it right after reading so many of his other books. I feel like Murakami is best when there's at least a few months put in between his books. Otherwise he gets pretty repetitive. The back covers might as well read, "A depressive loner male lead who's really knowledgeable about jazz, classical music, and western literature is caught in a love triangle between two flat female characters who are just as knowledgeable while they try to make sense of strange things happening to them which also features lots of cats, weird sex, and a simile every other sentence." It's one of the reasons why he's gone from my favorite author to just an author I really enjoy from time to time.
That's a cute Espeon! :p A good honest review. I think I can understand why you didn't like it. Murakami Protagonists can be quite frustrating at times as most of them are loners and brood like anything (And their real names are never revealed). K's character was seriously flat and unappealing, which would also apply to Sumire. That one incident involving Miu on the Ferris wheel was probably the high point of the novel. The plot arc about the little boy, in my opinion, was an attempt at looking at K's character more closely which fell flat. I agree that this book could have been better, but the LGBT elements coupled with the Ferris Wheel chapter gave me lot to think about. I actually wrote a short story along similar lines on my blog. If you're interested, here's my review of Sputnik Sweetheart- rondg95.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/book-review-2-sputnik-sweetheart-by-haruki-murakami/ :)
Oh I LOVED the LGBT aspects - that was probably the only reason I gave it a 2 star rather than 1 star! And okay, that whole ending with the kid made absolutely no sense, and even with you saying it's supposed to be a look at his character.. I still can barely see it haha! It's nice that you can see my views on things even though you loved this book! I love when people on booktube can see both sides:) Like how I can totally understand how people can love this book and Norwegian Wood - it's all about a person's perspective!:)
Yes! I think it is essential to understand other's perceptions as well to have a holistic understanding of anything. I don't know about Norwegian Wood as I am yet to read it :p I got a lot of hate from friends when I declared that 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold was disappointing for me. I had to write a proper review to get them to understand my view! :)
honestly i found this book so lovely and the way you speak about it just seems like you don't seem to understand his writing as an author so maybe try discovering other authors or maybe something more your type or even more american novels so that you can understand it
Leandra Merkenich ive read all of murakamis books and dozens of pieces of contemporary japanese literature as well as the classics. Sputnik Sweetheart is just bad 🤷🏼♀️
I'm five years late, but here are my two cents.. This was my least favourite Murakami novel too. Especially the first half was boring, and didn't have the much dream-like magical realism his other novels have. But the second half of the novel, which includes the document Sumitr had saved in the floppy disc, get's interesting and more Murakami-esque i guess. Maybe I hate love stories which is why I didn't enjoy this novel. Also, this novel had too many dialogues and less of narration, which adds to my dislike. But this novel was only bad compared to the other books by the same author. If i have to judge the book on it's own, it was still a good read.
i feel like because ur probably used to western literature you just didn't get his writing since it's heavily influenced by Japanese and Asian in general culture
I agree with you completely. I just think Murakami spent too much time running or watching the telly and suddenly realised he had a deadline the next day.
I understand your frustration with this book in particular by Murakami. I had kind of the same feeling until I went through several parts of it again and it blew my mind when the pieces started coming together. I realised one thing after figuring out the major plots, Murakami's stories should be analyzed very closely because there are clues all around, scattered everywhere, if you miss those you are lost. Sputnik Sweetheart in particular is one such book and that's why I guess this has torn the fans, some love it to the core, some found it forgettable.
So, I am going to list certain things which I figured out and most probably what Murakami had in mind -
1. Dream is a recurring theme in this book. Sumere again and again has laid emphasis on this when she talks to K and also how vividly she describes her own dream about her mother. So now there are 3 major dream sequences or hallucinations in the book which kind of form the major plots -
1st- When Mui tells about the night at ferrous wheel, She saw herself in her apartment and describes what Ferdinando was doing to her. If you read carefully, when Mui is beginning to narrate the story to Sumere, Sumere says that Miu's narration of the story was scattered. This means that even Mui wasn't very sure what exactly happened that night. What I pieced together was, Mui was raped that night and she was half conscious when it was happening, she pictures Ferdinando because she had been scared of him since a long time, but in reality it was someone else, somebody who might have been following her since long, may be the German guy she met before she was going to the carnival. How I am conferring this is because at the end of her narration she says she is not sure if it was really Ferdinando at the end. After being raped, she is still half conscious and traumatised at the same time, and she might have tried to run away from the rapist and sneaked into the empty ferrous wheel and hid there. As a coping mechanism, in her mind she created this storyline that she saw herself at her apartment making love to Ferdinando, but that wasn't true.
The incident of rape is kind of confirmed by the abrasion marks on her body and her sneaking inside is confirmed by the questioning of the old man who had no clue about her entering the ferrous wheel at night. Although, I am still figuring our the mystery of her white hair.
2nd - K fell asleep in the hotel room in Greece while listening to Sumere's favourite music and million questions in his mind about disappearance of Sumere, esp. after reading her notes and in the dream he thought he could listen to music from top of the mountains and starts thinking may be Sumere followed the same music and went to the mountains. At this point the things which starts happening to him seems unreal and that's true because he's in a dream state and at the same time conscious about his presence (may be lucid dreaming). He couldn't find anything in conclusively because he is physically doing nothing but dreaming. (One also has to consider the jet lag he is having after a long journey to Greece.)
3rd - At the very end, K so desparately wants to be with Sumere now as he is falling deeper and deeper in loneliness without her presence and now without her girlfriend too. The only way he concludes to be with her is getting unconscious and dream again. He gets a phonecall from Sumere and the book ends with him saying how even the blood on his hands isn't visible anymore. Yes, he committed suicide and most probably by cutting his wrist and the call was just in his dream again.
2. Now the biggest question - What happened to Sumere ? This is what even Murakami leaves upon us to decide.
My conjecture - 'cut the dog's throat' as Sumere says when the time comes to cross that bridge, while she confesses her love to Mui and Mui rejects her. She was so heartbroken and already traumatised by the recurring nightmare (and also messed up after quitting smoking all of a sudden as it used to relax her ever so loud mind), that she drifts off and may be committed suicide by jumping off from the mountain top as per the nightmare she sees about her mother. If one could recall, she says something incomprehensible in Mui's ears, the same way her mother does in her dreams before her mother gets sucked into the darkness. (In her mind, she might be able to meet the other Mui on the other side and she might fall in love with her that is the crossing of the bridge.)
I was also certain about the horrific incident that might have happened to Miu. To cope up with that she might have made a story of her own that could satisfy her own thought process.
But the way you drew the other two inferences, it is really commendable.
Hats off Man🌻
Woah !! I was so confused to what was happening your view gave me clarity so thank you so much!
thanks for your articulate interpretation which is the best I have found in the net so far.
Omg thankyou so much
Miu's dream was spot on, honestly it caused me goosebumps. For some reason I was terrified at that scene.
I found this book wonderful. It worked for me on every level, as pure emotion, as a meditation on loneliness, on the hopeless abyss that separates us from one another, how "love" can't bridge it, how it perhaps only makes it all the more painful, and a thousand other things. The episode w the kid somehow worked for me-it seemed to enable K's moral progression, for one thing, and do recall how the two of them throw that key into the river, and how the river, or specifically rivers flowing into oceans, served as a metaphor for that gulf, that abyss.
I think sputnik sweetheart is great for someone who never read murakami's book before. I feel its "lighter" to read compare to other books he wrote. Its a great book to get to know murakami's style writing....
I almost always recommend Norwegian Wood or South of the Border for Murakami newbies over this book, but I'm bias since this is my least favorite book of his by far.
I'm like half a year late but here's my 2 cents: In the book there's several passages where cutting a dog's throat is used as a metaphor for moving on, for strengthening yourself too, I feel. The part where K goes to help out his girlfriend's son and talks to him serves a few purposes: it ties into the books other themes with what is said, it draws a parellel between K and Carrot (the boy) and it leads to K cutting his dog's throa, as it were. At first I was wondering where Murakami was going with it too but it sorta clicked when i read the last few pages.
If you truly want to understand the story you have reread it. Just recently read it so I'll reread it again not now,but someday.
The book is more like a puzzle. There are many questions left unanswered. So, you have to read between the lines, investigate and take your time in doing so. It also left me confused after reading it.
You'll also need "time and experience" to better understand it. To relate to the characters feelings and emotions, especially K's and Sumire's you need to reflect on your own experiences. But, if you haven't felt K's and Sumire's feelings and emotions, have not had the same experiences you'd for surely never understand it and will be greatly confused. You need the 'experience' and experience takes 'time'. So read it again not now, but someday. You'll never truly understand the depth of it in one sitting.
But, one thing is clear in the story that no matter how much you love someone even more than yourself and no matter how much you feel loved by someone. There's always that feeling of hollowness or emptiness in your being that could never be fulfilled even the greatest thing on Earth which we all know as 'love'. Knocking and echoing in your being. The world is imperfect because we are imperfect, and we will never be complete, and possibly only in dreams or illusion we can be and we can feel less lonely. "Blood must be shed" and some "things just happen". It is inevitable to not be hurt in this world because humans in it's nature is selfish because we all have desires, and once something is taken away from you it is also has taken a part of you that is gone forever. I can explain more about this book, but it's too long now.
I think why some people like this book because they can relate to it, have experienced, and some realized something. It describes I must say one of the deepest confusion of human existence. And this made it one of my favorite books.
I understand why some people do not like it. It is only natural for us to dislike something we do not understand. "Understanding is but the sum of our misunderstandings."
I believe Murakami proved his point in this novel. He made the readers feel frustrated, confused, nothing and empty. Like his characters in the novel but not for the same reasons, but we all know that it is not a good feeling.
I loved this book because with every sentence I had visuals in my mind like I was watching the most beautiful movie yet.
About the kid shoplifting part I unserstood it as: time passed (i think 6 months) and he described this event happening on that day with which he could tell us more about homself...
I however did not understand the ending!! Or at least it left me with more possible outcomes!? Anyone?
I finished reading this and I didn't enjoy it at all. You don't get to know anything more reading it than you do reading the blurb.😑 This book was just flat, no plot development, no memorable characters. Glad that I found out atleast someone who felt the same about it and more comforted because its coming from someone who loves murakami.
After I read this book I have seen couple of review and thought that something is wrong with me but after seeing u r review God u r so honest and I completey felt same 🙏👍👍
I read this after WUBC and I think I only enjoyed it because it had several references to that book. I keep wondering what if Carrot was somehow young Cinnamon from WUBC, with his mother, Nugmet.
Hello :-) Thanks for the review. I have just finished reading the book in Danish (I am from Denmark) and I actually liked it! I did have a hard time relating to the characters and the first half of the book was just boring. I did not like his way of telling this "all-consuming love". I think it is because It didn't seem like love to me but more like an infatuation.
I loved the ending though! I thought the scene up in the ferris wheel was so exciting. It was there I realised that the message in the book was about loneliness and emptiness. Miu sees herself with Ferdinando having intercourse. I don't interpret this as an actual thing happening. Murakami describes Ferdinando as a mystical person that as a shadow like character to him who follows. I think Ferdinando was the embodiment of the emptiness and loneliness she felt inside and that her having intercourse with him was an allegory of her internalising and becomes one with emptiness.
The intercourse is also described very oddly. On one hand Murakami describes it as consensual because she takes part in the intercourse willingly. On the other hand he also describes Ferdinando humiliating her and mistreating her. To me this is definitely an allegory. I think this explanation makes good sense considering how summer disappeared. She disappeared after being rejected by Miu. I think it was then she truly realised that she was alone like a sputnik.
This book made a big impression of me because I could relate to the feeling of emptiness. I have searched online on reviews and I have noticed how every reader who did not like the book never talk about the ferris wheel scene. To me that was most important part of the book. Please let me know what you think and how you interpret it :-)
i didn't really get the book but i am truly happy that i found your review . and yea i found the ferries wheel the best part in the book.
also through out reading this book at times i felt scared... of baing empty like them even after having a job and leading a life (not that i am not empty nor lonely... just i don't want to continue living like this 😅)
Sputnik Sweetheart is so nice, you have to read it twice! Reading it after On The Road by Jack Kerouac really helped make sense of the relationships in the book. Now after reading some of the comments in this video, I need to read it again. I hope you do as well.
This is my take:
*Miu was raped and invented this ferris wheel story as a coping mechanism. I think what really happened was that she got raped, and afterwards she ran away to the ferris wheel (the place she would always stare at from her window). She was basically dead on the inside after this.
*Sumire killed herself, although I am not sure how.
*K slit his wrists at the end and also died.
It all makes sense now!!
so.... are you by any chance coming back to this one as well?
I felt the same. Maybe we’ll get it when we’re older.
I just finished this book and didn't understand why does that story of the his pupil stealing come out of nowhere, too. Did you get any explanation?
People keep telling me it’s to show the narrators character development but I still think it was pointless 😅😅
I think it had to happen to make realize K that he cannot continue his life, staying with his girlfriend and forget Sumire. He had to leave this woman, he realized that he has already made demage in that family’s life and he realized that he doesn’t wanna destroy that family, he doesn’t even love this woman, and no matter what life will bring, he will not able to love anyone else than Sumire, because they belong to each other. :)
Love the channel! No joke - after reading each Murakami book I come on here and check your opinion, and after every book I read, we have the complete opposite opinion (11 books in so far)!
I loved Sputnik Sweetheart as I feel it captures the feelings of loneliness and melancholy really well. I also loved Norwegian Wood (my favourite Murakami, was gripped by every sentence) and the rat trilogy (again a great atmosphere developed across the trilogy, which could of been developed further, and great comedy in a Wild Sheep Chase).
I wasn't a fan of After Dark, and I feel that Kafka on the Shore left too many questions unanswered. I also feel that 1Q84 was far too long, with no plot development.. indeed the 2 best elements of the plot, Fuka-Eri and Ushikawa were killed off far to quickly and underdeveloped in my opinion. The NHK fee collector was also good, but again underdeveloped. Colourless Tsukuru also started well, but I feel that is completely fell away in the second half, again leaving far to many questions unanswered.
Just 2 more to go - Hardboiled and dance, dance, dance and then I've done the set!
Wow! Well honestly that means a lot that you come and watch my reviews after each one you finish - that's exactly what I'd hoped people would do!! And especially it means a lot because you have such differing opinions - most people don't like watching someone who says the exact opposite of what you say lol but thank you for your opinions! I must say I did love the rat trilogy a lot so we do have a similar opinion there haha
I'll be interested in what you think of those last two! I will say Hardboiled, for me, is in dire need of a reread, because I did NOT understand that book on my first reading! I've now had it explained to me so I need to go back and see it for myself. and dance dance dance was probably murakami's most tearing book for me - I was very half and half with my feelings on it.
thank you for watching and I'm glad you have been enjoying Murakami! :)
This was my least favorite Murakami novel. Sometimes I even forget that I read it. The only reaction it got out of me was an unemotional, "Oh, that's sad."
100% agree, that's exactly how I was. Honestly I read it only a week or so ago and I keep forgetting I read it already too lol, it just didn't have anything going for it, which is a shame! But every author has their ups and downs:)
Yeah. I think I might have liked it more if I didn't read it right after reading so many of his other books. I feel like Murakami is best when there's at least a few months put in between his books. Otherwise he gets pretty repetitive. The back covers might as well read, "A depressive loner male lead who's really knowledgeable about jazz, classical music, and western literature is caught in a love triangle between two flat female characters who are just as knowledgeable while they try to make sense of strange things happening to them which also features lots of cats, weird sex, and a simile every other sentence." It's one of the reasons why he's gone from my favorite author to just an author I really enjoy from time to time.
That's a cute Espeon! :p A good honest review. I think I can understand why you didn't like it. Murakami Protagonists can be quite frustrating at times as most of them are loners and brood like anything (And their real names are never revealed). K's character was seriously flat and unappealing, which would also apply to Sumire. That one incident involving Miu on the Ferris wheel was probably the high point of the novel. The plot arc about the little boy, in my opinion, was an attempt at looking at K's character more closely which fell flat. I agree that this book could have been better, but the LGBT elements coupled with the Ferris Wheel chapter gave me lot to think about. I actually wrote a short story along similar lines on my blog. If you're interested, here's my review of Sputnik Sweetheart- rondg95.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/book-review-2-sputnik-sweetheart-by-haruki-murakami/ :)
Oh I LOVED the LGBT aspects - that was probably the only reason I gave it a 2 star rather than 1 star! And okay, that whole ending with the kid made absolutely no sense, and even with you saying it's supposed to be a look at his character.. I still can barely see it haha!
It's nice that you can see my views on things even though you loved this book! I love when people on booktube can see both sides:) Like how I can totally understand how people can love this book and Norwegian Wood - it's all about a person's perspective!:)
Yes! I think it is essential to understand other's perceptions as well to have a holistic understanding of anything. I don't know about Norwegian Wood as I am yet to read it :p I got a lot of hate from friends when I declared that 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold was disappointing for me. I had to write a proper review to get them to understand my view! :)
honestly i found this book so lovely and the way you speak about it just seems like you don't seem to understand his writing as an author so maybe try discovering other authors or maybe something more your type or even more american novels so that you can understand it
Leandra Merkenich ive read all of murakamis books and dozens of pieces of contemporary japanese literature as well as the classics. Sputnik Sweetheart is just bad 🤷🏼♀️
I'm five years late, but here are my two cents..
This was my least favourite Murakami novel too. Especially the first half was boring, and didn't have the much dream-like magical realism his other novels have. But the second half of the novel, which includes the document Sumitr had saved in the floppy disc, get's interesting and more Murakami-esque i guess. Maybe I hate love stories which is why I didn't enjoy this novel. Also, this novel had too many dialogues and less of narration, which adds to my dislike. But this novel was only bad compared to the other books by the same author. If i have to judge the book on it's own, it was still a good read.
i feel like because ur probably used to western literature you just didn't get his writing since it's heavily influenced by Japanese and Asian in general culture
I agree with you completely.
I just think Murakami spent too much time running or watching the telly and suddenly realised he had a deadline the next day.
'Spatnik', 'Sumir'... girl, learn how to not butcher foreign words
Murakami is extremely mid