What do you think?
Rate this book
Slow Boat
A startling novella from the heir to Haruki Murakami and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Trapped in Tokyo, left behind by a series of girlfriends, the narrator of Slow Boat sizes up his situation. His missteps, his violent rebellions, his tiny victories. But he is not a passive loser, content to accept all that fate hands him. He attempts one last escape to the edges of the city, holding the only safety net he has known – his dreams.
Filled with lyrical longing and humour, Slow Boat captures perfectly the urge to get away and the necessity of finding yourself in a world which might never even be looking for you.
Trapped in Tokyo, left behind by a series of girlfriends, the narrator of Slow Boat sizes up his situation. His missteps, his violent rebellions, his tiny victories. But he is not a passive loser, content to accept all that fate hands him. He attempts one last escape to the edges of the city, holding the only safety net he has known – his dreams.
Filled with lyrical longing and humour, Slow Boat captures perfectly the urge to get away and the necessity of finding yourself in a world which might never even be looking for you.
124 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2003
53 people are currently reading
2520 people want to read
About the author
Hideo Furukawa
64 books89 followersHideo Furukawa is a novelist based in Tokyo. He has received the Noma Literary New Face Prize, the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, the Japan SF Grand Prize, and the Yukio Mishima Award.
(from http://cup.columbia.edu/book/horses-h...)
(from http://cup.columbia.edu/book/horses-h...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
December 20, 2022
Slow Boat plunge into a man's attempt to get away from his past and present in Tokyo, as well as the three relationships that define each effort. The narrator was written as someone who is at odd with the world around him, and can comparatively be irksome.
First of all, I'm sorry, but I can never take anything seriously of Freudian followers — knowing how he did not use science to derive his idea. Therefore, some of the narrator's thoughts and derivation seems facetious to me. But considering the period of time of the said thought, it does make sense.
The most obvious take that I hate about this book is the objectification of women. Though this could be Furukawa's undertaking for sombre tone and painstaking introspection in his novella, it makes me uncomfortable all the same. On a side note, this was an easy read compare to other literature I’ve came across, which I like that about the book. The use of words here — that is about the limits of language, is surprising and distinctive. The chapter for Slow Boat 8 truly moves me.
Nevertheless, I'm not sure what to make of it though. Knowing that Furukawa propound this as Murakami's loving remix should be a hint enough that this wouldn't work out as much as I expect it to. I believe it's a matter of how you decrypt the message of this book, just sadly, not something I'm finding myself latching onto or understanding. Half way and I'm still hoping I get what Furukawa tries to deliver but to no avail.
First of all, I'm sorry, but I can never take anything seriously of Freudian followers — knowing how he did not use science to derive his idea. Therefore, some of the narrator's thoughts and derivation seems facetious to me. But considering the period of time of the said thought, it does make sense.
The most obvious take that I hate about this book is the objectification of women. Though this could be Furukawa's undertaking for sombre tone and painstaking introspection in his novella, it makes me uncomfortable all the same. On a side note, this was an easy read compare to other literature I’ve came across, which I like that about the book. The use of words here — that is about the limits of language, is surprising and distinctive. The chapter for Slow Boat 8 truly moves me.
Nevertheless, I'm not sure what to make of it though. Knowing that Furukawa propound this as Murakami's loving remix should be a hint enough that this wouldn't work out as much as I expect it to. I believe it's a matter of how you decrypt the message of this book, just sadly, not something I'm finding myself latching onto or understanding. Half way and I'm still hoping I get what Furukawa tries to deliver but to no avail.
March 16, 2017
The circle of life, for many individuals, is completed within a small radius of their place of origin. Boku was born in Tokyo, feared he would die in Tokyo and made several botched attempts to leave. His dreams of life in Tokyo were colorless and murky. Boku had three girlfriends. One was taken from him, one left him as a result of mistakes and the third one, he sent away.
As a fifth grader, Boku became obsessed with death as "The Big Limit". He stopped attending school, slept all day and kept a dream diary resulting in his being shipped off to an alternative school for dropouts. Enter girlfriend number one. By attending summer school, she was out of her mother's hair for the summer. Summer ends abruptly, halting the budding friendship and romance.
Boku's university years provided a second chance. What started as physical stirrings and incredible chemistry led to love. Girlfriend two was determined to leave Tokyo for Okinawa, so much so, that she called from the airport holding two tickets to Okinawa. Boku can leave Tokyo with her if he arrives at the airport. It is a race against time.
Fast forward to our narrator's new decision. If he can't leave Tokyo, he can keep Tokyo out of his business venture. His cafe called The Power of Kate is an establishment with aromas and flavors foreign to Tokyo. Girlfriend three, Knife Girl, the chef, will leave Tokyo soon to fulfill her dreams.
One cannot deny the fact that circumstance is a factor in his inability to leave Tokyo. Time marches on and it is incumbent upon Boku to navigate his own destiny. If the odds are against him, he has allowed them to be so. All he needs is a dose of hope and to exercise free will.
"Slow Boat" by Hideo Furukawa is a story of Boku's inability to change his focus from inaction to self betterment, hopefulness and happiness. Yes, he is often misguided and would profit from better communication skills, but hope is still within reach. "Slow Boat", a novella, highlights a life tormented by feeling there is no way out and no escape. An excellent read.
Thank you Steerforth Press,Pushkin Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Slow Boat".
As a fifth grader, Boku became obsessed with death as "The Big Limit". He stopped attending school, slept all day and kept a dream diary resulting in his being shipped off to an alternative school for dropouts. Enter girlfriend number one. By attending summer school, she was out of her mother's hair for the summer. Summer ends abruptly, halting the budding friendship and romance.
Boku's university years provided a second chance. What started as physical stirrings and incredible chemistry led to love. Girlfriend two was determined to leave Tokyo for Okinawa, so much so, that she called from the airport holding two tickets to Okinawa. Boku can leave Tokyo with her if he arrives at the airport. It is a race against time.
Fast forward to our narrator's new decision. If he can't leave Tokyo, he can keep Tokyo out of his business venture. His cafe called The Power of Kate is an establishment with aromas and flavors foreign to Tokyo. Girlfriend three, Knife Girl, the chef, will leave Tokyo soon to fulfill her dreams.
One cannot deny the fact that circumstance is a factor in his inability to leave Tokyo. Time marches on and it is incumbent upon Boku to navigate his own destiny. If the odds are against him, he has allowed them to be so. All he needs is a dose of hope and to exercise free will.
"Slow Boat" by Hideo Furukawa is a story of Boku's inability to change his focus from inaction to self betterment, hopefulness and happiness. Yes, he is often misguided and would profit from better communication skills, but hope is still within reach. "Slow Boat", a novella, highlights a life tormented by feeling there is no way out and no escape. An excellent read.
Thank you Steerforth Press,Pushkin Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Slow Boat".
December 28, 2022
It was hard to get into the story.
Maybe the original Japanese version is better.
The translator may not describe the way and the deep meaning of his tale.
Anyway, this book is telling the story of Tokyo and the protagonist, Boku, and 3 girlfriends.
Maybe the original Japanese version is better.
The translator may not describe the way and the deep meaning of his tale.
Anyway, this book is telling the story of Tokyo and the protagonist, Boku, and 3 girlfriends.
June 4, 2021
Boat stories…
These Japanese novellas - translated by David Boyd…
with coming-of-age themes are funny, and charming.
The poor guy is slightly adorable and pathetic. Among other problems he deals with, he feels trapped.
In the very first sentence he says:
“I never made it out of Tokyo”.
We then follow the young man - from grade school to young adult - through the different boat stories; Boat One, Boat Two, Boat Three….
through Eight of these whimsical tales - with Chronicles of the days in 1985, 1994, and 2000.
He meets his first girlfriend in
Boat Two: “Keep Both Hands Flat On Your Lap”…
It’s a very funny story about how he gets kicked out of school in the fifth grade -
and is sent to an alternative school for dropouts, called “The End of the World”
It feels much like outdoor summer camp.
It is there where he first falls in love.
She was in the sixth grade, a year above him and a real “looker”…. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her sixth-grade boobs.
They get closer - they talk (she talks a lot); he has his first kiss, (his memory was a little fuzzy because he’s thinking back on his memories from twenty
years ago)
He said:
“All that matters to me is that she’s happy with how we are”.
“‘We’. Me and my sixth-grade girlfriend”.
“My first girlfriend”.
but on the last day of summer camp break— her mother picks her up and they drive away.
“No way out of Tokyo”.
“That was how I lost my first girlfriend”.
Boat Four:
“I was an ex-dropout who hit girls. Blacklisted. In middle school, likes and loves we’re flying all over the place. Boy and girls and unchained libidos. But I played no part in the adolescent melodrama. I was hanging out in my corner, alone, giving off bad vibes”.
“High School was easier on me. All boys. No girls meant no girls to hit”.
He has sex at age 19:
“Sex was in the air. In the workplace. And good luck curbing the sexual urges of a nineteen-year-old male”.
Throughout these stories we learn about his three failed girlfriends…
It has that Japanese-feeling—a fictionalized Memoir …
A slim book - not earth-shattering outstanding… but goes nicely with one’s morning breakfast, and beverage choice.
“It’s really strange. When I was ten or eleven, I did nothing but dream—now I was totally dry”.
“Life has a way of doing that—restoring balance. That’s how I see it, at least”.
3.5
These Japanese novellas - translated by David Boyd…
with coming-of-age themes are funny, and charming.
The poor guy is slightly adorable and pathetic. Among other problems he deals with, he feels trapped.
In the very first sentence he says:
“I never made it out of Tokyo”.
We then follow the young man - from grade school to young adult - through the different boat stories; Boat One, Boat Two, Boat Three….
through Eight of these whimsical tales - with Chronicles of the days in 1985, 1994, and 2000.
He meets his first girlfriend in
Boat Two: “Keep Both Hands Flat On Your Lap”…
It’s a very funny story about how he gets kicked out of school in the fifth grade -
and is sent to an alternative school for dropouts, called “The End of the World”
It feels much like outdoor summer camp.
It is there where he first falls in love.
She was in the sixth grade, a year above him and a real “looker”…. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her sixth-grade boobs.
They get closer - they talk (she talks a lot); he has his first kiss, (his memory was a little fuzzy because he’s thinking back on his memories from twenty
years ago)
He said:
“All that matters to me is that she’s happy with how we are”.
“‘We’. Me and my sixth-grade girlfriend”.
“My first girlfriend”.
but on the last day of summer camp break— her mother picks her up and they drive away.
“No way out of Tokyo”.
“That was how I lost my first girlfriend”.
Boat Four:
“I was an ex-dropout who hit girls. Blacklisted. In middle school, likes and loves we’re flying all over the place. Boy and girls and unchained libidos. But I played no part in the adolescent melodrama. I was hanging out in my corner, alone, giving off bad vibes”.
“High School was easier on me. All boys. No girls meant no girls to hit”.
He has sex at age 19:
“Sex was in the air. In the workplace. And good luck curbing the sexual urges of a nineteen-year-old male”.
Throughout these stories we learn about his three failed girlfriends…
It has that Japanese-feeling—a fictionalized Memoir …
A slim book - not earth-shattering outstanding… but goes nicely with one’s morning breakfast, and beverage choice.
“It’s really strange. When I was ten or eleven, I did nothing but dream—now I was totally dry”.
“Life has a way of doing that—restoring balance. That’s how I see it, at least”.
3.5
June 18, 2017
I did not get this, in fact I am kind of embarrassed how totally I did not get this. I read the words but didn't understand their deeper meaning. It felt a bit like I am lacking the framework needed to understand this book. I feel the need to point out that this is totally my fault - I know nearly nothing about Japan, so I wasn't even sure if the places visited by the protagonist are real or not.
How baffling this whole book was for me is best exemplified thusly: my copy has letters missing (the "th"s at the start of sentences were missing as well as the letters "ft" if they followed each other) and I am not even sure if that wasn't in fact on purpose. I have no idea how to adequately write a review of a book that I so fundamentally did not get.
The narrator is the complete focus of this work, the book is in fact highly introspective in nature and as such his story is told in a circular and repeating manner. He has tried and failed to leave Tokyo at least on three separate occasions and is sure he will never be able to leave and start anew somewhere else (it is never explained why he wants to leave or why he feels like his attempts are doomed). He reminisces on his three girlfriends and how those relationships end. Then there are interludes written by one of his friends who works as a free-lance journalist and I don't quite know what they were about.
As I said, I just did not get it - the whole subtext went past me and the whole experience was baffling to me - and not in a particularly fun way.
_____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
How baffling this whole book was for me is best exemplified thusly: my copy has letters missing (the "th"s at the start of sentences were missing as well as the letters "ft" if they followed each other) and I am not even sure if that wasn't in fact on purpose. I have no idea how to adequately write a review of a book that I so fundamentally did not get.
The narrator is the complete focus of this work, the book is in fact highly introspective in nature and as such his story is told in a circular and repeating manner. He has tried and failed to leave Tokyo at least on three separate occasions and is sure he will never be able to leave and start anew somewhere else (it is never explained why he wants to leave or why he feels like his attempts are doomed). He reminisces on his three girlfriends and how those relationships end. Then there are interludes written by one of his friends who works as a free-lance journalist and I don't quite know what they were about.
As I said, I just did not get it - the whole subtext went past me and the whole experience was baffling to me - and not in a particularly fun way.
_____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
December 3, 2020
Simpatico omaggio di Furukawa Hideo allo scrittore Haruki Murakami in cui viene ripreso un suo vecchio racconto e remixato fino a farlo diventare un romanzo a sé stante.
Piacevolissimo da leggere, anche se costantemente si instilla nel lettore la convinzione che si tratti solo di un esercizio di stile che soffre di ben più di un murakamismo, ma senza troppa magia.
Gli ingredienti sono: un ragazzo con il desiderio di evasione, tre donne che gli hanno sconvolto la vita e che l'hanno abbandonato, un disco di musica jazz, una punta di onirico.
Ci sono persino 5 pagine in cui, Murakamismo puro al limite del "vorrei ma non posso", si discute della somiglianza delle tette di una tipa con la geografia nipponica.
Alla fine sembra di leggere uno di quei romanzetti di formazione un po' sopra le righe, piacevole piacevole, ma nulla di più.
Piacevolissimo da leggere, anche se costantemente si instilla nel lettore la convinzione che si tratti solo di un esercizio di stile che soffre di ben più di un murakamismo, ma senza troppa magia.
Gli ingredienti sono: un ragazzo con il desiderio di evasione, tre donne che gli hanno sconvolto la vita e che l'hanno abbandonato, un disco di musica jazz, una punta di onirico.
Ci sono persino 5 pagine in cui, Murakamismo puro al limite del "vorrei ma non posso", si discute della somiglianza delle tette di una tipa con la geografia nipponica.
Alla fine sembra di leggere uno di quei romanzetti di formazione un po' sopra le righe, piacevole piacevole, ma nulla di più.
December 6, 2024
Re-reading this again after 5 years and it was still a wacky full of wits and so quirkily told for me. I followed a nameless narrator on his attempt to escape Tokyo recalling all the heart-throbbing moments from his 3 failed relationships— a vignette of past that came flashing during his final escape plan (after thrice failed), a rant of hope and that feeling of entrapment he felt after losing so much of what he had longed throughout his life.
A narrative that paid homage to Haruki Murakami’s short story ‘A Slow Boat To China’ (Furukawa written this in his own voice and interpretation yet you can still find the similarities) that explored on one’s alienation, regrets and the sense of loss which consumed the narrator to scatter his perspective and emotional weight— too dramatic at times but energetically amusing and enthralled me much for how his narration engagingly grasped that struggles and his psychological mess of dealing with flaws and inner crisis— a stage of life that could resonate to anyone when you feel at the most bottom and just want to escape.
Loved the knife girl character the most and I too find his tale on the last girl as much entertaining compared to the previous two. Can be sensual a bit, familial related and almost bizarrely dreamlike too, I do wish he had more ex-girlfriends so I can get more hopeless melancholic chapters on his musings and lovestories.
Such a fun, short and quick to read novella if you are okay with a nonlinear-styled narrative or fragmented storytelling. 4/5 stars!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!
A narrative that paid homage to Haruki Murakami’s short story ‘A Slow Boat To China’ (Furukawa written this in his own voice and interpretation yet you can still find the similarities) that explored on one’s alienation, regrets and the sense of loss which consumed the narrator to scatter his perspective and emotional weight— too dramatic at times but energetically amusing and enthralled me much for how his narration engagingly grasped that struggles and his psychological mess of dealing with flaws and inner crisis— a stage of life that could resonate to anyone when you feel at the most bottom and just want to escape.
Loved the knife girl character the most and I too find his tale on the last girl as much entertaining compared to the previous two. Can be sensual a bit, familial related and almost bizarrely dreamlike too, I do wish he had more ex-girlfriends so I can get more hopeless melancholic chapters on his musings and lovestories.
Such a fun, short and quick to read novella if you are okay with a nonlinear-styled narrative or fragmented storytelling. 4/5 stars!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!
July 24, 2017
Not quite 3.5 stars (3.25?)
While I strongly suspect this book is better in its original Japanese (the particular Japanese of the narrator plays a big part in the book's opening chapters) and I doubt any but those thoroughly familiar with the work of Haruki Murakami (the author Furukawa is "remixing" and paying homage to) will catch all this book's nuances and sly jokes, I still enjoyed this quite a bit.
Furukawa's narrator is more of whiner and distinctly less likeable than those found in most of Murakami's stories (certainly more than in 'Slow Boat to China'*, the story Furukawa is explicitly remixing) but, as annoying as he can be, he and the story gain depth and heart as the novella unfolds and by the end I was moved by his tale. The introduction of another narrative voice via magazine articles a little more than halfway through helps expand the emotional palette of the book, too.
I'd definitely recommend this to Murakami fans and readers interested in the ways contemporary Japanese writers are engaging with the literature of their immediate past.
*For those who are interested in the refreshing their memory of the Murakami story before reading Furukawa's novella, 'Slow Boat to China' can be found in English translation in the collection The Elephant Vanishes
While I strongly suspect this book is better in its original Japanese (the particular Japanese of the narrator plays a big part in the book's opening chapters) and I doubt any but those thoroughly familiar with the work of Haruki Murakami (the author Furukawa is "remixing" and paying homage to) will catch all this book's nuances and sly jokes, I still enjoyed this quite a bit.
Furukawa's narrator is more of whiner and distinctly less likeable than those found in most of Murakami's stories (certainly more than in 'Slow Boat to China'*, the story Furukawa is explicitly remixing) but, as annoying as he can be, he and the story gain depth and heart as the novella unfolds and by the end I was moved by his tale. The introduction of another narrative voice via magazine articles a little more than halfway through helps expand the emotional palette of the book, too.
I'd definitely recommend this to Murakami fans and readers interested in the ways contemporary Japanese writers are engaging with the literature of their immediate past.
*For those who are interested in the refreshing their memory of the Murakami story before reading Furukawa's novella, 'Slow Boat to China' can be found in English translation in the collection The Elephant Vanishes
January 15, 2025
On reflection I’ve got no idea what this book was about. Vaguely some metaphor about trying to escape your past but also losing your present self. It had a very overly existential way of going about telling its story that I didn’t really enjoy.
April 22, 2017
2.5 Stars. Very quick read! I'll be reading the story being "remixed" before I review.
Homage to/Remix of Haruki Murakami's short story "Slow Boat to China" - Available at JSTOR (free registration required). Also included in the short story collection The Elephant Vanishes.
Homage to/Remix of Haruki Murakami's short story "Slow Boat to China" - Available at JSTOR (free registration required). Also included in the short story collection The Elephant Vanishes.
September 7, 2018
I must admit I didn't quite get this, certainly not the ending, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. I haven't read the Haruki Murakami short story Slow Boat to China that this novella is a homage to (the author says as much at the end of the book) but I could sure see the similarities with Murakami -- strange, sexy women, a disaffected young-ish narrator, a melancholy mood, references to pop songs, an obsession with boobs, and a plot that was more one man's search for meaning than anything actually happening. But in amongst all that was a coming of age story (actually three) focussed on young love that was touching.
Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X - and receive my monthly newsletter with book recommendations galore for the Japanophile, crime-fiction-lover in all of us.
Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X - and receive my monthly newsletter with book recommendations galore for the Japanophile, crime-fiction-lover in all of us.
March 10, 2018
Super weird, but actually quite intriguing.
April 11, 2019
A curious and kind of lovely read - wacky but powerful. I really liked this one.
January 23, 2023
I think this book got majorly lost in translation - do not recommend : /
did-not-finish
January 16, 2018Loved Furukawa’s memoir ‘Horses, Horses,’ and when I heard this wee novel was an homage to Murakami’s ‘Slow Boat to China,’ I read that story first, and loved it: the only Murakami short story ever to wow me. The love ended there. While I was intrigued by the rebellious main character in this Furukawa novel, the staggeringly cliché-ridden prose—the fault of a crappy translation?—stopped me from getting but a few pages past chapter one. Just appalling.
July 4, 2024
podobała mi się ta książka dopóki się nie dowiedziałam, że to remix Murakamiego
„For me, Murakami is at the centre of it all—the roots of my soul.” get the fuck out of my house!!!!
„For me, Murakami is at the centre of it all—the roots of my soul.” get the fuck out of my house!!!!
October 6, 2024
En god bok å lese når du sitter fast i en heis på 8 etasjer. Fever dream.
September 19, 2018
Mooie cover maar dat is dan ook het enige positieve dat er over dit boek valt te zeggen.
September 23, 2024
In these days of fast reading, I wanted to slip in a book by a Japanese author. I can’t say I loved it because it was difficult to get into the story, and despite being a short book, it didn’t flow as I had expected. The narrative follows a man’s struggle to escape his past, but it has a strange structure. After reading other reviews, I’ve come to a clear conclusion: the author was definitely trying to convey something, and he probably had it well thought out in his mind, but he failed to communicate it to the reader. Sadly, it didn’t meet my expectations, so I’m giving it 2/5.
January 6, 2022
Haruki Murakami em ácidos
December 18, 2022
too much objectification for me no thanks
July 7, 2024
flop.
April 13, 2017
I did not see the point of this book. So many reviews praised the writing and how relevant the story was but I really didn't understand it. I was asking myself where the story was going throughout the whole book and by the end I still have no answer.
The writing was messy and all over the place, letters were missing, the became e, this became is, left became le, it was so annoying to read. This has 120 pages and I basically just forced myself through it because I had hope that at the end we'd get an explanation or ANYTHING.
The only reason I gave this 2 stars is because this is a diverse read as it is set in Tokyo and the characters are mostly all Japanese.
Overall this was just a mess. UGH. Maybe it's just me and I just didn't understand what this book was trying to convey the way other people did but sadly I did not like this at all.
*I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The writing was messy and all over the place, letters were missing, the became e, this became is, left became le, it was so annoying to read. This has 120 pages and I basically just forced myself through it because I had hope that at the end we'd get an explanation or ANYTHING.
The only reason I gave this 2 stars is because this is a diverse read as it is set in Tokyo and the characters are mostly all Japanese.
Overall this was just a mess. UGH. Maybe it's just me and I just didn't understand what this book was trying to convey the way other people did but sadly I did not like this at all.
*I received a free ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
July 3, 2021
According to the author, this novella is a “remix” of Haruki Murakami’s short story “A Slow Boat to China.” As far as I know that story is Murakami’s first published short story ever. Do you need to read the said story to fully appreciate this novella? Not necessary, in my opinion, although of course if you’re a fan of Murakami you’ll easily recognize and enjoy the Murakami references peppered throughout the book.
What’s the connection between the two works of fiction? While Murakami’s story is about the three Chinese people the protagonist has met in his life and can’t forget for some reason, Furukawa’s novella is about the protagonist’s three girlfriends. He tells us about his childhood sweetheart, and then his young adult love, and then his adult relationship with an excellent chef who is—get ready for this, trigger warning—a minor. Each relationship is a love story of separation and loss. His first girlfriend is forcefully taken away from him. The second one leaves him. And he willingly lets go of the last one.
I don’t have much to say about the book. It’s a quick read, and the prose is composed of short, snappy sentences. It’s also funny sometimes. Braided with the main narrative are articles written by the protagonist’s writer friend, but to be honest I don’t exactly get their significance. (It’s probably just a superficial nod to Murakami’s interweaving narratives in “Kafka on the Shore” and “Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.”) There’s also an attempt, like Murakami, to explore dreams and reality here, and especially the thin line between the two, and yet there’s nothing new the novella offers. I only picked this up because the idea of “remixing” a story piqued my interest (in a way I’ve been doing that too in some of the stories I’ve written), and also of course I’m a Murakami fan, but overall the story didn’t really leave a very good impression on me.
What’s the connection between the two works of fiction? While Murakami’s story is about the three Chinese people the protagonist has met in his life and can’t forget for some reason, Furukawa’s novella is about the protagonist’s three girlfriends. He tells us about his childhood sweetheart, and then his young adult love, and then his adult relationship with an excellent chef who is—get ready for this, trigger warning—a minor. Each relationship is a love story of separation and loss. His first girlfriend is forcefully taken away from him. The second one leaves him. And he willingly lets go of the last one.
I don’t have much to say about the book. It’s a quick read, and the prose is composed of short, snappy sentences. It’s also funny sometimes. Braided with the main narrative are articles written by the protagonist’s writer friend, but to be honest I don’t exactly get their significance. (It’s probably just a superficial nod to Murakami’s interweaving narratives in “Kafka on the Shore” and “Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.”) There’s also an attempt, like Murakami, to explore dreams and reality here, and especially the thin line between the two, and yet there’s nothing new the novella offers. I only picked this up because the idea of “remixing” a story piqued my interest (in a way I’ve been doing that too in some of the stories I’ve written), and also of course I’m a Murakami fan, but overall the story didn’t really leave a very good impression on me.
October 11, 2020
La vita è un limite.
.
È un limite quando vedi corvi intrappolati per decisioni altrui. Chi decide che sono troppi, che va regolarizzata la loro proliferazione? A liberarli cosa potrebbe accadere ? Di peggio. Allarmismo generale, si scatenerebbe un'ulteriore caccia collettiva. Agire, non agire per non peggiorare la situazione. Tanto, quando qualcuno detta leggi deve essere così. Senza discussione, senza confronto. Un limite dunque. Ai propri desideri, ai propri principi, in vite reali che remano contro, viaggiano in altre direzioni.
.
Un limite è quando sei bambino, vorresti parlare nel giapponese corretto degli adulti e non ti viene permesso perché sei piccolo. Non importa se riesci. Non puoi. Non ti è permesso. Quando semplicemente non ti piace qualcosa e vuoi interromperla... ma sei troppo piccolo, non ti chiedono il perché e decidono per te.
.
Un libro dei limiti.
In particolare tre le occasioni perdute per il protagonista di questo viaggio, un giovane Holden che si trova a passeggiare solo nei giardini Hamarikyū la Vigilia di Natale. Un uomo che ha tentato tre volte di oltrepassare il confine, lasciarsi Tokyo alle spalle, superare i limiti. Tre volte, tre storie sentimentali sfumate tre fallimenti, in periodi molto diversi, tre limiti non superati nel mondo della condivisione, comprensione reciproca e fisico. Una breve lettura visionaria, introspettiva, omaggio a un celebre romanzo di Murakami Haruki dallo stesso titolo. La potenza dell'immaginazione, il desiderio di trascrivere sogni in un diario onirico creando mondi da analizzare, interpretare. Un'esistenza singolare che sembra non compiersi mai.
.
È un limite quando vedi corvi intrappolati per decisioni altrui. Chi decide che sono troppi, che va regolarizzata la loro proliferazione? A liberarli cosa potrebbe accadere ? Di peggio. Allarmismo generale, si scatenerebbe un'ulteriore caccia collettiva. Agire, non agire per non peggiorare la situazione. Tanto, quando qualcuno detta leggi deve essere così. Senza discussione, senza confronto. Un limite dunque. Ai propri desideri, ai propri principi, in vite reali che remano contro, viaggiano in altre direzioni.
.
Un limite è quando sei bambino, vorresti parlare nel giapponese corretto degli adulti e non ti viene permesso perché sei piccolo. Non importa se riesci. Non puoi. Non ti è permesso. Quando semplicemente non ti piace qualcosa e vuoi interromperla... ma sei troppo piccolo, non ti chiedono il perché e decidono per te.
.
Un libro dei limiti.
In particolare tre le occasioni perdute per il protagonista di questo viaggio, un giovane Holden che si trova a passeggiare solo nei giardini Hamarikyū la Vigilia di Natale. Un uomo che ha tentato tre volte di oltrepassare il confine, lasciarsi Tokyo alle spalle, superare i limiti. Tre volte, tre storie sentimentali sfumate tre fallimenti, in periodi molto diversi, tre limiti non superati nel mondo della condivisione, comprensione reciproca e fisico. Una breve lettura visionaria, introspettiva, omaggio a un celebre romanzo di Murakami Haruki dallo stesso titolo. La potenza dell'immaginazione, il desiderio di trascrivere sogni in un diario onirico creando mondi da analizzare, interpretare. Un'esistenza singolare che sembra non compiersi mai.
March 23, 2017
One man's bizarre journey trying to leave Tokyo, his strange dreams, and the loss of his three girlfriends. This novella didn't quite cut it for me. I was kind of bored to tell you the truth. I had such high hopes for this novella and now my hopes have been dashed. I'm kind of sitting here like what was that?
Although, two things that struck me from the book were: one, is that the kids were taking a class to learn how to make goggles out of bamboo segments so they could explore the riverbed. And the second was a favorite quote: "I wasn't so weak when I was young. But I got old. Now I always think about consequences." He wants to stand up and fight back for what he feels is right but feels he can't because he is not young and strong anymore.
Maybe for me in another time or another place, but not today.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although, two things that struck me from the book were: one, is that the kids were taking a class to learn how to make goggles out of bamboo segments so they could explore the riverbed. And the second was a favorite quote: "I wasn't so weak when I was young. But I got old. Now I always think about consequences." He wants to stand up and fight back for what he feels is right but feels he can't because he is not young and strong anymore.
Maybe for me in another time or another place, but not today.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2024
Slow Boat - Hideo Furukawa (translated by David Boyd)
Slow Boat is a series of meandering, monotonous journey of an unnamed narrator who felt the desire to escape his life but failed every single time. The isolation, loneliness captured in the scape of Tokyo city from early days to present days in an incoherent dreams versus reality as we revisits his past relationships & how he attempt to escape his one last fate. This novella is sort of remixes of jumbled ideas, narratives of philosophies Freudian like with a mixed bag of contemporary Murakami style of work. Its disjointed, bizarre structures of plot will get you confused with the whole story plus the objectification of women in this left a bitter taste once finished. Its an interesting book but doesnt work as well I hope to be.
Slow Boat reminisces on our unnamed narrator's past girlfriends from his first one where he met in a school for kids that skipped schools, a girl that talked non-stop, living in her imagined out of movie scenes, scattered plot & dialogues of various cinematic films, then the second girlfriend he met in college with an interesting map pattern on her body part which she pursued as her so called fate to his last girlfriend a teenaged cook who is excellent in cooking. This novella was unique, weird & someone commented to me that it could be a parody or imitation to Murakami's work and i sort of agree? Because Murakami has his own way of writing & this book is the remixes of every single concept in Haruki's stories which actually kinda clever & also intriguing.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed this one a lot but it certainly left my mind on shambles on how such a thin book left you with many questions & no solid answers.
Review copy courtesy @definitelybooks #pansingdistribution. Thank u for the copy in exchange for an honest review
Slow Boat is a series of meandering, monotonous journey of an unnamed narrator who felt the desire to escape his life but failed every single time. The isolation, loneliness captured in the scape of Tokyo city from early days to present days in an incoherent dreams versus reality as we revisits his past relationships & how he attempt to escape his one last fate. This novella is sort of remixes of jumbled ideas, narratives of philosophies Freudian like with a mixed bag of contemporary Murakami style of work. Its disjointed, bizarre structures of plot will get you confused with the whole story plus the objectification of women in this left a bitter taste once finished. Its an interesting book but doesnt work as well I hope to be.
Slow Boat reminisces on our unnamed narrator's past girlfriends from his first one where he met in a school for kids that skipped schools, a girl that talked non-stop, living in her imagined out of movie scenes, scattered plot & dialogues of various cinematic films, then the second girlfriend he met in college with an interesting map pattern on her body part which she pursued as her so called fate to his last girlfriend a teenaged cook who is excellent in cooking. This novella was unique, weird & someone commented to me that it could be a parody or imitation to Murakami's work and i sort of agree? Because Murakami has his own way of writing & this book is the remixes of every single concept in Haruki's stories which actually kinda clever & also intriguing.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed this one a lot but it certainly left my mind on shambles on how such a thin book left you with many questions & no solid answers.
Review copy courtesy @definitelybooks #pansingdistribution. Thank u for the copy in exchange for an honest review
August 5, 2021
Reading this, I thought, "Wow, this feels a lot like a Murakami book." And then I read the Afterword (or Liner Notes, as Furukawa calls them), in which he says that Slow Boat is his "remix" of Murakami's story Slow Boat to China.
Me: Oh.
Kind of shitty male protagonist, lots of girlfriends, odd dreamscapes...it's all there. But it also felt a little more heartfelt than Murakami. I'm not sure if heartfelt is the right word; maybe like it had more heart in it? A greater willingness to engage with the world?
The narrator is just trying to do one small thing: Leave Tokyo. But even something as seemingly simple as that throws roadblocks at every turn. He's over it, he's cynical, but he hasn't lost all hope. And I like that - hating the world but also holding on to it. I also like the idea of leaving a place by burrowing farther into it.
It's a fun little novella. The first chapter is definitely my favorite, which consequently made the rest of the book a smidge disappointing (though I always love writing about subways). What interests me most about this book, actually, is Furukawa's concept of "remixing" stories, which is less of retelling or reworking another artist's story. Instead, he describes it as, "When an artist comes to [this well-known remixer] for a track, he doesn't run to the studio. He puts the song on repeat and goes to bed. He lets it play all night. Then, when he wakes up in the morning, he knows exactly what to do. That's what I'm talking about when I talk about remixing."
That's so cool????
Me: Oh.
Kind of shitty male protagonist, lots of girlfriends, odd dreamscapes...it's all there. But it also felt a little more heartfelt than Murakami. I'm not sure if heartfelt is the right word; maybe like it had more heart in it? A greater willingness to engage with the world?
The narrator is just trying to do one small thing: Leave Tokyo. But even something as seemingly simple as that throws roadblocks at every turn. He's over it, he's cynical, but he hasn't lost all hope. And I like that - hating the world but also holding on to it. I also like the idea of leaving a place by burrowing farther into it.
It's a fun little novella. The first chapter is definitely my favorite, which consequently made the rest of the book a smidge disappointing (though I always love writing about subways). What interests me most about this book, actually, is Furukawa's concept of "remixing" stories, which is less of retelling or reworking another artist's story. Instead, he describes it as, "When an artist comes to [this well-known remixer] for a track, he doesn't run to the studio. He puts the song on repeat and goes to bed. He lets it play all night. Then, when he wakes up in the morning, he knows exactly what to do. That's what I'm talking about when I talk about remixing."
That's so cool????
March 21, 2017
Bizarre, funny, dreamy novella that will probably be more rewarding for fans of Murakami and close readers of Murakami's work. Furukawa acknowledges his debt to Murakami, and presents this as an homage to him by way of a "remix" of a Murakami short story that I've not read (but will probably get around to after this). I liked Murakami for a short while while in university, and after that I seemed to not care very much for his style. Furukawa's novella bristles with the restless energy of an outsider; and for anyone who has wanted to escape a place only to find that most exit routes lead back to the same place, or are simply false points of escape, this book will ring true. It's very self-aware and funny. Fed up with being unable to leave Tokyo, the narrator hits upon the idea of bringing "the out" in; "the Trojan Horse of Tokyo" with which he can one-up Tokyo by leaving withoutleaving, but even that doesn't work out as planned. (It never does.) Furukawa's structural play with dreamscapes and the notes on the unreliability of language also strike a deeper and more poignant note than usual Murakami fare. This is a strange novella and strangely rewarding. I found David Boyd's "Americanised" English translation grating, at first, and somewhat excessive, but it started to grow on me, steeped as the book is in American pop culture references.
(With thanks to Pushkin Press for a review copy on NetGalley.)
(With thanks to Pushkin Press for a review copy on NetGalley.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews