101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

Discuss Book III, Chapters 30-END

I must admit, I'm rather disappointed in the story. Summarily, the story could have been written to fill 300 pages, not 600+, unnecessarily. Too many details left the story convoluted, and it just didn't quite feel completely wrapped up in the end. Overall, strong structure, and a decent story line, but it just took WAY too long to get interesting for me.

Finished and I have to admit that I was forcing myself to complete it by Book 3. I have come to the conclusion that I do not like magical realism. Maybe it is that I am too stupid or too unimaginative to understand it. I never thought that the story made sense. There were so many odd characters whose purpose I could not comprehend, so many details that seemed to go no where. Why did we spend so much time in stories of 1940 war and post-war prisoner camps? Why did we get that strange guitar guy who just shows up in a night club and once again on a city street? There are so many symbols from the blue mark on the cheek to wells to birds that I knew were significant, but never figured out. Had this been half the length, maybe I would have cared enough to puzzle out the meaning of each element. But, by the time I finished this, there were just too many pieces for me to bother with. I was really looking forward to this book. It seemed to have such an amazing reputation. But, I can not think of a single person to whom I would recommend it.

I know, I felt exactly the same way when I finished it a while back. I felt like maybe something got lost in the translation or maybe I just didn't understand the Japanese culture... Something. It almost felt like he was throwing all these symbolism things in there just trying to be all mysterious, when HE didn't even have a clue! LOL Murakami writes the WORST sex scenes ever, OMG. Just no.

Some parts of the book I did enjoy, but meh, I'm not a magical realism fan either.

Sandra wrote: "Murakami writes the WORST sex scenes ever, OMG. "

Haha, I was thinking the same thing! Does it make a difference if they are written by a man or a woman, I wonder? Or maybe it's the culture difference?

I still honestly don't know how I feel about the book. I know I enjoyed reading it, right up through the end. There were so many neat odds and ends that he created, and he weaves such poetry in his words. But I kind of felt unfulfilled by the ending, because I didn't really understand it. But I also can't help but wondering if that's the point? The writing style was beautiful, I hung on to every word. I can't say I didn't like it, because I did enjoy it. I just don't know how to describe it or review it.