MADreads

After Dark, after Mary K’s post

November 12th, 2007 Jon - Central Library

This post started as a comment on Mary K’s question from November 5, “Do good reviews always equal a good read?”  In response, I’ve got to say, “no!”

I was thrilled to get Haruki Murakami’s new book, After Dark.  I like short novels, and, as I’ve written elsewhere, I’m a big fan of his.  To top it off, After Dark has received glowing reviews.  But there was little to the book except that signature Murakami mood (and some cats and music, of course).  Conversations, along with the plot, go nowhere, and the book was entirely unsatisfying. I’m sure I’ll like the next one, though!

Critics have divided Murakami’s novels into big, mindbending ones and small, contemplative ones, and this is one of the latter.  For the small, contemplative Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart is better.  Now that I think of it, the only big Murakami novel I’ve read is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle…which is as good as critics have said.

Entry Filed under: Literary Fiction