Book: Kafka on the Shore
Author: Haruki Murakami
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Recommend: Yes
Rating: 4.8/5
After a lot of recommendations, I bought Kafka on the Shore 3 years ago but I wasn’t particularly excited to read this Masterpiece. Yes, I am calling it a masterpiece because that is how much this book grew on me. I am at a loss of words to describe and review this book because when I started to pen down my thoughts, I had no idea where to begin.
This is a very different novel from the other novels I have read. Reading it was like going on a surreal vacation and I was only hoping for the vacation to keep extending but that is the beauty of vacations, they are short-lived but you carry the memories of them in your heart. This book is so magical, dreamy, and imaginary which makes me want to call it a Surreal Vacation. One of my favorite scenarios was when Kafka, one of the protagonists went to live on the mountains in a cabinet full of books for a few days, he was surrounded by nothing but the forest with no humans around him. He was living in the rawest form possible. In order to fetch water, he had to go to the stream nearby, he would wake up to the sound of birds chirping and sunlight falling on him. On one of the days, it started to rain, and he stripped down naked and jumped outside the cabinet to enjoy the rain, and at that moment I wished to be Kafka because I have always wanted to explore the nature in it’s purest form. The scenario was written so beautifully I could feel every word and I felt as though I was physically present in that moment instead of Kafka and that is when Kafka thoroughly experienced the magic of nature (coincidently, it poured 20 minutes after I read this scene).
During his stay in that cabinet, he embraces the silence. Initially, he was petrified of it but eventually, he realises that silence is beautiful, “Silence, I discover is something you can actually hear." This phrase moved me because when I mulled over it, I realised, silence can be frightening but also tranquilizing at the same time. It is only in Silence you can actually hear the nature and feel serene and since I have always wanted to live on the mountains in a cottage full of books, this particular scenario related wit me on a profound level. I wish to someday live alone on the mountains, feel the solitude and hear the ‘Silence’.
The combination of fantasy and philosophy gave this book an extraordinary edge. For instance, at one point Murakami says, “Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.” This phrase is quite intense, it makes you realise that humans' quest for wanting more is ceaseless. Since happiness is an elusive phenomenon, we spend our whole lives in search of it. We try to find happiness in little things but that happiness is only momentary because we take a plunge back into the pool of unhappiness in search of more happiness. We do not give happiness the importance that it deserves when we acquire it. Whereas, we tend to dwell on our sadness and overemphasise the adversities in our lives. We hold onto the sorrow and let it linger around for more than we should. Hence, Unhappiness never comes in brief eruptions whereas, happiness does.
While reading this piece, I found myself lost in my imagination even though I think that the book was a tad rushed towards the end. The end could’ve been elaborated in a few more chapters. Nevertheless, not once did I fall out of the flow or felt negative about this piece. Perhaps, that’s what makes Murakami’s writing style so exceptional. Each character was so unique and beautifully written and the way each one blends into the narrative is commendable. All the characters are described and expressed meticulously, every single emotion of every character is conveyed so effortlessly, it feels as though you know the characters personally.
The characters: The story shuffles between two protagonists, Kafka and Nakata.
Kafka Tamura: The toughest 15-year-old. He elopes from home in order to get away from an ominous prophecy made by his father with the thought of living his life on his own. His character is quite intense for a 15-year-old but he has his shortcomings which are revealed as you go deeper into the book. Kafka comes across as a smart, intelligent boy who carries the grief of being abandoned by his mother at the age of 4. All his decisions reflect his unresolved issues from the past and how he is deeply affected by everything he has been through.
Mr. Nakata: The magical one. He is one of my favorite characters. He is naive and is unable to read or write. However, he is blessed with the ability to talk to cats. He thinks he is not bright but he does not let that get the better of him. Towards the end, he says, “I used to be normal, just like everybody else. But something happened and I ended up like a container with nothing inside.” This phrase made me want to hug Nakata and tell him that even though, he thinks he is not 'bright' he still has the most humane qualities. He is benevolent, well-mannered, grateful, appreciative, empathetic and, optimistic. There is so much to learn from him and the abilities he possesses are incredible and beyond belief. His conversations had me laughing wholeheartedly throughout. His character develops eventually and that is when you discover his selfless side. He’s a good-hearted old soul, the way he perceives things and his perception towards life is very simple yet so raw. Without him, this book wouldn’t be as enigmatic, and there wouldn’t be a fantasy edge to it.
Miss Saeki: The epitome of elegance. Her character associates with adjectives like calm, composed, beautiful, sweet, and, presentable. She has a mesmerizing effect on anyone who crosses paths with her but she is living in her past and has not been able to overcome a tragic incident that took place in her life when she was 20. “Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.” She is living in the memories of her past and has lost the will to live happily, she is an unhappy soul who has forgotten how to live or embrace life. Life has not been the same for her after her teenage years.
Oshima: The wise and knowledgeable one. He is philosophical, well-read, and very knowledgable. He has a logical counter-response to most questions thrown at him however the person’s expression maybe, but Oshima is always very well balanced and rational in his response. He is humble and treats everyone with the utmost respect. He connects with Kafka the minute he meets him and eventually his bond with Kafka grows very strong. He stands with Kafka like a pillar, guides him through the darkness, and teaches him plenty of life lessons.
Mr.Hoshino: A lover of Chunichi dragons cap and Aloha t-shirt. His role is of a normal person which was honestly rare to find in this book because nothing about this book is normal. Hoshino gives Nakata a ride when Nakata leaves his home in search of something and since Hoshino is a follower of his heart he starts following Mr. Nakata to explore his journey. On one of the days, Hoshino has an epiphany of becoming a better person which makes him stick with Mr. Nakata until the end and in turn, Hoshino becomes a part of the journey. The journey with Nakata helps Hoshino become a better person and gives him the magical experiences he can never forget. Mr. Hoshino feels an attachment towards Mr. Nakata since he really respected his grandfather who had passed away and his grandfather was the only one who cared for him in his whole life. He felt guilty for not being there for him. Hence, he had huge respect for Nakata and bonded with him as he would like to with his grandfather, which is why he addressed Mr. Nakata as ‘Gramps’ (brownie points to his character just for that). After having learned so much from Mr. Nakata, Hoshino makes Mr. Nakata his inspiration, “I think that whenever something happens in the future I’ll always wonder—What would Mr. Nakata say about this? What would Mr. Nakata do? I’ll always have someone I can turn to. And that’s kind of a big deal, if you think about it. It’s like part of you will always live inside me.”
Even though I somehow tried to find words to pen down my thoughts about this book and tried my luck at explaining why this book is a masterpiece, I still think that my feelings for this book are a phrase from the book itself which is, “It’s not something you can get across in words. The real response is something words can’t express”.
The end left me baffled. It was like waking up from an ambiguous dream and that is what makes it the masterpiece that it is.
