I was always going to enjoy
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki; I am a Murakami fan. I find his writing instantly accessible and welcoming and the prose approachable, even when dealing with complex issues. I also love his blurring of reality with the edges of science fiction to make the reader question larger philosophical and cultural issues. Let me tell you why you should enjoy it too...
The story spans Tsukuru Tazaki,s life from when he is a teenager to his late thirties and offers fragments on who he was then, who he now is and what made his life take a certain road. The central mystery that the novel focuses on is why his close group of friends as a teenager turned their backs on him without reason. Although, a perhaps mundune premise to base a story Murakami uses this background for a 298 page character study of the eponymous Tsukuru Tazaki. Long sections of the narrative focus on the details of Tsukuru;s life and ponderings. Tsukuru is an introvert and enjoys evenings by himself, despite finding his greatest peace observing busy railway stations. But it is in the deep relationships Tsukuru has with others that the book captivates and puzzles readers. Often these relationships are temporary, providing insight to Tsukuru that can only be noted in reflection- as with most relationships we have.
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki is more open and fluid than the other Murakami books I have read and I can imagine that this may be frustrating for some readers. Often fragments of stories are raised, or ideas floated which never progress or come to a conclusion. However, for me, that is the point of this novel. It offers a fragment of a mans life and how he attempts to balance the past and future while struggling through the present. This is a beautiful book that entices and allows plenty of time to ponder and reflect. I think it is effective as both a disposable, quick read; but if you are wanting more, wanting to invest and reflect on your own life, it also allows you to do that.
No comments:
Post a Comment