Monthly Reads: October 2013

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

Murakami did it again. I was completely captured by this novel and would sneak away at every possible moment to escape into this story. More dreamlike than Norwegian Wood, it still took me away from the very beginning. I'm starting to notice some repeating motifs and patterns in characters in Murakmi's books, which makes me feel like he's one of the first authors I feel like I'm actually getting to know in my newfound love for reading. I did come away with some questions toward the end, and I'm not sure that a lot of loose ends were tied up (or that they were intended to be). This book addresses loneliness and one's search for his identity-- and it really hit home for me. I did feel a strong resonance with Kumiko's character and it simultaneously bummed me out and scared the crap out of me. This idea of not being able to share your entire self with someone was something I could really connect with and the more her character was explored, I found myself wondering.. "Am I just a piece of fiction?"

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

When I was in college, our Wifi network name at one point was Vonnegut. I always felt kind of weird that I had never read anything by him even though our Internet was named after him and all. But no longer! This book was trippy. To me it seemed to overtly comment on the irresponsibly of using science to create harmful weapons that eventually will be the end of the world, and the absurdity of religion. The end of the world is something that is starting to come up in more and more of the books I'm reading-- I wonder if that's a coincidence.. I also kind of wonder if anyone will try boku-maru with me. 

The Griffin & Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock


A delightful story-- I devoured the entire trilogy in one sitting! I was really more taken in by the detail put into the art on all the post cards and stamps, and that the story is told through physical letters as well. As someone who writes letters often, this entranced me. I don't know what else to write about this without spoiling this, so I won't. 

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

This book felt very different from the beginning than the first two Murakami books I read. The chapters in this book alternate between two different worlds/story lines-- each occurring in the protagonist's mind. This was kind of a mind fuck, to be honest. It was curious how much the author focused on the weight of the female characters in this book-- a little jarring, for me. Still, it got better as the book progressed and I thought the ending was so sad, but beautiful. "I loved you."