Jordan
4.5 probably but I've found myself thinking about this world more often than almost any book I've read this year. (The Great Believers is #1, but that could be recency bias)
4.5 probably but I've found myself thinking about this world more often than almost any book I've read this year. (The Great Believers is #1, but that could be recency bias)
4.5 probably but I've found myself thinking about this world more often than almost any book I've read this year. (The Great Believers is #1, but that could be recency bias)
4.5 probably but I've found myself thinking about this world more often than almost any book I've read this year. (The Great Believers is #1, but that could be recency bias)
4.5 stars. A fun summer read and different enough from the movie that there is some fresh surprises.
edit to add: there are some problematic aspects to this book given its age. They weren't plentiful or egregious enough to prevent me from being able to enjoy it though. Just a heads up for the more sensitive among you.
4.5 stars. A fun summer read and different enough from the movie that there is some fresh surprises.
edit to add: there are some problematic aspects to this book given its age. They weren't plentiful or egregious enough to prevent me from being able to enjoy it though. Just a heads up for the more sensitive among you.
4.5
Look, I'm a logic guy. If you examine this book closely you're going to see a lot of issues with the “science” and there are some odd decisions that characters make that a real person wouldn't, but the themes and the method in which the themes are told are right up my alley and I had a good time. Gets surprisingly dark for a moment.
4.5
Look, I'm a logic guy. If you examine this book closely you're going to see a lot of issues with the “science” and there are some odd decisions that characters make that a real person wouldn't, but the themes and the method in which the themes are told are right up my alley and I had a good time. Gets surprisingly dark for a moment.
Don't let my 2 week reading time fool you. This is a short read. Really charming.
Don't let my 2 week reading time fool you. This is a short read. Really charming.
I gotta stew on this. I liked it, I'm just not sure how much I liked it overall. I liked the writing quite a bit. It's just...does the story work for me?
I gotta stew on this. I liked it, I'm just not sure how much I liked it overall. I liked the writing quite a bit. It's just...does the story work for me?
4.5 stars. I liked this book quite a bit more than the first. The message of both is extremely heavy handed, but it's a really great reflection of humanity. Both your own and as a whole.
There's no central conflict and no traditional arc. I found myself worrying when something would happen that would traditionally lead to something to be overcome. It was refreshing to have a drama-free story.
It was a reminder to be present. It shows how simple it is to be inclusive and conscientious and how universal some experiences are. I think the heavy handedness works in this case.
4.5 stars. I liked this book quite a bit more than the first. The message of both is extremely heavy handed, but it's a really great reflection of humanity. Both your own and as a whole.
There's no central conflict and no traditional arc. I found myself worrying when something would happen that would traditionally lead to something to be overcome. It was refreshing to have a drama-free story.
It was a reminder to be present. It shows how simple it is to be inclusive and conscientious and how universal some experiences are. I think the heavy handedness works in this case.
I'd heard Murakami didn't write women well, and perhaps I started with the wrong book of his. Among the lovely stretches of writing there were random bits that felt like incel fan fiction. And every time such a line would occur, I'd ask myself “is this because the characters are all supposed to be deeply flawed?” But I don't think that's the case.
I liked enough of the writing to try another of his books.
I'd heard Murakami didn't write women well, and perhaps I started with the wrong book of his. Among the lovely stretches of writing there were random bits that felt like incel fan fiction. And every time such a line would occur, I'd ask myself “is this because the characters are all supposed to be deeply flawed?” But I don't think that's the case.
I liked enough of the writing to try another of his books.
Loooved this. The sprawling timeline, the way the language and mood of the characters evolved to match the more modern settings and sensibilities. The narration shifted perspectives so seamlessly. I was never confused about whose perspective we were getting even amongst a scene with multiple characters. In the first couple chapters, the cast evolved so quickly that I didn't think I'd care about anyone by the end, but that is not the case. I'll think about these characters for a long time.
Loooved this. The sprawling timeline, the way the language and mood of the characters evolved to match the more modern settings and sensibilities. The narration shifted perspectives so seamlessly. I was never confused about whose perspective we were getting even amongst a scene with multiple characters. In the first couple chapters, the cast evolved so quickly that I didn't think I'd care about anyone by the end, but that is not the case. I'll think about these characters for a long time.