Coin Locker Babies

Such a frustrating book. Probably about 100 pages too long.

Vacillates back and forth from brilliantly profound and hilariously surreal, to flat rambly nothingness frequently. In the first half I was convinced I had accidentally been putting off what would end up being the best book I'd ever read because of the leftover taste Murakami's mediocre Miso Soup left me with. But by the end I was just dragging myself over the finish line.

Really really disappointing.

Also maaaan Murakami seems to REALLY hate women. I remember thinking it in Miso Soup and Tokyo Decadence, but it is on FULL display here. Just unnecessarily hateful, and not in an interesting/satirical/transgressive way that feels like he's got something to say. But in that weird “hey fellow men, aren't women dumb and gross? Especially when they get older (read: over 20) but want to look younger (read: under 18)?” way that just feels meanspirited and disgusting.

But still. That first half is pretty incredible. There are some passages in this that are straight up all-timers. Just wish the diamonds were hidden in piles of dirt and not piles of shit :/