Dance, Dance, Dance - Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami's "Dance Dance Dance" (my very first Murakami book, per recommendation by my officemate Fae ). Follows the story of a 34 year old unnamed narrator, who spends his time working as a freelance writer, abandoned by his wife who runs off with his friend (ouch that fucking hurts), after battling depression in the past, but by now able to function normally in society in his own words by "shoveling snow" (a term that he describes those who goes on with their own roles in society).
Until a recurring dream compelled him to return to Dolphin Hotel, a seedy and strange establishment in a city called Sapporo. The very same place he shared with a woman named "Kiki" who mysteriously disappeared without a trace 4 years ago.
Upon arriving in Sapporo, the narrator finds out that The Dolphin Hotel has been transformed into a modern and five star hotel, gone are the old seedy image of the said hotel.
He learns that it has been has been purchased by a large corporation and converted into a hip, trendy and a style that resembles the great hotels of the west.
But still no answer to the whereabouts of Kiki.
Here our narrator or protagonists meets a wide array of interesting characters, from the serious, uptight female hotel receptionist who shares a mysterious experience with him, an eccentric famous photographer and her 13 year old daughter with psychic abilities who spends her time listening to 80's era bands like the Talking Heads, a one armed poet, a former classmate now an actor typecast as teacher and dentist in the movies.
And then the strange metaphysical experiences starts to unravel as the narrator finds himself in dark corridors, talking to a man called as the "sheep man", and as people he got in contact with either gets murdered or met an accident, he tries hard to come in terms with the mystery of the sheep man and his dreams and what message Kiki is trying to tell him.
In the process Murakami tells a story of a bond forming with a narrator busy with studying the complexities around him and a seemingly uninterested and aloof but smart 13 year old girl, put in a friendship with the former classmate turned matinee idol, and a budding romantic relationship with the sympathetic hotel receptionist.
Whether he finds what he's looking for, in the person of KiKi or some other life realizations, like whether all of them are connected in one way or the other, this book will keep readers interested to the very end.
*****
One will not find it hard to relate to the narrator, i know i did. Because here, the narrator deals with past alienation, his role in society ( whenever he was ask about his profession he always adds the term "shoveling snow" ) doing your own role without abandonment and also a serious tone to it, there were descriptions of what capitalism can do to a country, the effect of having a Masseratti instead of a simple Subaru in telling a person's level of success to society as a whole.
The absurdity that somehow frolics around human relationship with each other, what do we really need in life? a topic that usually comes up with his conversations with his actor friend. The importance of family as he sees the 13 year old girl Yuki's predicament.
All in all this novel is part murder mystery, "metaphysical" tale ( reminds me of Martin Amis' "Other People" ) and throw in a sci-fi edge courtesy of the sheep man.
Wow is all i can say, Haruki Murami, i bet i will be buying more of your books soon.
Until a recurring dream compelled him to return to Dolphin Hotel, a seedy and strange establishment in a city called Sapporo. The very same place he shared with a woman named "Kiki" who mysteriously disappeared without a trace 4 years ago.
Upon arriving in Sapporo, the narrator finds out that The Dolphin Hotel has been transformed into a modern and five star hotel, gone are the old seedy image of the said hotel.
He learns that it has been has been purchased by a large corporation and converted into a hip, trendy and a style that resembles the great hotels of the west.
But still no answer to the whereabouts of Kiki.
Here our narrator or protagonists meets a wide array of interesting characters, from the serious, uptight female hotel receptionist who shares a mysterious experience with him, an eccentric famous photographer and her 13 year old daughter with psychic abilities who spends her time listening to 80's era bands like the Talking Heads, a one armed poet, a former classmate now an actor typecast as teacher and dentist in the movies.
And then the strange metaphysical experiences starts to unravel as the narrator finds himself in dark corridors, talking to a man called as the "sheep man", and as people he got in contact with either gets murdered or met an accident, he tries hard to come in terms with the mystery of the sheep man and his dreams and what message Kiki is trying to tell him.
In the process Murakami tells a story of a bond forming with a narrator busy with studying the complexities around him and a seemingly uninterested and aloof but smart 13 year old girl, put in a friendship with the former classmate turned matinee idol, and a budding romantic relationship with the sympathetic hotel receptionist.
Whether he finds what he's looking for, in the person of KiKi or some other life realizations, like whether all of them are connected in one way or the other, this book will keep readers interested to the very end.
*****
One will not find it hard to relate to the narrator, i know i did. Because here, the narrator deals with past alienation, his role in society ( whenever he was ask about his profession he always adds the term "shoveling snow" ) doing your own role without abandonment and also a serious tone to it, there were descriptions of what capitalism can do to a country, the effect of having a Masseratti instead of a simple Subaru in telling a person's level of success to society as a whole.
The absurdity that somehow frolics around human relationship with each other, what do we really need in life? a topic that usually comes up with his conversations with his actor friend. The importance of family as he sees the 13 year old girl Yuki's predicament.
All in all this novel is part murder mystery, "metaphysical" tale ( reminds me of Martin Amis' "Other People" ) and throw in a sci-fi edge courtesy of the sheep man.
Wow is all i can say, Haruki Murami, i bet i will be buying more of your books soon.
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