Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Beautiful prose but repetitive. Would have been better if the protagonist's internal monologue was cut down a bit.

It's not for everyone, and the end made me feel like there should be another book to follow... but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Only Murakami books can ever explain in a simplistic yet masterful way... to really make you feel the character despair and loneliness... like no other books can. Only if you completely let go of this hurried world, absolutely submerge yourself in his book than you can truly appreciate it. If not, that's ok... like a lonely used book on a sidewalk sale, it'll still be there, quietly waiting for the next reader.

Murakami has a wonderful sense of the world. His characters are always dichotomous - simple yet complex. In this story Tsukuru is searching for resolution. He has been on the brink of suicide, and continues to pursue truth. He has been rejected and seeks friendship. In this story we see him struggle to put together the pieces from disparate parts of his life and find resolution. In the end my hope in humanity is restored and my desire for peace is justified.

What the what? I loved a few parts of this novel, such as the importance of these early friendships to Tsukuru. I could relate strongly to that part of the narrative. And the unexpected way in which the kids grew into adults. I also loved his use of color and music in the book. And his narratives about trains, though maybe he was piling too much on at that point.

I also hated a few parts. The characters of the young friends were not sufficiently developed. I felt like I understood the adult version of the characters a lot better but I really needed to connect with the younger versions to care about them. What's the deal with the little bag on the piano? Why is the magical realism not magical or real? I am so confused.

The entire issue of the accusation is very strange to read about in this unique cultural moment. Why does everyone just believe Tsukuru? Especially having an insight into his private thoughts, I'm not sure I believe Tsukuru. I was really anxious throughout the second half of the book.

Beautifully written, and complete with the familiar Murakami backdrops of isolation, weird dreams, classical music, self discovery and nature. As always with Murakami, the book was a quick and easy read. But ultimately a bit unsatisfying. A few loose ends that I would have rather seen tied up and not left to my imagination.