Double cannonball, baby!
This was my first encounter with Haruki Murakami, and while I’m not 100% certain that I actually liked this weird little book, it definitely piqued my interest in the author.
“The tricky thing about mazes is that you don’t know if you’ve chosen the right path until the very end. If it turns out you were wrong, it’s usually too late to go back and start again. That’s the problem with mazes.”
A lonely boy (do we ever learn his name? I can’t recall it if we do) goes to the library to learn about the Ottoman Empire (specifically, how it collected taxes). This leads to his kidnapping, as the librarian forces him downstairs into a cell. He tells the boy to read and learn, for in a month, he will eat the boy’s brains and all the knowledge in them will make them delicious. There’s also a strange man dressed as a sheep, and an ethereal young girl, and together, they help the boy escape.
It’s a strange story, but beautifully done — bizarre illustrations compose about 50% of the (rather short) book. I’m not sure what audience it’s aimed at — it looks like a children’s book, but doesn’t read like one. I think it would be a little frightening for a young child but I think a teenager might appreciate it. I certainly came away feeling like I didn’t really understand what happened…but I want to know more nonetheless.
CANNONCANNONBALLBALL! CONGRATULATIONS!
I haven’t read him in years, but I adore Haruki Murakami and devoured everything he had written up that point when he was introduced to me by one of my ESL students.
Congrats on the double Cannonball! I honestly don’t know where you lot find the time to read that much. I’ve just filed review #22 and that’s a lot for me.
As for Murakami, I like his work but too much of a good thing, and all that… Most people think Kafka on the Shore is his best and it is indeed very good, but my personal favourite remains Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (which is also going to be the name for the restaurant I’m going to start up someday). Maybe this is because that was the first one I read, but still – strange and beguiling and wonderful. Definitely give it a go if you liked this one.!
WhaHoo! Happy Double Cannonball!
Yay! Congratulations on your Double Cannonball! Well done.
Wow! Congrats (double congrats) to you!
Happy double cannonball!
Congrats on the double cannonball. I totally feel like a slacker.
Congratulations Congratulations!
Congratulations times two!
Happy (belated) double cannonball!!
I’m also late to the party, but Happy Double Cannonball!!!