After Dark

I like this mostly because it's set in Tokyo, and I guess some props to Murakami for the way it gets under your skin. But the ending got to me again. I can't believe I let him do this to me again. I'll keep figuring out how to like him, book by book, but I know enough now to detach myself from any character in his books.

I believe this is my sixth Murakami novel. He’s easily one of my most read authors despite the fact that I think he has some fairly notable issues that pop up in almost all of his books. Notably I think he is fairly incapable of writing women characters, his sex scenes are always disturbing and he will linger on certain details for far too long. Sometimes I wonder why I read him. And then he’ll conjure up a beautiful turn of phrase or have a really interesting line of dialogue or make a really astute observation and I remember why. For me he is very much an author where you have to accept his flaws in order to truly enjoy his writing. Sometimes the flaws outweigh the strong points and then there are times like After Dark where he keeps his worst instincts restrained and lets you enjoy the beauty of his craft.

Of all of the books I’ve read by him I think After Dark is his least-flawed. His women here actually feel real and not like a different species. There are no explicit sex scenes (although there is one description of a woman’s naked body that feels quite pointless and I feel most authors would not include it). The book is short enough that there aren’t a ton of things that he overly focuses on. Fixing these flaws allows me to appreciate the strong parts of his writing more and they are present here, although not in as high of doses as I’d enjoy. Certain phrases are indeed really pretty, the dialogue is really nice and the narration is quite interesting, but none of these things really blew me away the way they did in other Murakami novels. All-in-all this is Murakami at a very high level and I do think this is a great introduction to him.

A very well-written story about nighttime in Tokyo and how it's completely different, full of violence and intersecting life paths. People change once the light comes out as if a new page in a book has been turned over. I love it.

Fascinating read detailing a variety of encounters and situations occurring deep into the night of Tokyo, Japan. Rich emphasis towards long, drawn-out and worthwhile conversations with strangers, while still being sprinkled with surrealist ideas courtesy of Murakami’s signature style, this was pretty decent overall.

The best part of this book is easily the dialogue between its cast, and how you get to know more about them through these interactions that are very long yet flow pretty smoothly. Absolutely adored every second of Mari and Takahashi just talking about their experiences in life and I could read through their conversations all day.

It wouldn’t be Murakami without magical realism and surrealist ideas thrown into the mix, and the part where the point of view switches to an omniscient narrator was a bit of a mixed bag. Murakami’s prose and imagery shines through this section but it took a while for me to click what most of it meant and its purpose in shaping the story.

Maybe I’ll revisit this one some other time but for now this remains the weakest (still good!) novel I’ve read from him.

Primera vez que leo a Murakami y debo decir que me he sentido muy cómodo leyéndolo.

Es una historia cortita y dinámica que transcurre en una sola noche. En ella conocemos a la protagonista que no puede dormir y se queda leyendo un libro en un restaurante, ahí conoce a un chico y a partir de ese momento empieza a conocer e interactuar con otra gente de la noche.

Murakami juega mucho con la dualidad de la sociedad y de las cosas, esto lo podemos ver reflejado en los personajes que por la noche son personas diferentes a como son por el día o en como muestran ser de una determinada forma pero en el interior son de otra y en la propia ciudad, donde cuando cae la noche empiezan a surgir los grupos y personas de la otra cara de la sociedad. También lo podemos ver en las expectativas que tienen los demás en los personajes y lo que ellos mismos quieren hacer con sus vidas.

Las conversaciones entre los personajes son profundas e interesantes y hacen que quieras que hablen más.

Nuestra vida no se divide entre la luz y la oscuridad. No es tan simple. En medio hay una franja de sombras. Distinguir y comprender esos matices es signo de una inteligencia sana. Y conseguir una inteligencia sana requiere, a su modo, tiempo y esfuerzo.

This book cured my depressive episode lol

4.5 ⭐️
(will review later)

What a whirlwind of emotions. Anxiety, terror, comfort, and compassion. So many themes explored: how we can never really truly understand anyone, even though it's perhaps the greatest desire of any human; how memories are so cherished yet so frightening; how there's so much danger hiding in the darkness. I enjoyed reading this book so much, but God did it mess with my emotions. That's just what any good work of art does though, isn't it?

mild spoiler Many people complain about a lack of an ending. In my opinion, that's Murakami saying “the ending of the story doesn't matter. Consider what has happened and reflect.” Journey before destination!

Reminds me of an essay I wrote about being at a diner overnight. Loved the way the narrator covered visual aspects cinematically. Characters felt realistic and relatable.

If you're looking for the usual Murakami experience, this is perhaps not what you should be looking for.

It's much smaller in scope, although the execution remains immaculate. There are excursions into different points of view, with most of the book taking place with Mari and the small cast being in third person, but occasional glimpses into Eri, Mari's sister, and her long slumber from a first person (we) perspective through a television screen. These passages involve a faceless man and an ominous sense of dread that leaves you with questions at the end of the book.

For a small book, there's a lot to unpack, such as the relationship between Mari and Eri, two sisters who went through a few traumatic experiences together, culminating in being stuck in an elevator together, before they drifted apart into different lives. Eri is a sleeper, always asleep, never awake, while Mari has a difficult time sleeping and finds herself out and about.

An encounter with one of Eri's classmates leading to needing to swoop into help a Chinese girl at a love hotel adds texture.

There's clearly an interplay between the girls going on here, where they're two parts of a whole, a yin and a yang. All while the male characters prove to leave both Mari and the reader feeling uneasy or downright disgusted with them.

It's very clear to see this is a short book about trauma, the people who inflict it, and what it does to the victims. You have to go digging for answers, which won't bode well for some readers. If you're willing to put in the work, though, it's an interesting read.

Another beautifully written book by Haruki Murakami.

blurring the line between “thought-provoking” and “confusing and convoluted”. would've hated the aimlessness of it all if it wasn't so interesting in spite of itself.

There's something about the atmosphere and the mood in this book that is so unique – it's set in Tokyo after dark, when most people would be asleep and at home, but the few that are still up experience the city differently than they would during the day. This book captures that feeling in a way that is so special, as it explores the things that happen at night that we wouldn't and ever will know more about.

This book is really interesting to read and it touches on some elements we are introduced to, but it doesn't really explore them as deeply as I would have liked. Despite this, I still enjoyed the book and found it captivating, even though I didn't really understand everything that was going on and disliked some of the characters and the things they've said. The ending was far from satisfactory and unexpected, but despite this, I still enjoyed the book and the atmosphere it created.

“Wherever the intention of each might lie, we are together being carried along at the same speed down the same river of time.”

I thought this was a good, tight representation of what Murakami is. Mari, sitting alone late at night reading at a family restaurant, is interrupted by someone sitting down with her to talk. Over the course of the night we get to know Mari a little bit, visit her sister Eri, and experience a bit of a surreal look into these two sisters' lives. The sun rises, and the story ends.

I loved the late night aesthetic, and think Murakami really nailed it setting-wise. I also really liked the incorporation of timestamps, essentially, for each chapter. It really made everything feel more real and alive, in a weird way.

I had lots of questions when I finished the book, but that's par for the course with Murakami stories. Lots of references go over my head, but I love the scenes he paints too much to be bothered by that.

After Dark is deeply translucent, and rich. Felt like a novel in its own protective bubble with me hovering on the outside staring in and admiring all the small details. This was my first Murakami and I was in awe.

A pensive, introspective read that left me wanting more. I wouldn't mind if an entire novel was written about this, instead of a shorter novella. The series of things that happen after dark, delving more into the lives and connections of the characters. All of the characters, complex and intimate, and connected in strange ways. Enough description, poignant and pointed dialogue. Left no questions that felt unanswered. I would read it again, but also it's one of those that I want to remain preserved in its first-reading shell. Magical nonsense and real, true to life.

I lost my love for reading years ago, and I think this book just bring it back to life. It was really beautifully written and easy to read.

Felt like I was enveloped in an eerie atmosphere when reading it and it was definitely an amazing experience.

I definitely recommend it to people like me, who are seeking to get back in touch with reading.

I lost my love for reading years ago, and I think this book just bring it back to life. It was really beautifully written and easy to read.

Felt like I was enveloped in an eerie atmosphere when reading it and it was definitely an amazing experience.

I definitely recommend it to people like me, who are seeking to get back in touch with reading.

Murakami va a mi lista de autores que son difíciles de calificar. Es el primer libro que leo de este autor, y aunque me gustó, me dejó la sensación de que está incompleto. La historia es extraña, y tengo la impresión que hace falta una aclaración. De todas formas me causó intriga por los demás libros de Murakami.

interesting enough, maybe better as a re-read.

Not the best of Murakami, but just as dreamy.
An ending which reminds me the movie Frozen's plot.
Would have liked to see how the story progresses further, but as with every Murakami Novel, he lets the story hang in the middle, without any definitive conclusion.

Something about it makes you very conscious of yourself and surroundings as you read it. Sometimes your hair stand on end. You could say it's the kind of mindfuck you gift yourself, happily.

Onestamente il finale m'ha lasciata perplessa. Quando ho finito di leggerlo mi sono chiesta: «Non hanno inserito le ultime pagine, mi sono persa qualcosa oppure non ho proprio capito niente?!». Ancora adesso non so la risposta, ma mi dispiace che il libro sia finito in quel modo.. In un certo senso m'aspettavo tanto altro, che la storia continuasse perché mi ha lasciato un piccolo vuoto dentro... Come del resto mi è successo anche con il primo libro di Murakami che ho letto tempo fa (Sotto il Segno della Pecora). Trovo che il bello delle opere di questo autore sia proprio il senso di riuscire a capire tutto e niente di ciò che racconta... E come questa cosa mi affascina, allo stesso tempo mi fa rosicare veramente tanto! :

A short one - I read it in one sitting. Dark and strange and I am not sure I totally understand it. I was going to say it's strange, even for Murakami, but it might just be differently strange. I think I liked it, but I also think I need to read it again to be sure.

This is my first Haruki Murakami book! Beautifully written, but not just my cup of tea.