KILLING COMMENDATORE BY HARUKI MURAKAMI

-

BOOK NAME: KILLING COMMENDATORE 

AUTHOR NAME: HARUKI MURAKAMI

GENRE: MYSTERY/ FANTASY

PUBLISHER: VINTAGE BOOKS

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Killing-Commendatore-Haruki-Murakami/dp/1784707333


BOOK COVER IMAGE 




BOOK REVIEW

It would be fitting to say that Murakami's world is mysterious, vivid and contagious. His characters are memorable and the colours in his bookish world are transferable to your soul that they follow you even in your dreams. Reading a Murakami after so long made me realise why he is a living legend in the world of writing. There is no one like him to blend World War 2 and magical realism so effortlessly. 


The unnamed protagonist in this story is an artist whom his wife abandons for another man. Dejected, he leaves for Tomohika Amada's neglected house, never to paint again. In his new home, strange things start happening after he accidentally stumbles upon a painting in the attic titled 'Killing Commendatore,' which opens a portal to an unknown realm. One event leads to another, and eventually, the line between reality and fantasy becomes a blur. 


As always, I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the concepts behind it. I really wonder what's going on inside his brain because he weaves a story like no one else. Unlike most of his books, the language in this one was straightforward, and the beginning really kept me hooked. But as the suspense unravelled, it did not feel so much suspenseful after all.


I may be biased just because he is my favourite author. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't take note of what's wrong with his works. This book had no business being so long. It was about 680 pages, and it took me a fortnight and a skim in the middle to get through it. The repetition could have cut the book short by 100 pages easily. If I ever get the opportunity to meet Murakami, I would really want to find out who hurt him and ask him to settle his beef with women once and for all. As much as I enjoy his writing, I cannot understand the mysterious nature of the women in his stories. They are repeatedly dishonest, unfathomable and deceitful in all his books. I particularly did not enjoy how the physical attributes of two underage girls were described in detail, in addition to the over detailing of every sexual encounter. 


But to mix fantasy, history, fiction and nonfiction, there is no one like him. I might have been let down by multiple factors, but he never fails to amaze me with his creativity in terms of portraying a parallel universe between reality and imagination. It might not be my second favourite Murakami after all, but I find it better than Men Without Women and Sputnik Sweetheart. I still have the spot for second favourite Murakami open. Let's hope I will find it sooner in the future. 


MY REVIEW: 3.5/5

This book is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more