4 ms·

Thanks for the reply. I agree with your assessment but not your characterization. You seem very plot-focused. One of the things I like about Murakami's writing

Thanks for the reply. I agree with your assessment but not your characterization. You seem very plot-focused. One of the things I like about Murakami's writing is the somewhat random, unfinished quality. It's like life in that respect. The plot is generally incidental; his novels seem like they're meant to evoke an atmosphere and a feeling. In other words, we are frequently dropped into the middle of an otherwise unremarkable character's life where they experience a turning point in their view of the world and (in many cases) reality. And then life goes on. In other words, the plot is only there to support the character's internal journey.

atombender 8y ago
It's not that I'm plot-focused — some of my favourite novels don't have much of a plot at all — but I expect a novel to provide a certain structure that has a point to it. To me, Dance comes across as an immature sketch, an example where Murakami had lots of things he wanted to include, but he didn't know to create the architecture around which themes could come together. Some of the plot points seem like Murakami wanting to burrow into a kind of Lynchian Hollywood reality, with serial killers and weird hotels. I didn't find those as being interesting ways to explore the character's "internal journey". Dance doesn't "click", whereas the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is extremely satisfying in the way it does.