Quote of the Day

There's only one kind of happiness, but misfortune comes in all shapes and sizes. It's like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.

- HARUKI MURAKAMI, in Kafka on the Shore (Canada, USA, Europe)

I'm almost done with this novel, and it's going to be quite difficult to review. At times, it's absolutely brilliant. And yet, sometimes the plot wanders aimlessly and I just want to open my veins out of boredom.

4 commentaires:

Luke said...

Kind of pointless to review, because EVERYBODY knows about Murakami (i.e., you're not alerting anybody to his existence) and this book has been out for YEARS.

Maybe shoulda waited for 1Q84. But then as a non longterm Murakami reader, maybe you wouldn't have particularly compelling insights

Anonymous said...

"I'm almost done with this nove, and it's going to be quite difficult to review. At times, it's absolutely brilliant. And yet, sometimes the plot wanders aimlessly and I just want to open my veins out of boredom."

There, epic fantasy.

John Warren said...

@Luke--I know nothing at all about Murakami. Never heard of this book before, and I read about 35 books a year.

Maurice said...

I don't think that a book review's only purpose is to bring an unknown author to light, and even the most widely read person will still have literature from different cultures that are out of their reach or knowledge.

Do readers just starting with Erikson or Martin necessarily know of Fritz Leiber or Robert E. Howard?

Review blogs also serve to provide different insights and sometimes a forum for discussion.