I think Murakami's polarizing reputation on Reddit is pretty well-known at this point, and the issues with his works have been discussed ad nauseam. Even as someone who really enjoys his books, I don't really disagree. I discovered Murakami at a time in my life that pretty much primed me to put him as one of my favourites - as a directionless 19-year university student. Norwegian Wood pretty much blew my mind at the time and vaulted Murakami to the top of my list of favourite authors. I don't think I'd be as enamoured with him if I discovered him now, in my 30s, but I still have very fond memories of uncovering his work back in those days. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle has somehow escaped my reading list till now. I've pretty much read everything else by him, so it was time to close the gap and go through arguably his most popular book. It's actually been quite a few years since I've read any Murakami but picking up TWBC felt like hanging out with a good friend or sinking into a cozy, comfortable chair. Something about it just felt so familiar - the plain, borderline blank slate young protagonist, the mysterious and quirky women, wells, cats, cooking, alternate realities, all of it just came rushing back. Of course, someone more critical of Murakami would say - and they wouldn't be wrong - that if you've read one Murakami, you've read them all. Yes, even after all this time, it felt like I've read this story before. And TWBC probably won't really change anyone's mind about Murakami not knowing how to really write women properly. And But man, despite his flaws, Murakami, when he is on just scratches an itch pretty much no other author does, or ever really has. The atmosphere and mood that he creates, that sense of surreality like you're experiencing the story in a hazy, half-awake state and there's an abyssal depth beyond the reality you're perceiving in the story - his skill at creating that feeling is still unmatched. I haven't yet thought too much about the deeper themes and meanings of the story but it's just excellent purely from a "vibes" standpoint, which has always been Murakami's forte. I gotta say though - that scene in the WWII flashback where the Japanese soldier gets skinned alive by the Mongolians is one of the most wtf scenes I've come across in a book in a while. Now, I don't know that this book will really convert Murakami haters but I'm glad I read TWBC. It felt like coming home. submitted by /u/keepfighting90 [link] [comments]