Eyes of The Emperor/Norwegian Wood Book Review

I finished two books this past week. My apologies for not even writing about them but I've been pretty lazy to even go online. I'm sure you don't mind.

Eyes of The Emperor is another loot from the Book Sale. I got it for PHP 70.00. It tells the story of an american soldier who has Japanese lineage during World War II. 

The conflict of the story is pretty interesting. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, most Japanese in the US experienced discrimination. And being Japanese who wants to serve the American army during that time can really get frustrating. Because of their ancestries, the Japanese soldiers were placed at the bottom of the army hierarchy (if there is such thing, im sorry) -- they were guarded, they were given the nastiest of jobs and they were placed in a mission that is really nothing but irrational. They were tasked to be targets for K-9 (dogs) units because someone was smart enough to propose that all Japanese individuals smells the same.

It is a good book. I guess because it has a theme that I haven't heard of, and it will teach you never to judge someone with the way they smell. 

-------------------

Norwegian Wood on the other hand is another Haruki Murakami classic. And right now, it is tied with The Book Thief as the favorite book for 2012. Haha.

It still has the same Murakami magic where he will blow your mind away with his words. He will make you think about the conflict in each's characters. And everything seems so fluid and so artistic it feels like you are reading a poem. Norwegian Wood is epic.

Now that I am writing this, I figured that it is sort of like the same with Veronika Decides to Die. But I love this book more. Because it has a positive feel at the ending where the book will teach you to be strong in spite of all the struggles you face -- especially losing someone you love. 

Murakami is really good, but you have to make sure that you don't read his books consecutively. :)

---------

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everybody!

And yes, please see My Universe!

My Murakami Experience

A Review on Kafka on the Shore
 
Thanks to Nyl for sending me his PDF files, and to PM for suggesting what book we should start with, I finished my first Haruki Murakami book.

Reading a lot of reviews about Murakami and his works, definitely, my expectations for the author reaches the sky. Seeing Sir Mots photo below, I know that the book will not be an easy read. 


Well, Murakami is challenging. It really is. I finished Kafka on the Shore in a week. Aside from reading the book in The Company, I know that if I quicken my pace, I will never understand it. LOL. Seriously, in order for you to appreciate Kafka on the Shore, you must really take your time.

I love Kafka on the Shore. I admire everything about it. Murakami’s writing style is outstanding. His keenness to details and how he uses his words makes imagining things easier. Even though the book is not an easy read, the way it was written makes things easier. That is if you are the imaginative type. :D



Kafka and Nakata’s story fascinates me. I remember posting something on FB that I was down on my last forty pages and I still don’t have any clue how the story will go. I was on the last three chapters and that was still my waterloo. Since this is the first Murakami book that I’ve read, I guess having a lot of cliff hangers was Murakami’s thing. I ended the book with a lot of questions about the book but I think Murakami ended it that way to make Kafka and Nakata’s story more magical. The readers decide what will happen next.

The characters were all interesting. However, Kafka and Hoshino were my favorites. Definitely, Kafka is someone that you will admire. His diligence and determination is really above par. He makes me tell my fifteen year old self how boring he was because while he was busy with school, Kafka is already running away from home, having sex with older woman and trying his best to be the stronger fifteen year old kid there is. Hoshino is so cool. Reading his part really makes me laugh. One of his highlights was his apartment conversation with the KFC guy. It was hilarious.



Haruki Murakami really exceeded my expectations. He is definitely good just like Kafka on the Shore.

Now, any suggestions what Murakami book I should read next?