There are so many things that come to my mind while and after reading a book by Haruki Murakami that I never know how to start a review. This book managed to describe perfectly how I feel about the nighttime, these dark, magical hours between sunset and sunrise, during which half the world is asleep but the rest is awake, wandering the streets, working, loving, or just being, waiting patiently for time to pass by. No need to say that I devoured this book; there's a lot of dialog and it's easy to read and understand. There's this surreal atmosphere throughout the book, calm and dreamlike, and it kind of scared me at times - I was waiting for something creepy to happen, I kept getting bad vibes somehow - and I found the part in which Mari's sister cannot go out of the big, empty room very suffocating.All in all, it still seems to me like an unfinished novel, like there was more to the story but Murakami just gave it a rushed ending. I would have liked to know more about the characters and their stories; he always manages to create interesting characters, people I'd like to know in real life and whose personal experiences I'd like to learn about. And I'd say sometimes he goes too far with the surreality of the scenes, which frustrates me when I can't quite figure out the meaning. But the prettiness in the words managed to captivate me once again. Not recommended as the first Murakami book you should read, though; I don't think it's one of his best novels. ( )

this book felt like a really well-developed version of his earlier novels - not by content, just by mood. i enjoyed it, though not as much as sputnik sweetheart or kafka on the shore. looking forward to 1Q84! ( )

The book sleeve says this is Murakami in a concentrated form. It might be. A tale of one nights incidents in Tokyo, centering around the two sisters Eri and Mari, the book contains all the central Murakami features; strange and eloquent protagonists, jazz, fantastical elements, mystery and parallell universes.

Allthough the book is – of course, considering the author – very well written and beautiful handicraft, it will not be my personal favourite of Murakamis. I was left with a wish to connect a bit more to the caracters instead of – as I thought I did reading this – watching them in a lovely and accurate exposition of art photography. ( )

Interesting. I don't think I truly took time to think about what all the 'weird' things are about (like why Eri's asleep). This book still has that Japanese feel, I felt like I was walking the streets of Tokyo as well as Mari. I would have liked the 'meaning' a bit more fleshed out- I was left with a lot of questions. Beautifully written and translated though. ( )

Alternating stories of Mari who spends the night at a Denny's and a love hotel where she meets several people, and her sister Eri who has been asleep for two months.
A slow, weird, supernatural and beautiful book.
Nothing much happens throughout the book and not a lot is resolved in the end. But it is a sweet, short story that takes place during a single night. ( )