last night i was back in my favorite place; murakami’s world. i finished reading after dark. i believe that for previous non-murakami readers, liking after dark will depend on how many of his books you have read before. if after dark is your first, you will probably think nothing happens in it, it ends abruptly and leaves so many unanswered questions. but for me, it was a refreshing feeling from beginning to end. murakami’s stories often feel like meditation on loneliness. it’s the characters, the language, the atmosphere. there isn’t another world i want to be in than this, it gives a feeling of belongness to me like nothing else does. if somebody asked me what kind of writing i enjoy the most, my answer would most definitely be murakami style of writing. he always wants to make it certain that you understand the fact that he is no different than us, he too is searching for answers in order to find meaning and understanding in life. therefore, i believe that his writing gives us a mirrored view of ourselves. the world he creates is always bizarre and (oddly) believable at the same time. i want to spend all my day sitting on my couch, wrapped in a blanket, not being disturbed by anyone so i can keep losing myself in his world. after dark, too, is not exactly straightforward. there are certain elements that you want answers from though they won’t be resolved. he will draw you into the story and want you to guess what's going on. i have the feeling that he is similar to david lynch in that sense. you will want to spend the night in their company and you will be looking at different states of consciousness. PS: one day he will win that nobel prize. i speak that into existence, i have planted that seed and i will see the harvest!
