I'm three-quarters of the way through Murakami's After Dark. I tend to love everything Murakami writes, and After Dark is no exception. But is it just me, or are he and Don Delillo starting to fuse into one? (At the sentence level, that is--not at the plot level. At the plot level, they seem to be going in exactly opposite directions. Lately it has seemed that Delillo, whom I also love, has frustratingly little use for plot these days.)
Also, reading several Murakami novels in swift succession has allowed me to note several fixtures in his writing:
1. Cats.
2. Confused, withdrawn, bookish, slightly precocious, orphaned or functionally orphaned male protagonists, aged 15-25.
3. A handful of female friends of the main character, at least one of whom the main character has just met.
4. Simple meals.
5. People staying up extremely late.
6. Darkness.
7. Sex that is kind of surreal.
8. Records (as in, LPs), especially jazz.
If I think of others, I'll list them. I'm not the least bit tired of his writing yet. I can't believe we have to wait until Sept. 2011 before the English translation of his latest novel comes out. Man. Meanwhile, what should I read next?
Also, reading several Murakami novels in swift succession has allowed me to note several fixtures in his writing:
1. Cats.
2. Confused, withdrawn, bookish, slightly precocious, orphaned or functionally orphaned male protagonists, aged 15-25.
3. A handful of female friends of the main character, at least one of whom the main character has just met.
4. Simple meals.
5. People staying up extremely late.
6. Darkness.
7. Sex that is kind of surreal.
8. Records (as in, LPs), especially jazz.
If I think of others, I'll list them. I'm not the least bit tired of his writing yet. I can't believe we have to wait until Sept. 2011 before the English translation of his latest novel comes out. Man. Meanwhile, what should I read next?
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