This blog seems to be a running update on what I have been reading of late. Nevermind, I like to read and really these posts are for my own amusement as much as anything else. And as I have a terrible memory it can serve as a reminder to me in my enfeebled years as to what I got up to in this period of my life.
So after reading the autobiography of Miles Davis and all that raw reality, I felt like I needed to read some fiction to restore my sanity a little. The Miles book was gripping, but also exhausting as the reader delves into the terribleness of his nature. As I may have said previously, as a jazz musician he made a terrible human being.
So with the need for a psychic reset and without much thought I grabbed the latest Murakami epic (704 pages). I've read a few of his books, but I wouldn't call myself a fan necessarily; however, he writes in a particular style which I enjoy and makes for a quick read. So even though this novel was on the hefty side I whipped through it very quickly.
It's an entertaining read for sure, but I'm not sure if it's totally successful. I'm no literary critic, I failed English lit at school (along with everything else) so it's on the record that my opinion is not to be trusted in these matters. I had a quick look at the review quotes on his website and all the usual superlatives were there from the newspapers (the Houston Chronicle anyone!?) so maybe it's a good novel. I shouldn't be too negative as I did actually enjoy the book and it provided the soothing remedy I was looking for following the raw journey through the soul of Miles Davis.
A quick synopsis: a portrait painter moves to a remote mountainous house of a now ailing Japanese master artist to recover from his marriage breakdown. The master is now ensconced in a care facility to see out his final days. Our protagonist teaches a little art to adults and children at a local school, has a couple of girlfriends who drop by, but otherwise keeps to himself. He has given up portrait painting and intends to focus on painting in his preferred style; however, his agent contacts him one day about a proposed commission at a price way above his usual rate. Short of money he accepts the commission and a strange and wealthy man who happens to live across the valley enters the story, as does a mysterious 13 year old girl.
If you've read Murakami before you won't be surprised the novel enters the supernatural regularly. Characters from a painting materialise and speak to our artist and there is a journey into the underworld, which if I am to be honest I don't fully understand the point of. It does correlate with some events in the material world, but I found this section a little weak.
Would I recommend this book? Well yes, if you are familiar with Murakami and his tales I think you will enjoy this book. I like him as we don't often hear Japanese voices in English language novels and having visited Japan a couple of times, it's a place I find very interesting and attractive.
My new book is one I have had set aside for a couple of years waiting for the right moment. That moment has arrived and as of today I am 500 pages into this 1100 page tome. What can it be you ask?
Until next time, peace and love.
