May 9, 2015

“The Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage” by Haruki Murakami – Life's Railways

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is the kind of author who, despite trying out different types of variations in his writing style, always succeeds in delivering stories that are rather surrealistic, mystical and dreamlike in their nature... as a matter of fact, some could argue that it is the staple of his style.

In The Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, Murakami's latest work of literature, the author returns to a more down-to-Earth style of writing, a prose that is somewhat poetic and philosophical in its nature.

To give a brief overview of the main story arc, it follows the titular character who is in his early thirties and, as you would believe it, somewhat colorless. Nothing really sets him apart from anyone else, other than the fact that many years ago he was part of a group of five high-school friends (five including him) and their friendship was the kind that most people encounter only once, if at all in their lifetimes.

One day though, upon returning to their hometown of Nagoya for the traditionally-planned vacations, Tsukuru finds that all four his friends have decided to sever all ties with him, abruptly and without explanation.

This event has haunted and shaped Tsukuru for the decades to come, and now more than fifteen years later, with a little push from the outside, he decides to go on a journey to meet his friends one-by-one, face to face, to try and understand what happened and why.

It is true that the author is known for sometimes delving into strange places with his plots, (as was the case with Kafka on the Shore, for example), but you'll find that this one is much more grounded in reality and heavy themes.

The language used by Murakami is extremely descriptive, using lots of metaphors, comparisons and allegories to describe not only the surrealistic world he depicts, but to also delve deep inside the minds of the characters, especially the protagonist.

This is the kind of novel where virtually every sentence carries some sort of weight or meaning, the kind where reading it a second time will surely push one towards a different experience.

As is often the case with Murakami's characters, Tsukuru is far from being a remarkable human being. As his title would imply, he is average in virtually all aspects of life, leads a very modest and quiet existence, has very few interests to speak of (possibly none save railway stations in this case), but at the same time is capable of profound thoughts and insights into human nature.

Though he is not a man of many words, his thoughts do a sensational job at helping to carry the story onwards and relate to us the chaotic torment taking place in his soul. The supporting cast of characters is no less interesting; they all seem to be unique and clearly-defined from one another, and their interactions with the main character really help to bring out their personality.

The book certainly has its fair share of comical and intriguing moments, but there is a lot more diving into heavy themes, sometimes even touching on rather dark subjects revolving around the cruelty and depravity of the human spirit. There is more food for thought here than most people will be able to digest in one or two reads; be prepared for something slower-paced that will make you think and think for hours on end.

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
All things considered, The Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is yet again a re-affirmation that Murakami rightfully deserves to be considered as one of the best writers of this day and age.

The story flows effortlessly and stimulates the reader in virtually every way imaginable, with an enthralling and mysterious plot coupled with a profound and thought-provoking philosophical outlook on the world. Definitely recommended to Murakami fans and those who enjoy these types of surrealistic and dreamlike adventures.
Favourite quote: "You can hide memories, but you can’t erase the history that produced them."

Haruki Murakami (January 12, 1949)

Haruki Murakami


Personal site

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer and author of numerous bestsellers, some of which earned him the Franz Kafka Prize, the Jerusalem Prize, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, and others. Some of his better known works include Hear the Wind Sing and Kafka on the Shore.

No comments:

Post a Comment