After the Quake

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
Publication date: February 2000
147 pgs. (Paperback)

"Opera lovers may be the narrowest people in the world."

This book contains six short stories centered around the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan. Each story brings a different set of characters, each with their own odd ways of seeing the world around them and different reactions to the same stimulus. One of the things I love about Murakami's work is the perspectives. Each character, no matter how small, has their own unique view of the world of the story.

In "UFO in Kushiro" Komura's wife leaves him and he is asked to deliver a mysterious package. The reward for this delivery? A glimpse at himself, as he truly is.

In "Landscape with Flatiron" Junko sits on the beach drinking whiskey with Miyake and Keisuke, discussing the bonfire they built and how to die.

In "All God's Children can Dance" Yoshiya thinks of himself as the son of God, while possibly finding his human father.

In "Thailand" Satsuki travels to Thailand for the World Thyroid Conference, a four-day event at the Bangkok Marriott, and while there fights her own spiritual illness.

In "Super-Frog saves Tokyo" Katagiri is greeted by a large frog in his apartment and goes on an epic adventure to save Tokyo from the true cause of the earthquake; a giant worm.

In "Honey Pie" Junpei and Sayoko try to help Sala with her nightmares about the Earthquake while also dealing with the breakdown of Sayoko's relationship with Takatsuki.

Main Characters: Komura, Junko, Miyake, Keisuke, Yoshiya, Satsuki, Nimit, Katagiri, Super-Frog, Junpei, Sayoko, Sala, Takatsuki.

Haruki Murakami has this dreamy style of writing that incorporates odd themes, odd characters and the most human feelings. He often incorporates supernatural events with the realistic feelings each character experiences, giving each story a surreal quality that is difficult to describe. It's like stumbling across someone's dream journal and slipping into their dreams.

A few interesting things from the book:

- Frog's inexplicable fondness for "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy

- Nimit's thought provoking question "Then what do we exist for?"

- Miyake's fear of refrigerators.

- All of the stories have a common theme: the Kobe Earthquake. Yet, none of the stories take place in Kobe. All of them share that tragedy, but none of them are set within it.

Without quoting the back cover descriptions of this book, I can tell you that I was enthralled by this book for a few reasons. Obviously, there is the fact that I am a big admirer of Murakami's work. This is the third book I've read by him and, with each book I read, I find myself more and more impressed with his style and sense of character.

Reading Murakami is difficult at times, however. He covers a lot of feelings that aren't pleasant, pulling up the proverbial rocks to reveal the worms wriggling beneath. But he also writes with such a quiet, dreamy, intensity that it's difficult not to continue reading.

The other reason I was enthralled lay in the subject matter. It's discussion of how national tragedy touches each person differently reminded me of the 9/11 attacks on the US and how, even though I didn't know anyone personally affected by the tragedy, it still affected me.

I would rate this book a 9 on my scale for being a thoroughly well written book.

This book is rated PG-13 for adult situations, some mild language and Frog themed violence.

This book is not for people who don't like odd stories that end with little explanation, people who don't like frogs, giant worms, refrigerators or people expecting a happy ending (spoiler alert, Murakami books don't usually have "happy" endings).

If you don't meet the criteria above, give it a try and let me know what you think!