Kafka on the Shore: Everything is a metaphor

'Kafka on the Shore' is my first Murakami novel. As a matter of fact, this is my first read in Japanese literature and I must say, I’m not at all disappointed! In a way this book is bizarre, eccentric and even obscure. Many of the readers might toss it away after reading the first few pages, thinking it to be making absolutely no sense. But but, trust me when I say this,

This Bizarreness is Addictive.
This Eccentricity is Hypnotic.
This Obscurity is Spellbinding.

The book has two apparently unrelated stories running parallel to each other.
One of the stories is about Kafka Tamura who aims to be the toughest 15 year old boy. He is a runaway from home and after a series of adventure, finds refuge in a private library at Takamatsu. Kafka is not only running away from his house and his father, but also from his past, where his mother and sister abandoned him when he was just four; and from his father’s prophecy, a curse which has been haunting Kafka ever since he understood it. His head is full of conflicting thoughts, several theories, unanswered questions, and blurred memories. He falls hopelessly in love with the spirit of a memory, with a hope of reliving it again and again, until forever.

The other story is about Mister Nakata, a victim to some strange unknown event which resulted in a loss of his memories and his ability to read and write. Instead he can talk to cats, all shapes and kinds! Inspite of all his disabilities, Nakata is the one chosen by fate to set few things straight. Inspite of his warm and child-like simplicity, his ability to have a comfortable conversation with cats, make fishes and leeches rain from the sky, let the path choose him rather than he choosing the path, knowledge of the secret behind the Entrance Stone, adds up and provides a subtle mystery to his character.

Even the other characters have been sketched spectacularly.
Oshima, an extremely well-read gay trapped in a woman’s body, understands Kafka’s journey and is always ready to help and guide him in every possible way. His likeability increases with each turning page.
"Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting."
"It's like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story."

Miss Saeki, the library manager, has a past which somehow intertwines with Kafka’s. She is almost dead inside and is now just waiting mechanically for things to take their course.
"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."

Hoshino, the truck-driver who helps Mister Nakata a lot through his journey, is as ignorant about Nakata’s mission as the readers. He is more like a reader representative in the story. He asks Nakata the questions that you would want to ask. He hangs by Nakata’s each and every word and never once loses his trust in the weird, old man.
"My grandpa always said asking a question is embarrassing for a moment, but not asking is embarrassing for a lifetime."

Little words of wisdom and philosophical learnings are powdered throughout the book, making it all the more delicious.

"With each new dawn it’s not the same world as the day before. And you’re not the same person you were, either."

"There are all sorts of cats – just as there’re all sorts of people."

"In dreams begin responsibility."

Kafka and Nakata have the paths of their lives converging on a metaphysical level, creating an aura of endless metaphors, kept open for all kinds of interpretations. Just as the book begins, it kisses farewell to the so-called reality; and the surrealism that then follows, makes the story as alluring as possible. Even Mister Nakata starting a casual conversation with some stray cat and talking about the local weather seems to be the most usual of all things, such is the effect of the spell.
The symbolism- sandstorms, labyrinth, cats, crow and the choice of contrast between the ‘concepts’ of the evil Johnny Walker (yes, the scotch guy) and the good Colonel Sanders (KFC!), was absolutely magical.

The book is not about giving up to your fate, but is about courage. Courage to face. Courage to cherish memories, both, wanted and unwanted. Courage to know yourself. Courage to accept yourself.
What I have understood of ‘Kafka on the Shore’, in the first read, might be just a small fraction of the treasure this book holds. The Japanese traditions mentioned, the scholars quoted, the philosophical remarks, the artists mentioned, the historical relevance, will definitely offer more once they have been well researched. The book has so many riddles to be solved, so many metaphors to be deciphered. Re-reading this book in light of research will perhaps be the only key to unearth this treasure chest completely!

Concluding it in the words of Mr. Murakami, himself -

"Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads – at least that’s where I imagine it – there’s a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you’ll live for ever in your own private library."

Shantaram - A Masterpiece

All thanks to my state of absolute joblessness, I have been reading a lot lately. No college, no exams, no labs, so it's a kind of guilt-free read. Few days back I was reminded that my blog still exists which is waiting to be updated since long. Erm...yeah, I'm way too lazy. Now the only way to keep this place rolling is to keep adding what I'm doing the most these days, that being reading. Cutting all the crap... *drumrolls* Book Review, it is! :D

Starting with one of the awesomest books I have read lately, which I have seen/heard on almost every bookshelf waiting either to be started or to be finished, blame it all on those 944 odd pages.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

Even I had started the read with great reluctance, but as I went through the first few pages of the book I knew I'm not keeping this one down, no matter what! If one is looking for some quick filmy entertainment or a couple of hours kinda loose read, Shantaram is definitely a no-no. However if one wants to experience living through a book, plunging into love, life, philosophy, reality and encounter all the endless emotions of love, hatred, respect, camaraderie, envy, right in one's face, then Shantaram is an excellent choice.

Shantaram is the story of an escaped convict who manages to flee from a high security prison in Australia and through fraud and forgery ends up in Bombay, the city he eventually falls in love with. He arrives in Bombay as Mr. Lindsay, becomes Lin for all his friends and foes, modifies to Linbaba owing to his Marathi-speaking-firangi-doctor status among the slum dwellers and transforms into Shantaram in the small Maharashtrian village where people urge him to have a name similar to theirs. Wandering in the streets of Bombay, he comes across crooks, cops, prostitutes, mafias, beggars, actors, junkies, exiles from several other countries; each encounter giving Lin something to remember, something to learn, as he moves on escaping the law and his past.

Bombay through Lin’s eyes is as beautiful as it can be. As one turns the pages, the feeling of being there in the description increases even more. Roaming around the streets of Bombay at night, having endless conversations at Leopold Café, sitting on the beach retrospecting, seeing the waves crash on the walls of Haji Ali, living in the slum with a fear of demolition and rain everyday, unfolding the links of underworld, fighting each day for your survival; and all this while discovering your soul. The effect is just mesmerizing, making the readers see Bombay from a new dimension!

Our protagonist, Lin, is no hero; he is just a normal human who is suffering from Life.
He is involved in drug peddling, passport forgery, black marketing, smuggling and several other crimes. He yearns to be loved. He succumbs to the pressures of life. He makes true friends. He makes enemies. He talks. He listens. He ponders. He battles against his own luck. He succeeds. He thinks. He falls in love. He sees deception. He faces rejection. He finds a father’s guidance and pride. He finds a mother’s unconditional love. He finds a brother ready to die for his safety. He goes for a war. He loses. He fails. He cries. He laughs. He learns. He fights. He lives.
He savors each tide of life in his own stride.

Apart from Lin, all the other characters of the book also bring forth Life, as never seen; and its trivialities, as never thought.

Karla’s observations on life and love are witty and absolutely captivating. The more you read of her, the more you crave for. Few of my favorites of Karla-isms being,

"People always hurt us with their trust. The surest way to hurt someone you like, is to put all your trust in him."

"I don’t know what frightens me more, the power that crushes us or our endless ability to endure it."

"The truth is a bully we all pretend to like."

“Luck is what happens to you when fate gets tired of waiting”

Didier’s remarks make you laugh, think, wonder or even ignore. Inspite of being in a drunk state, he proves to be a true friend and almost a philosopher.

"The worst thing about corruption as a system of governance is that it works so well."

"I think wisdom is over-rated. Wisdom is just cleverness with all the guts kicked out of it. I’d rather be clever than wise, any day."

Abdul Khader who becomes a father-like figure for Lin, his friend, guide and philosopher, known for his wisdom and courage also has some great insights to offer on the purpose of life, each of which is worth a thought,

"Every virtuous act has some dark secret in its heart and every risk that we take contains a mystery that can’t be solved."

"The sane man is simply a better liar than the insane man."

Prabaker, Lin's guide and first friend in Bombay strikes a chord with the reader almost instantly. His innocence and devotion is too beautiful to be true.
Abdullah, Nazeer, Kishan, Anand, Johnny Cigar, Qasim, Ghani, they all have so much food to offer for one's thought. Their search for love, freedom, contentment and peace, and how life unfolds, is all worth a read.

Few of my other favourites from the narration of the book :

'Sometimes the lion must roar, just to remind the horse of his fear.'

'Civilization, after all, is defined by what we forbid, more than what we permit.'

'A politician is someone who promises you a bridge, even when there’s no river.'

Okay, guess I should quit, coz I can keep adding to this list endlessly, like, really! Loved the book. Would recommend this piece of art to everyone! There is so much to imbibe.

The last 100 pages less and it might have just become the most perfect of all books for me. An absolutely gripping story, nonetheless. One might not like it in the same way as I did, for what I feel Shantaram would have different levels of effect on people with different perspectives and under different circumstances. But what I can assure you is that the book won't disappoint you, at all!