I just finished reading Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami. I had written him off after finishing 1Q84, but when visions of that novel continued to surface I figured I’d see what more Murakami had to offer. I chose this book because there was a cat on the cover.

Little did I know this book would share the same core as 1Q84, which I describe as “magical incest.” The entire novel was essentially a rendition of the story of Oedipus. Weird, the cover art didn’t reveal that detail!

While I truly wish Murakami was not a sexual deviant, it does seem to be the case that twisted minds produce good art – and I did feel like this novel was a work of art. I read a couple of reviews of the book that commented on the complexity of the metaphors and how difficult it was to follow and process the story. I couldn’t figure out which part someone might find confusing – Murakami painted a clear picture, simulating for the reader the struggles of coming of age, finding your path, grief, and aging. Murakami meticulously depicts the thoughts and feelings of each character and creates surreal magical incidents to illustrate their various struggles. Ultimately it felt very accessible, giving any reader the opportunity to spend some time considering the human condition. Perhaps the reviewers who felt like they were missing it thought there was a grand conclusion and they missed it – but life has no such frivolities and neither does this story.