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/lit/ - Literature

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5283181 No.5283181[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

Reasons why Murakami sucks as a writer.

>> No.5283247

he doesnt cater to shitlords like OP

>> No.5283258

he relies on obscure mysticism instead of coherent plot devices

>> No.5283264

japanese(no soul)

>> No.5283275

it's the hip edgy opinion these days to hate him

>> No.5283291

He's a gook.

>> No.5283294

>>5283275
what if I actually dislike him, regardless of public opinion?

>> No.5283295

A lot of his surrealism serves no purpose (maybe lost in translation?)
Can't write women.
Stumbles over his own literary tricks and has no regard for enthymeme where his "magical realm" is concerned.

OP's pic very related. I love Murakami but 1Q84 consists of nothing but blunders.

>> No.5283305

Being overhyped and seen as anything over than chart fiction.

Forcing his fixations on food and music down the reader's throat.

His inability to write competently more than one type of melancholy-30-something-still-a-hit-with-the-ladies protagonist.

>> No.5283313

Does /lit/ believe his "origin story"?

>Murakami began writing fiction when he was 29.[18] "Before that", he said, "I didn't write anything. I was just one of those ordinary people. I was running a jazz club, and I didn't create anything at all."[19] He was inspired to write his first novel, Hear the Wind Sing (1979), while watching a baseball game.[20] In 1978, Murakami was in Jingu Stadium watching a game between the Yakult Swallows and the Hiroshima Carp when Dave Hilton, an American, came to bat. According to an oft-repeated story, in the instant that Hilton hit a double, Murakami suddenly realized that he could write a novel.[21] He went home and began writing that night. Murakami worked on Hear the Wind Sing for several months in very brief stretches after working days at the bar. He completed the novel and sent it to the only literary contest that would accept a work of that length, winning first prize.

>> No.5283320

>>5283247
>he doesnt cater to shitlords like OP

No, he caters to other shitlords.

>> No.5283323

>>5283313
I wish I could do this

>> No.5283325

>>5283313
yes

>> No.5283331

>>5283181
Bland prose.

>> No.5283395

Wow, I didn't think there were so many people on /lit/ who had actually read Murakami (in the original Japanese of course, as anyone who says they've read an author when they've only read a translation is of course a gigantic plebiathan)!

>> No.5283507

>>5283395
Well this is a japanese cartoon website

>> No.5283544

>>5283313
Doesn't make a jot of sense. Not a fucking jot.

>> No.5283734

>>5283395
I learned enough Japanese from watching a lot of anime to comprehend his books.

>> No.5283787

>>5283395
I learned enough Japanese from fapping to a lot of Hentai to comprehend his books.

>> No.5283806

>>5283313
Oh wow that actually seems like something straight out of one of his books.

>> No.5283861

Really dull prose filled with platitudes, characters lacking depth, believably and development (especially women), feels rambly and boring to me

i've only read it in translation though, i don't know if that is why i don't get the appeal

>> No.5283870

>>5283294
Then fuck yourseld.

>> No.5284106
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5284106

But he doesn't suck, you are just butthurt because you don't comprenhend his books.

>> No.5284138

I've never read anything by murakami

why is he bad and where do I start

>> No.5284183

The only book of his I've read was Kafka on the Shore and it was just plain ordinary, old-fashioned, straightforward shit, that's all.

>> No.5284189

>>5283294
Then you have to justify it.

>> No.5284391

>>5284138 (admittedly paraphrased)

>why is it bad and where do I start?

Haha, I think that's 4chan's motto.

Anywho, I started with the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and that's where I really fell in love with his style. Looking forward to reading more by him.

Also, on the note of translations. Why can't anyone else seem to appreciate a translation as a collaborate child betwixt the author and the translator. Viewed like this I find reading translations to be much more rewarding.

For instance, I've greatly enjoyed reading Calvino through William Weaver in particular and also having the ability to compare the stylistic differences with Archibald Colquhoun's work with him.

>> No.5284398

>>5283313
>an American beating nips at baseball

Whats not to believe?

>> No.5284411

yeah 1984 was bad. shit, why write it so long? 200 pages would be enough. and nobody cares about fuka-eri seduction, just fuck her brains out allready

>> No.5284428

Most people who hate Murakami don't have problems with his style or the thematic content of his books -- most get really ground up in the details.

I will, however, agree that Murakami doesn't write women well.

>> No.5284429

>>5283305
>>5283295
Yeah pretty much.
Some of his stuff is not that bad, but he uses the same formula a lot, young lonely person, sophisticated friend (uses him to impress readers with his opinions on art and literature), talking animal - a guide of the more irational feels world, one obnoxious sexually hungry girl, one asexual but spiritual girl, motive of a suicide.
I mean come on, this guy is even considered as a nobel prize writer?

>> No.5284430

>>5283181
Are you going to give us the reasons? Seems like you forgot.

>> No.5284556

>>5284429
I agree that he uses a lot of the same elements, character types, and tends to ramble about the same topics (Jazz, Classical Music, Literature, Cooking). The differences define his novels though: the relationships he dissects in each of his works explore a different type of emotional distance.

I think his better works (I have Kafka on the Shore and After Dark in mind) are the ones that stray away from romantic subtexts -- I think works that are typically derided on /lit/ (1Q84, Colorless) tend to focus more on romance. That's to his detriment: I think some of his weaker works (Sputnik Sweetheart -- although I need to reread this one) approach familiar feelings of estrangement in a hackneyed, insipid way.

>> No.5284628

Im going to read his books because of how much he is talked about here just to see what the deal is. Even if you are saying he sucks you are still promoting his works.

>> No.5284684
File: 136 KB, 936x614, mishima10.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
5284684

Funfact: I think Mishima > Murakami but I still love Murakami. Am I Schizophrenic ?

>> No.5284719

>>5284684
>Schizophrenic ?
Weeaboo ;D

>> No.5285368

one trick pony, but unlike ayn rand. I consider it a decent gimmick

>> No.5285404

>>5283395

I learn Japanese firstly to impress my waifu. It worked and eventually we got marry. I read Murakami book (海辺のカフカ) on my honeymoon in Antigua.

>> No.5285640

Murakami can create surreal atmospheres that I find pleasing to read, like Crow's stay at the cabin in Kafka on the Shore. - Mainly bullshit ramblings on the nature of reality, yes, but a pretty scene nonetheless

>> No.5285686

What does the title mean? Does the main person have an IQ of 184?

>> No.5285765

>>5283275
There's nothing more important in life than being hip and edgy.

>> No.5285777

>>5285640
For me, I see Murakami's "ramblings" to be kind of similar to how Camus approaches Absurdism. Neither really attempts to explain why we are forever surrounded by absurdity, but both instead try to describe how we should live our lives in this situation. Murakami doesn't ever bother to explain why he feels the nature of reality is represented in his surrealism/magic realism, but he acknowledges that there's a link there which resonates with people and he can use his stories to communicate a message about this reality.

I'm over-tired and rambling myself, but that's how his novels always struck me.

>> No.5285794

>>5284684
No you dont have schizophrenia

>> No.5285819

>>5283181
Is the ebook for colorless tsukuru tazaki and his years of pilgrimage out there yet?

>> No.5286035

His more recent stuff isn't my bag (Kafka was alright, though). Got Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki in the mail today; about to read it tomorrow.

For me it seems that he employs surrealism just because. Sometimes it has a point while others, just esoterics. 1Q84's not my bag at all.

OP, you should give his early works a try.

>> No.5286073

>>5284183
same i do not get the hype, what did i miss?

>> No.5286097
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5286097

>>5286035
>For me it seems that he employs surrealism just because.

Really? Because, for me, it seems that he employs surrealism because he doesn't know how to write and uses surrealism to mask that fact.

Gone are the days when surrealists had obvious talent. Now, it's a bunch of frauds using the stuff to mask the eyesores.

>> No.5286157
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5286157

>>5286097
>he doesn't know how to write

I'm sure you've read his works in Japanese and not a translation, huh?

>> No.5286186

>>5286097
Please explain how his surrealism is used to mask poor writing. You can't exactly make claims like that without giving an example. And be sure to show how you're aware of Murakami's intent so you can demonstrate where his shortcomings are.

>> No.5286223

I overheard a woman that works at Russell Books telling this guy (that was obviously trying to hit on her) that Murakami is her favourite author.

>> No.5286236

Norwegian Wood is his best, most sexiest book.

>> No.5286242

>>5286035
True, I find that his newer short stories and fiction are lacking, maybe too wound up and loaded. After the Quake seemed like a bunch of hokey stories. I still like Wind-Up and the Elephant Vanishes though, early Murakami is best. I still need to read the rat series.

>> No.5286285

>>5284556
After Dark a shit

>> No.5286327

>>5283181
Not white.

/thread

>> No.5286376

>>5283181
He's too popular. With teens, even.

To be honest, some of his books are pretty light and could feasibly pass as 'thoughtful' teen fiction. But god damn if The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle didn't go miles the fuck over my head. I still have no clue what that book was even supposed to be about.

>> No.5286403

>>5286236
Agreed. I read Norwegian Wood before picking up Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I got a clear contrast between his work in realism and mysticism. I have to say that his work in mysticism reads like palaver.

>> No.5286974

I just finished reading colorless tsukuru tazaki and his years of pligrimage. Pretty short and the characters are bland. But still better than 1Q84.

>> No.5286992

>>5286236

>implying the jack off scene in kafkaom the shore is not the sexiest thing murakami has ever written

>> No.5287308

>>5283181

He tries to be Kobo Abe and Philip K Dick but fails miserably at it.

>> No.5287321

>>5284684
I think you just like two different authors.

>> No.5287467

Just finished Wind Up Bird Chronicle, felt the pacing was really off and the payoff, while great, wasn't worth the Stephen King levels of buildup.

Lo and behold, the US version has several missing chapters and most of the chapters are out of order. Thanks, Clapistan.

>> No.5287475

>>5284684
You'd be schizophrenic is you loved Mishima and Oe equally.

>> No.5287497

>>5286974
>Pretty short and the characters are bland

I guess you could say they're a little colorless

>> No.5287509

>>5286992
That scene is pretty great nut not as good as a 13 year old girl raping a grown woman.

>> No.5287517

>>5285686
"1Q84" means the average reader of Murakami has an IQ of 84

>> No.5287556

>>5286376

Dude, what with all the WW2 shit you didn't get it's about the general darkness at the heart of Japanese society? Murakami really didn't like much of Japanese society, which is why he left it, and was quite suspicious of it.

While I'm at it: Dance Dance Dance > all else by Murakami

>> No.5287597

>>5285686
1Q84 is a homophone for 1984 in Japanese. A character ends up in an alternate version of 1984 and names it this.

>> No.5287850

>>5283181
Not enough ritual suicide. I only read Japanese authors who are Mishima.

>> No.5289346

>>5287850
>not reading authors who are natsume soseki

>> No.5289361

>>5289346
forgot pic

>> No.5289365
File: 209 KB, 1366x768, mishima.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
5289365

>>5289361
fuck

>> No.5289373

>>5287850
pleb

>> No.5289476

>>5285777
In some sense I agree: I think his acceptance of absurdity is more or less resignation to fate -- or at the very least resignation to things far beyond our control.

>> No.5289630

>>5289346
> not reading authors who are Yasunari Kawabata

>> No.5289761

>>5286097

You know, I didn't realise until Robert Hughes pointed it out last night that the figure on the right was a hand.

>> No.5289860

>>5287556
Agreed.

Dance Dance Dance > Wild Sheep Chase > Hear the Wind Sing > Pinball >Wind up Bird > rest

>> No.5290089
File: 319 KB, 1202x1600, Yukio Mishima.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
5290089

What would Mishima do to this hack?

>> No.5292233

>>5290089
Challenge him to a body building contest.

>> No.5292539

His short stories are cool.