I don’t want to always be the first to say anything, but the book has been really fun and interesting so far!
I thought we would stay in the interview format for a while, but looks like it was nothing more than a setup for Nakata! Looks like both stories now take place in the same temporal dimension
And Nakata and Kafka (used to) live in the same area, in 野方(のがた)! At least I remember Kafka thinking about his home back in 野方. This will definitely become relevant at some point.
I don’t think the other half of Nakata‘s shadow is our other protagonist, as that would be too… easy? Maybe it‘s the カラスと呼ばれる少年?
I also really enjoyed reading about Nakata‘s outlook on his life. I hope there will be some more info about the social system in Japan.
Really took me ages to realize that the cat-talker is indeed our boy Nakata - Japanese names are still very much unmemorizable for me That was indeed a nice twist. I was also hoping for some more interviews (I had liked the doctor’s interview a lot last week) but seeing through his own eyes what became of our boy was a big surprise.
And I also thought that maybe the shadow is what connects him to Kafka I think we’ll see how this turns out.
For the first chapter of this week, while it was interesting to learn about this special library and the support system that the owner had built, and all the famous people that once visited it, I found it to be quite the drag to read it - maybe there were just too many unknown words in that part.
Whew week 3 down! That’s reassuring, I’m glad the jump in pages didn’t knock me out all good!
Oof I’m so glad that wasn’t just me, that part was rough lmao Also really glad it didn’t continue to be like that once I got through it haha, it was all worth it for the cat!!
Ooooh I totally forgot about that, it was before the Library History Slog™ part so it got deleted from my brain But yeah I think so too! Somehow that and probably also カラスと呼ばれる少年 are connected like you guys are saying, the question is just how exactly
But yeah I liked chapter 6 a lot, cat conversation!! Now that’s the nonsense I’m here for I really like ナカタ and オオツカ, that whole interaction was a lot of fun and very interesting. I also now see why jpdb’s been throwing me random stuff like ゴマ, no we’re not actually talking about sesame seeds that much haha. I’m very curious to see where things are going with that whole situation, especially with the other shadow person オオツカ apparently met in the past That definitely doesn’t feel like a throwaway detail, but I’m not really sure what to do with it either… Maybe it was カフカ I don’t know what all that has to do with the incident from the previous chapters though, many questions!
I enjoyed both of these chapters! This chapter really warmed me more to カフカ and I’m excited to learn more about the library and the people working there (esp 大島)
I will admit that I didn’t consider this because I was distracted being like “hey! It’s the story from the Origin of Love song in Hedwig & the Angry Inch!”. If anyone wants an illustrated song version of the story see below (annoyingly the last verse doesn’t seem to be included in the version on youtube)
Most people here not vibing the the Kafka chapter, but I enjoyed it quite a bit! Reversely found the cat chapter quite a slog to read with only dialog and a pretty boring speech style.
A little late to the party, but I really struggled with Chapter 5. The library history part read like one of those 10 page long Victor Hugo tangents. I am usually a fan of tiresome nonsense like that, but I guess tiresome descriptions are a whole another beast if I am not fluent enough to enjoy reading them
Reading chapter 6, after the ordeal of chapter 5, was so refreshing. Cats! Finally! The reason why I picked up the book in the first place (the English translation has a lovely cat cover ). ナカタ also seems like such a wholesome old man. I really am looking forward to reading more of his story. And also Kafka’s story - just hopefully less history.
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That was indeed a nice twist. I was also hoping for some more interviews (I had liked the doctor’s interview a lot last week) but seeing through his own eyes what became of our boy was a big surprise.
I think we’ll see how this turns out.
I don’t know what all that has to do with the incident from the previous chapters though, many questions!
(annoyingly the last verse doesn’t seem to be included in the version on youtube)
). ナカタ also seems like such a wholesome old man. I really am looking forward to reading more of his story. And also Kafka’s story - just hopefully less history.