Im a bit behind but a question for those who have got to this chapter - is this the one with lots of bad cat abuse content in it?? Just so I can try to prepare myself if so!
This is a fitting description of this chapter. I’d seen on the main thread that it was a difficult one, but it was worse than I expected. Let us all remember that this is just fiction though. Written by someone who obviously has a very twisted mind. Murakami, I am not letting you cat sit my cats any time soon.
Oof you guys weren’t lying, that was a really rough one. Maybe once I’ve emotionally recovered a bit I can theorize about some of the other wild stuff that happened but right now I’m mostly just horrified. Just like… the weird lightheartedness of his actions in contrast to all the horrific things happening… I guess from a language perspective it’s cool that I was able to be so affected by something but god that was awful. It works out that this is just a one chapter week, gives me time to recover
When Nakata felt like he couldn’t move and he was starting to feel like not himself anymore, I really expected his trauma to be reversed somehow. Since Nakata‘s trauma and blood are always closely related…
Also, the cats‘ trance state and the Rice Bowl Hill Incident‘s group hypnosis may or may not be related?
I really wonder how much sense everything will make at the end… will everything be resolved, or will the book just go on and get weirder and weirder and then end?
That would be the Japanese thing to do, right? (at least speaking from experience from some other Japanese stories…)
For Murakami, so far I only read 1Q84 (plus some short stories, but that’s a different thing) and there it indeed gets weirder and weirder but in the end there is some sort of … let’s say … convergence at least. So my hopes are high! But I’m expecting it to get weirder and weirder until way into the second volume, tbh.
I thought that too! They were described very similarly
The other thing I remember is Johnny Walker speaking through his dog? Unsure how literal that is in all aspects, but the presentation and vibe of it reminded me of カラスと呼ばれる少年 a bit? I don’t know what to make of that exactly, but maybe they’re connected
Not to mention the like soul flute he was talking about?? Absolutely no idea what’s going on with that Not sure if that’s a centrally relevant thing or just something weird Johnny Walker was doing lmao
Yeah I wondered about that too, I’m still not sure if it’s just like “he was so upset he lost himself” kinda thing or if there’s more to it. Instinctively, considering all the other wild stuff going on, I feel like there’s probably more to it but who knows if/when that’ll come up!
Made it through this weeks chapter! As expected, tough going contents wise! Still, while some of it was downright unpleasant to read it was very tense and gripping so….that’s something I guess?
Weirdly enough I am very tempted to read on as I really want to know what the hell is going to happen next, but I shall try my hardest to restrain myself. I just have so many questions!
Also, these chapters felt doubly weird cos I recently went on a work day out thing to the Johnny Walker experience (Johnny walker visitor centre/tour thing). Thankfully a very different Johnny walker experience to the one in this book! (I wonder if murikami’s publishers had to clear the use of the company mascot for inclusion in this? )
Yeah, I thought of the brand usage thing too. “I’m Johnnie Walker, the renowned cat killer!” doesn’t seem like it would be great for business.
Then again, I drank some JW yesterday and plan to continue doing so even after reading this chapter, so maybe it’s not that big of a concern after all…?
As soon as I had internet access this meme popped up in my feed, and I thought it’d best describe the experience of reading this chapter along the ride:
Only difference is that it was a chapter, and read on a kindle. Still
Home Thread
(at least speaking from experience from some other Japanese stories…)
Not sure if that’s a centrally relevant thing or just something weird Johnny Walker was doing lmao
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