Murakami could probably write about paint drying and somehow make it interesting; he’s just that good at breathing life into the moments most would write off as mundane. [b:After Dark|17803|After Dark|Haruki Murakami|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437952316l/17803._SY75_.jpg|3070852] is in many ways a series of such moments that alters between different characters’ points of view as they move about after dark.

Darkness itself, both as a concept and a physical entity, stars at the center of this meandering dreamlike tale. There is an excitement that sizzles at night as it punctuates moments of calm; an air of mystery that opens to new possibilities; a safety of anonymity juxtaposed to fear of obscured beasts lurking out of vision. While taking place over the course of a single night, the real change of darkness occurs within the characters this story follows as time ticks on.

Given how short this novel is, it would feel like a spoiler to delve into specific sequences, but at their root lies the idea that, “…people’s memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. Whether those memories have any actual importance or not, it doesn’t matter as far as the maintenance of life is concerned. They’re all just fuel” (161). The embers of a fire would eat up a literary classic just as well as a phonebook. All manner of moments fuels us as we exist through time.

This is a concept that I think will follow me for a while. But so long as no leering creeps manifest before me through a tv screen, it should be alright.