(Instagram @elle_reads)

[book review] Killing Commendatore
A painter kinds his purpose is life with a Gatsby-esk mentor.
//
WHAT I LIKED
I read over 150 pages in which a man broke up with his wife and drove around Japan. That was all that happened and I was happy with it.
/
Murkami is a master of themes! He clues readers in right off the bat, and keeps you guessing all the way through. I especially loved his play with these themes: one person holds many different angles and how do we see the line between who we are and who we aren’t.
/
As always, his vivid descriptions of music and art lend a richness to his works. This strength is accentuated through the painter main character. Readers can form their own ideas of the painter’s works while still have an image that fits with the plot.
//
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
/
Murakami’s books are usually an automatic 5 star for me, but his magical realism was a little off in this book. I found myself skimming through what should have been the climax of the piece. It felt like there was a long period in a dark world where the character developed little.
/
Normally, Murakami’s arguable male gaze doesn’t bother me. I see reasons for this choice and often the same feeling is reciprocated by female characters as well. However, I didn’t see much point in the conversations about a young girl’s breast size. It just wasn’t worth the pages it took.
/
Killing Commendatore (by Haruki Murakami) ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️4/5
//
#ellesbookreviews2019
#ellereadstheword
#killingcommendatore #harukimurakami #murakami