Haruki Murakami: After Dark
Murakami’s follow-up to Kafka on the Shore is a surprisingly short novel but carries on the themes of loneliness, isolation and chance meetings of his previous works, not to mention his characteristically quirky and surreal style. As the title suggests, the story takes place between sunset and sunrise, focusing on an assorted selection of characters who are going about their business while the rest of the world is asleep and unaware. A girl named Mari sits in a Denny’s fast food restaurant when she meets a student named Takahashi, who is practising with his band in a nearby basement; meanwhile Mari’s sister Eri is alone at home in a state of unnaturally deep sleep as her sibling is called into a nearby love hotel to help in an incident involving one of its guests.
In all honesty the storyline of After Dark is pretty thin on the ground but its charm lies in the small details and the atmosphere that Murakami is able to create. The opening paragraphs vividly describe the unnamed city as a living entity in its own right, showing signs of life even when most of its component parts are asleep; the world is that of the hazy, blurry state experienced at this mysterious time of day that is in between sleep and waking. The mannerisms, turns of phrase and sharp observations of the characters’ surroundings draw the reader in with ease as it becomes apparent that the people who are chosen for the narrative’s observation, and their respective situations, are somehow related.
A beautiful young woman sleeps the sleep of the dead, observed from a different world through an unplugged television; her sister meets an old acquaintance through a chance meeting, and as a result encounters more fascinating individuals; reflections can stay in a mirror for several seconds after the viewer has left the room. It’s not reality, but is not unrecognisable either - there may or may not be an underlying explanation for the bizarre goings-on but fortunately complete understanding is not required for grasping the smaller, but no less profound, observations of people today and the world in which they live.
This novella shows a Lost in Translation-style irony in that people are connected in a densely and colourfully populated environment but at the same time this setting offers as much anonymity and isolation as anywhere. It is credit to Murakami’s striking prose that we are able to engage with and relate to the disparate range of personalities in such a short space of time: like the chance encounters they themselves experience, the reader learns a tantalisingly small amount about them, before the ethereal night time ends and propels us back into real life.
The strange, vaguely-explained semi-dreamworld of After Dark could be difficult to immerse yourself in, were it not for the unspecified identity of the city (at this time of night, it would seem all cities look alike) and numerous pop culture references. A Denny’s restaurant is the perfect start for the events that unfold: they are open 24 hours a day but exhibit a ’seen one, you’ve seen them all’ feeling since they are found in many countries worldwide. The soundtrack to the book, as it were, springs from Murakami’s eclectic and extensive musical knowledge, citing as it does popular songs that are referred to by name. The environment of After Dark is strange and unsettling yet, at the same time, comforting and familiar.
Summary
Murakami’s latest effort is a relatively short but strongly atmospheric portrayal of a time and setting that evoke a rich mixture of feelings and emotions. For this reason, it is especially recommended to existing fans of his fiction but the way in which this quirky and magical work captures the sights, sounds and personalities of a city at night makes it ideal for anyone who wants to escape to a different world for a few short hours. Irresistable bedtime reading!
Posted on August 17th, 2007 @ 4:58 am
Great review.
Murakami has been a long-time favorite of mine, and After Dark was a pleasant addition to my ever-increasing library. Few authors, I find, have the power to draw me in as Murakami does. Nor can a work by any other author draw me to the bookstore so quickly.
Although I enjoyed After Dark, it doesn’t, as I’m sure most will agree, stand up to many of his other works. It seemed to lack focus, without a real goal for the protagonist(s), which doesn’t make it bad, by any means. It was ethereal. Perhaps that was intentional, though: in a time so unclear and lacking focus as the hours in which the book takes place, it would only make sense that the protagonist(s) have no clear objective, save for having no objective.
The involving dialogue is gripping with every word, and, as you mentioned, the mere atmosphere of the work is stunning in itself.
I can’t wait for word of his next work.
Posted on August 18th, 2007 @ 12:25 am
@Frank: Thanks, it’s always good to meet a fellow fan! Murakami is possibly my all-time favourite author too (to the point where my other reading gets a bit under-represented here!) but somehow this doesn’t quite measure up to, say, the Wind-up Bird Chronicle or Norwegian Wood. It’s still something I’d recommend though, and I can only agree that it has great atmosphere and that his next book is something to look forward to!