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Kafka by the Shore
Kafka by the Shore I am late to Murakami, and after reading Haruki Murakami’s Kafka by the Shore a spark of inquisition was generated. Murakami makes it impossible to ignore the cultural implications in his writing, so I looked for connections and wondered what fueled Murakami and his writing. What I found was remarkable. Understanding some of the nuances of Japanese culture helped me understand Murakami, his characters, and Japanese culture. Japanese culture is a deep and vast cavern of riches steeped in history, and its modern history is just as rich and intriguing. Today many Japanese people often go missing by choice. They leave behind all valuables and anything…
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Station Eleven, By Emily St.John Mandel
Begin your journey with Station Eleven The opening of the novel is everything a reader expects in a narrative, drama, excitement, and a strong character introduction. In spite of that, the rest of the novel limps on in comparison. The narrative is packed with starting with a global pandemic and a traveling Shakespeare troupe making their way through mostly empty pockets of leftover communities. A symphony of nameless musicians known only by the instrument they play in the novel, a cult with the most boring cult leader in history, and a nonlinear plot that keeps you going. It’s hard to pinpoint where the narrative starts to wane, what is clear…