Men Without Women Review

Men Without Women. Haruki Murakami. 2017. Knopf. 240 pages.

Rating: 4/5

As I read these stories, they felt familiar to me. I've read a lot of Murakami books, so I have a grasp of how he writes, but it seemed like more than that. They were comfortable, sort of like visiting with old friends. I definitely enjoyed these stories.

There is a bit of range in the styling of these. They do carry a common theme of men on their own, even when other characters, particularly women, have strong parts. Even though there are some related elements, such as infidelity, each one is distinct. The central male characters, their situations, and even the tone of the stories feel different.

One thing that I love about Murakami's works is that they prominently feature the characters. Sometimes I will read things and the writer seems to be focused on an idea or plot point more than the character. Murakami is almost opposite of that. I love how we can delve into the characters' mindset and understand the pain, joy, confusion, etc. that is the crux of these moments. This might just be the best collection of Murakami stories.

I Am The Messenger Review

I Am the Messenger. Markus Zusak. 2006. Knopf. 357 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Ed Kennedy is a poker playing, cab driving, beer drinking young man who happened to foil a bank robbery. The opening sequence sets the tone for the whole book. It shows us who Ed and his friends are, and more importantly how they interact with each other. Those interactions are significant throughout the book.

Ed becomes somewhat of a local celebrity after stopping the bank robber, and finds a playing card in his mailbox shortly afterward. It is an ace with addresses and times written on it. Ed has to figure out the meaning and decide what actions to take, if any.  More of these cards are left for him throughout the course of the book.

The writing is fantastic. It keeps the pace of the book moving along without becoming boring or bogged down too heavily at any point. Although the situation Ed is forced into is quite unusual, the characters are very relatable. Amidst the "messages" there is some lightheartedness and fun that occurs.

It seemed odd to me that Ed would decide to start down the path laid before him, but there isn't much else going on in his life at the time. The end was a little disappointing because I felt like there were some issues raised in the book that weren't covered adequately. Despite that, it really shows what one person can do when they decide to take action.