Muza, 2020 / Shinchosha, 2000
I unfortunately like Murakami. I started to like him more after reading more and more of his books, despite obvious flaws that annoy me in his writing (though it's what I get for reading mostly male writers) which I like to call murakamisms. I still can't stomach Norwegian Wood which is his only novel I didn't finish. It's due for a re-read... last time I read it 5 years ago.
I usually drift to his more realist novels like Hear the Wind Sing / Pinball 1973 or Dance, Dance, Dance as he does what I like the most... meticulous descrpition of the environment, moment, all of these culture references and small stories about most random things. after the quake is a collection of short stories set in a month after 1995 earthquake and sarin subway attack commited by sect Aum Shinrikyō, things that stories either directly relate (the earthquake) and even one story... made me think about subtle reference to Aum.
The volume consists of six short stories, each of them is different but one thing in common is the earthquake. First story, UFO in Kushiro at first was my favorite, especially after I've read it first earlier this year though story feels like it's ruined by lackluster ending which was a sex scene... Murakami's writing translates nicely into my native language and it flows well, but sex scenes feel really, really cumbersome. I only could stand them in South of the Border, West of the Sun from all his novels I read so far which had them. Landscape with Flatiron is definitely my favorite story out of all six, Junko felt as one of better women he ever wrote... I like how warm this story is, the theme of campfires made by a man who came to that small town who just came to make them as sea left lots of good wood on the shore. Despite being set in February to early March it felt... very summer like. It made me think about all of these beaches in Murakami's first two novels.
Third story, All God's Children Can Dance (original title in Japanese is the same, as in my native language. But I'm more fond of title that English translation has, which was requested by Murakami himself) has main character's mother who joined a cult which was an metaphor for Aum. Entire story made me think about people who wander to find the meaning of life, as main character and his mother. Thailand is another story I liked a lot, despite weird misogynistic Murakamisms about Satsuki being a middle aged woman who hit the menopause and she's "expiring", she didn't have children... But the general flow and mood, the description are pleasant. The motif of a stone inside of you, sort of a grudge you have inside of yourself felt close to me. Getting over something you held inside of you for years.
Super-Frog Saves Tokyo is a lighter, funnier story which is only one which contains magical realism elements. The juxtaposition of boring bank worker who hates himself and big super frog who loves russian literature was playing with a contrast. I like the really random, ridiculous even premise about this big worm. It really was a palate cleanser. Honey Pie is in fact a story of two people who were meant for each other but life took the other path. It's very sweet... until the end where we get another sex description I couldn't stomach.
All of stories make you feel the time and place the are set, the mid 90s Japan after a huge natural disaster and before horryfying terror attack that society couldn't deal with after, where the victims became a huge mass as media preferred to talk about the preparators in sensationalized way. It's part existential but not in a heavy way, it was full of themes that make me think about 90s as an era, the life and lifestyle during it. It goes well together with his other book from few years before, Underground. It's a non-fiction book which is mostly interviews with victims of the sarin attack but also it has second part consisting of interviews with members of the sect. Both are about same time, the moment in the space.