I have heard a lot about Murakami in recent times; and all were praises about his poetic writing style, thought evoking plots, and his unique approach to deal with stories. I was looking forward to devour his creations and After dark became my first novel by the proclaimed writer.
I was perplexed by the plot but amazed by the writing gusto. I have never read a book that could make description so glamorous and mesmerizing.
Eyes mark the shape of the city.
This is a story of just one special and supernatural night in Tokyo before people move back to their daily rise and grind of everyday life.
Mari is trying to spend a night away from home; away from her sister Eri, who is nestled in a deep sleep for months without any organic cause (intriguing plot). Having her coffee and reading a book (the title is never mentioned) in a restaurant, she meets Takahashi (Friend of Eri). Takahashi tries to communicate but Mari builds an invisible wall around herself and divulge very little about her purpose of hanging out so late at night alone. Later after Takahashi leaves; a stranger, Kaoru, comes to Mari and asks for her help. A Chinese girl is beaten up ruthlessly in Alphaville and she needs Mari's help to understand the language. Mari helps. She explores the unknown world after dark.
In the meantime, Eri is in deep sleep and we can see that she is stalked by a faceless masked man; she is trapped in a nightmare and couldn't get out of her mind cage.
Mari meets several people that night, whom she would have never come across otherwise. It forces her to re evaluate her relationship with her sister. She meets Takahashi again and it may be a beginning of a good long lasting friendship. Every character seems to intertwine in the story somehow, although their real day-light world is extremely different. The story ends with Mari getting back home and sleeping aside Eri.
The story feels incomplete; the strings untied; no closure. You will be searching for logic to all the surreal incidents. Why Eri is trapped in her dreams? Will she ever wake up? What's the fate of the man who beat that Chinese girl? Who was the masked man? Why the after images get stuck in the mirror (It's spooky!)? Will Mari and Takahashi ever meet again? So the book ends with too many 'Wh-' questions. But the writing prose is mesmerizing. May I borrow the word 'poetic'.
The story moves with a grace of a movie scene. We feel like helpless audience. Or let's say its like reading a screenplay of a movie.
A deep read though the pages are less and the story seems hanging over the cliff without the revelation of any logic. You need to devour the pages.. the paragraphs... the sentences... even words; slowly and calmly to enjoy the fascinating and mysterious night world. Looking forward to more of Mr Murakami's magical works.
- I can't understand nothingness. I can't understand it and can't imagine it.
- Time move in its own special way in the middle of the night. You can't fight it.
- Memories is so crazy! it's like we've got these drawers crammed with tons of useless stuffs. Meanwhile, all the really important things we just keep forgetting, one after other.
- But what seems like a reasonable distance to one person might feel too far to somebody else.
- In this world, there are things you can do alone, and things you can only do with somebody else. It's important to combine the two in just the right amount.
- If you really want something, you have to be willing to pay a price.
- I'm kind of a low-key guy. The spotlight doesn't suit me. I'm more of a side dish- coleslaw or french fries or a Wham! back up singer.
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