There’s a whole section in my bookstore dedicated to Murakami, so I have been curious about his works for a while and this was my first foray. I was fresh off Crime and Punishment and asked a few friends (and Grok lol) for a lighter read that serves as a good introduction to his writing. The Vintage International edition includes an introduction by Murakami, where he explains he usually rotates in publishing a full length novel, a shorter story, and a series of short stories. After Dark fits squarely in the second category and with this book he tries on a new style that very dialogue driven.
It was a quick read because 80% of the book were conversations between the main character Mari and various characters she meets over the course of one night (the time in which the entire novel takes place). It’s introspective without too many hidden meanings you have to mull over, and is paced very well, stringing you along with an eerie suspense without any climax per se. Without cliches, there’s something relatable in all the characters: a passionate trombone player about to give up his craft to pursue a law degree because it was “time to grow up”, a golden child who spends most of the book sleeping - who from the outside seems to have a perfect life going for her, yet exudes the profound loneliness that comes from being seen without being understood, and a love hotel manager who puts on a tough exterior that allows her to survive in a seedy environment yet protects the empathy underneath. The allnighter setting and pace makes the whole read feel like dreamlike experience. Not a good dream, not a nightmare, but a floaty quality that you get when wandering by yourself at night with the ability to tap into glimpses of the lives that you happen to pass by.
Looking forward to reading more Murakami, I have a feeling this might not be a 4-star relative to his other works but am definitely hooked from it