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Review of Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami

February 1, 2021

As you might have noticed from previous reviews, I’m a great fan of Japanese literature. I’m also a great fan of Haruki Murakami as well as Kafka (one of Murakami’s inspirations). And so, Kafka on the Shore felt like a great fit. Alas, it’s probably the most disappointing Murakami story I’ve read.

Why that is will be interesting to analyze, as there are important lessons to learn about how to write symbolism, among other things.

In a nutshell, it takes quite some… skill to alienate your readers from the perspective of symbolism in a context of magical realism.

Review of Kafka on the Shore
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How to Write Your First Book

January 25, 2021

Writing your first novel is a big deal. If you pardon the ridiculous metaphor, writing your first novel is not unlike the first time you slept with someone: It’s exciting, scary, fascinating, and – looking back – kind of special yet also pretty “meh”. The trick in learning how to write your first book lies in understanding what to expect.

But there’s more.

To continue the same symbolism, just as a new partner makes it feel like the very first time all over again, you might have written ten books, but you can still get the “writing my first book” experience all of a sudden. In other words, even if you have already written at least one book, this post applies to you too.

Drawing from my own long and sometimes painful experience, in this post I will give you some simple but useful tips on how to write your first book of fiction – whether it’s your literal first or the first book in a new beginning you want to be making.

How to write your first book
Learning how to write your first book is about understanding what to expect
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Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa

January 18, 2021

As you might have noticed from previous reviews, I’m a great fan of Japanese literature. I’m also a great fan of cats. Combine the two, and this review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa, was the result.

Indeed, I’m writing this review mere minutes after I finished the book, as the impact is still very fresh in my mind. You should also know that I finished reading the book in a few hours – it’s one of those books that simply flows effortlessly.

So, what is The Travelling Cat Chronicles about? Much more than what the premise lets you think.

Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles
In Memoriam
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