Murakami has given us a little bonus, a little something extra for his American fans. It's actually a new American edition of a 2008 Japanese novella, and it’s handsomely and
cleverly designed with many colorful and striking
illustrations. Kudos to the designer,
Chip Kidd. The Strange Library is a
modern fairy tale. It contains none of
the modern cultural references that Murakami is so fond of in his novels. It’s quite abstract, timeless, yet narrowly focused. The symbols are striking and thought
provoking. It’s about growing up (as so
many fairy tales are) and the changes and sadness that come with leaving
childhood behind.
The typical
protagonist in a Murakami novel is a young adult male, alone, rather
withdrawn and prone to contemplation and stillness. This tale might be seen as a prequel of
sorts, an account of how a more-or-less normal child might grow into that particular adult state.
It’s certainly not my favorite Murakami, but it’s worth a
read. It will take you less than an hour.
You could almost read it aloud to a child, albeit not a very young
child. At least it’s worth thinking about in that way, as if we were reading it
to the child in ourselves. Don’t look
for the obvious. Just let the mood and
the crazy symbols resonate in your mind.
I’ll bet you’ll want to read it again. Just like the child that wants to hear that
same book over and over.
No comments:
Post a Comment