Friday 6 July 2012

Devouring Books: Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami

"Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the Earth put here just to nourish loneliness?"

Ah. Just when you think you'll never finish a book ever again because you're halfway through Vanity Fair and can't get into anything else, but you also can't carry that around with you because it's massive, you pick up a Murakami book and finish it in two days, and also remember what reading's all about. I mean, that's what you do if you're me, obviously. How I've lasted 3 months without reading a Murakami book is beyond me, but finally, finally! More weirdness and confusion and sadness and completely wonderful loveliness.

Let's see. Where to begin? Firstly, Sputnik Sweetheart was translated by a different dude than the guy who translated the other two Murakami books I've read, which isn't something that I'd normally mention except that, well, I could kind of tell! At least, I could a bit at the beginning (which was before I knew it had been translated by some other dude) where I was like 'this feels a bit... clunky' and then checked out the translator and it was some guy who wasn't the other guy (isn't this the best storytelling ever?) Anyway, basically all this meant was that at the beginning I was slightly apprehensive that this maybe wasn't going to be that good, but something happened that meant either the translator or I got more into it, or maybe that the story just took over from the writing, but either way, I loved it.

So, like all Murakami things I've read so far (all three of them) Sputnik Sweetheart kind of defies classification. It's very mysterious, and yet not a mystery (although at times I was like *gasp* revelations!); there are events and moments that seem unconnected to the main narrative, although I'm sure if I thought about them for long enough I'd come up with some kind of explanation; and there are some homosexual feelings expressed but it doesn't at all feel like a GLBT book. Above all, I guess, it fits into the very special 'Murakami' Genre: all the hallmarks are there (ears, cats, different worlds, super sophisticated exploration of sexuality) and, well, at the moment this select genre (which is made up of, I think, 12 novels) is kind of my favourite, so how could I dislike Sputnik Sweetheart?

You want to know about the story? Ok, so the narrator (whose name we never discover because there's a wonderful passage about how he can't talk about himself, because he doesn't really even know who/what he is yet, so how can he tell us any 'facts' about himself?) is one of Murakami's lonely boys (TM) who loves a girl who is his best friend, but who feels no desire for him, or anyone, until she meets a woman who she does have sexy feelings for, and although it sounds kind of like a love triangle, it very much isn't because there's no struggle, just an acceptance that everyone likes who they like, and that no-one in the situation can do anything to change it. It's all very complex and sad and kind of super wonderful.

So... I've come to that point as I do in every Murakami review where I don't want to say anymore, because 1) I don't want to really give anything away, and 2) there's not really anything I can say to do his books justice. And to be honest, I can't think of any solid reasons as to why you MUST read them- all I can tell you is that they make me feel ridiculously sucked in and attentive and AMAZED and just, sometimes paradoxically, really happy. But that's just me! You might be pissed off by the crazy, and just want concrete happenings, and that's fine, but it's apparently just not what I'm looking for with Murakami. And I'm never disappointed!

I read this book as part of the Fuck the Patriarchy Readathon. If you'd like to donate to Rape Crisis, please visit this Justgiving page. Thanks!

19 comments:

  1. I had a dream I was reading something Murakami recently. I think Wind-Up Bird or something that I haven't read so who knows what passages my brain made up. So I'm thinking I should probably read something else of his. Perhaps this one next? Also I'd try to find this version but you didn't tell me the translator! What if I get the clunky guy?

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    1. There's only been one translator of it (so wikipedia tells me!) so it's the clunky guy or nothing I'm afraid! You should maybe go for this next because it's really short (like, 200 and a bit pages) and nothing that's like *that* weird or like freaky (although, I am starting to doubt just how weird Murakami gets, because if it's what I've seen so far then it's not really weird at all! But then, I am used to, like, Stephen King weirdness, so, yeah...)

      I kind of love that Murakami has such a distinctive feel that you knew in your dream that it was him that you were reading! (At least, that's what I'm taking your dream as hehe)

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    2. Oh it was very clear I was reading Murakami, even though I've only read the one. It had that feel. But I will def keep this in mind as the next Murakami cos I want toread more of him but I'm a bit intimidated. But about 200 pages sounds less scary.

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  2. There are essentially three Murakami translators:
    Alfred Birnbaum did the early translations (A Wild Sheep Chase, Dance Dance Dance, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, and an early hard-to-find translation of Norwegian Wood).

    Philip Gabriel did Parts 1&2 of 1Q84, Sputnik Sweetheart, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Kafka on the Shore, and a bunch of short stories, and Underground.

    Jay Rubin did 1Q84 (Part 3), Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, After The Quake, and some short stories.

    I'm probably missing some stuff, but that's most of it. Rubin and Gabriel have a pretty similar style. Birnbaum was a bit looser feeling (to me, at least).

    I haven't read Sputnik Sweetheart YET, but I've got a copy waiting for me to find a break... I'm glad you loved it.

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    1. Well well, aren't you the fountain of all Murakami knowledge?! I'm no longer convinced that it was really the translation so much as the kind of getting into the Murakami groove again that was my issue, OR Gabriel could have had some slight issues at the beginning, who knows? It's definitely not a universal thing, cause I didn't even realise that Book 3 had a different translator to Books 1 & 2 of 1Q84. The translator does make at least a slight difference though, I think (well, sometimes, I guess!) which 1) I find interesting because I really haven't read many translated books before, and 2) makes me sort of nervous to read early Murakami. Hmm. (ALSO, I'm totally going to think of Rubin as the 'proper' Murakami translator because I read Norwegian Wood first. Totally unfair, but that's my way!

      All very interesting anyway, thank you! And yeaaaah, read Sputnik Sweetheart! (Only read all the Steinbeck first so you can join the readalong fun!!)

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  3. I think I really like Murakami, but I'm not too sure... It's quite difficult to tell whether he's brilliant or annoying. I think I'll just have to keep reading and find out!

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    1. Haha, that's quite a common feeling, it seems! I mean, I know I love him, but I can definitely see how he cold make people kind of... apprehensive/yeah, irritated. It's almost like... I wish I could be irritated with him because it would be SO easy to roll my eyes and be like whuuuuut?!, but actually I'm just like 'this is AMAZING, tell me more!' Murakami ADDICTION, man!

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  4. The last Murakami I read was Underground, which turned me off a bit, as I don't think I'm as much of a fan of his nonfiction writing. I'll have to give Sputnik Sweetheart a try, as right now a sad story about a hopeless love triangle sounds PERFECT!

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    1. Aw, that's kind of sad that that's a perfect book for, like, any situation, but by all means read Sputnik Sweetheart. And ALL THE MURAKAMI! I haven't read Underground yet (although I do own it) so it'll be interesting to see how I feel about his non-fiction! (I have an opposite one to this- I'm sooort of meh about Jonathan Safran Foer's fiction, but his non-fiction style I LOVE. Although maybe that was just because it was non-fiction about something I felt strongly about... Hmm...)

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  5. I am terrible when it comes to paying attention to translators. It's on my "must get better at" list.

    Also, I haven't read another book by *him* since our readalong. I know, I know... I'll work on it.

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    1. Hahaha, *him*. Love it! I mean, don't force yourself if you don't want to, but... Murakami, I doth love him!! (obviously. lol)

      Also, seriously, I've literally never noticed a translator before- it's only because the writing felt slightly different (and that only at the beginning) that I even checked!

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  6. Your talk of Murakami makes him SO INTRIGUING for me. I've seen IQ84 in every library and bookstore display shelf I've gone into for a while. Which book of his would you say is the best one to start with?

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    1. GAH! Well, I've only read 3 (LOVE THEM ALL!) and 1Q84 is probably my favourite, but it is MASSIVE, so maybe start with Norwegian Wood? Although when I readalong-ed it, basically everyone else taking part hated it, so... maybe this?!

      Nah, you know what, I'm going to say start with Norwegian Wood, BUT if you don't like it then don't necessarily give up because it seems to be preeetty different from basically everything else he's written ever.

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    2. Haha, excellent advices! I'm really looking forward to it. How did we ever know what to read before book blogs?

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  7. I totally love that feeling of coming up out of the quicksand of a long, seemingly never-ending book (even if it's SO GOOD) and then knocking another one out of the park so quickly. It's like your mind has stored up so much book energy earned from reading the epics that the other ones are just NO PROBLEM for it. I am experiencing something similar now as I'm reading A Suitable Boy which is a massive, massive tome.

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    1. That is such an awesome feeling- I think I had it after I finished Anna Karenina last year too, when I was just like 'what?! All you other books are so easy! Let's be having you!' It's a totally powerful feeling :)

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  8. I know I should read Murakami, but it just doesn't sound like he is an author I would enjoy. I hope I'm proved wrong one day!

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  9. I'm currently reading Games of Thrones. It's not as big as Vanity Fair, but I also feel like it has taken over a quarter of my life. LOL.

    Hipster Murakami fans might hate me, but Norwegian Wood is my favorite Murakami book. Sputnik Sweetheart does sound interesting. It sounds a lot like Norwegian Wood thrown together with a weirder Murakami book if that makes sense. I'm gonna try to get my hands on a copy.

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  10. Ok, so I went out of town and didn't really check blogs, BUT I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO THINK I WAS BEING SPITEFUL. However. "Very complex and sad" you say. I see.

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